Why were so many people falsely accused of Witchcraft in Salem,Mass. & those who did

feared by the judges of that time wasn't it or maybe it is worst that they committed or got away with their murders.Wasn't America suppose to be a place that people could worship how they pleased this shows that it was not at that time so why did the people who were the law at that time murder Innocent people & those who really did practice witchcraft why were they punished for their beliefs.

mostly people accusing other to get their property
if they were real witches don't you think they could have protected themselves?

It was a dark time in religious new England. King James II had succeeded his brother Charles II, and James had a catholic wife and had catholic sympathies, and believed the Kings religion should be the peoples religion. New England was allowed to have the Congregational church because they were so far away. What would happen if James sent a bishop?
During the English civil war and commonwealth there had been hundreds of witch trials in England, and they were trials by ordeal. Everyone knew witches float right? So toss the accused witch into the lake, if she floats then she is a witch. If she sinks, she is innocent, probably dead from drowning but oh well.
When a group of girls became all hysterical by tales of witches told by the Ministers black slave, thing just spiraled out of control. The first accused were the old, the odd, people who the girls families had old grudges. Most of the accused confessed and were imprisoned, and later released. A dozen were hanged, which was better than burning at the stake like in England.
Eventually the hysteria settled down and everyone asked for forgiveness including the girls. But the guilt was still felt generations latter. Nathanial Hawthorn felt uncomfortable in what his grandfather had done.

I just learned this in college. The Salem Witch trials occurred nearly 100 years before America was established as a free country. The accusations began when a group of young girls went to a servant woman to "read" their futures. Afterward, the girls claimed to be "possessed" by evil spirits. The girls were questioned and gave names of witches that they believed were haunting them. Eventually the servant woman was called into court and confirmed the names the girls had mentioned, but wouldn't say names of other "witches". In time, more people (mostly women, but there were a few men) were put on trial. Those that claimed they were witches were spared, while the remaining were ordered to die. Also, it was later discovered that jealousy lead to innocent people being accused. So, the witch trials were more driven by superstition and envy than anything. Hope this helps!