The best explanation for the Salem witch craze is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Salem witch craze was fueled by social division and anxieties within the village, including long-standing conflicts between Puritan factions and economic competition, which ultimately led to the scapegoating and persecution of individuals, primarily women, accused of practicing witchcraft. The playacting of teenage girls, though a contributing factor, was not the sole cause of the hysteria. There is no evidence to support the presence of real witches, and the low rate of literacy among villagers cannot explain the scale of the witch hunt. Similarly, there is no evidence to support the theory of natural hallucinogens in the water supply.

The Best Explanation for the Salem Witch Craze Is