However after the trials stopped, Putnam was also the only to make a public apology for what she had done. Some historians today believe her to be a victim of the community as well. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/asa_put.htm

Claiming to see someone's appearance was very damaging to the accused person because the Devil would not enter the body of an unwilling person. http://people.ucls.uchicago.edu/~snekros/The%20Salem%20Times/The_Salem_Times_of_1693/Culture_%26_Beliefs.html

Ann Putnam was a young girl who was about 11 years old. She accused a numerous amount of people with witchcraft. Along with two other girls, Putnam headed the attacks on the people of Salem. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html?c=y&page=1

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/asa_put.htm

Giles Corey was accused of witch craft by Ann Putman Jr., Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Williams. He was put into prison for five months before going to trial but then refused to stand for trial. His punishment was to be pressed by heavy stones until he died. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/sal_bcor.htm

The book that Ann refers to is the book of the Devil. By signing the book one would become a witch and have powers. Someone accusing another of having signed the book was an important part of a trial. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/Salem-Witch-Trials-Glossary/a/Signing-The-Devils-Book.htm

For most of us, the word appearance means how something looks, like "one's appearance." In this context, however Putnam is referring to Corey's ghost like aspect. It is not him, himself that did these things to her but his ghost. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/appearance

The other three girls also testified against Corey and made the same similar claims that Putnam made. To read their accounts scroll down the page.

The book that Ann says Giles urged her sign is the Devil's book. By signing the book one would become a witch and thus have powers.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/Salem-Witch-Trials-Glossary/a/Signing-The-Devils-Book.htm

Bridget Bishop was the first person to be hanged during the Salem Witch Trails. After Bishop's execution, 18 other men and women would also die at what would be known as Gallows Hill. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html?c=y&page=1

It is unclear as to why Bishop was the one first put on trial and convicted as opposed to others who were accused before her. She was known to be a gossip and somewhat loose for the time period however. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html?c=y&page=1

What is most striking about this picture is how everyone in the crowd seems to be genuinely excited about the execution. Whole families, including the children, have come out to see this poor woman die by hanging.

One can also see the guards trying to keep the citizens away from Bishop. It is most likely that the people want to harass her even more before she dies. Some of these people probably truly believe that she is a witch and want nothing more than to be rid of her.

Most likely because this was the start of the witch trials, people figured that once the hanging was over, the madness would begin to die down. None of them would have to worry if they might be the next ones hanging from the tree. However as more executions went on, of people who were respected in the community, the citizens probably realized that the Witch Trials was not something for enjoyment but something they should fear as well.