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The Salem Witch Trails began with the Puritans who wanted a simple way of life. Puritans strongly believed in a theological belief Calvinism. For example, total depravity states that we are born a sinner, predestination predicts that our path has been predetermined for us, and limited atonement assumes that Christ only died for the “select.” Also, the Salem Witch Trials are strong beliefs that Satan is acting in the world and possessing people in becoming witches and wizards to work for him. All of these factors contributed to the mass hysteria of witchcraft. During courtroom trails, teenage girls would do similar actions simultaneously which made the public aware of possible witches within the community. By the end of 1692, over 200 people were jailed and standing accused of witchcraft. Nineteen men and women were hung, all having been convicted of witchcraft. An elderly man was pressed to death for not saying he was a witch. The author of The Crucible, Arthur Miller, wrote a play about the Salem Witch Trails to prove that he was not a communist and to show the government was insinuating on a modern day witch hunt.