Learn All About the 17th Century Witchcraft Panic in “Salem: Plague of Witchcraft”
This holiday season, we’re hard at work on our next game, “Salem: Plague of Witchcraft” which will be released in February 2020. In “Salem: Plague of Witchcraft,” student players will be transported to the 1690s as fear of a witch conspiracy gripped colonial Massachusetts. Students will learn:
- How a variety of social stresses created the perfect storm for a witch panic
- Who was responsible for launching the witchcraft panic in Salem
- Why an atmosphere of fear was necessary for the witchcraft panic to take hold
- How the witchcraft panic spread beyond Salem
- Why those accused of witchcraft faced such extreme injustice
- Why the accused were so quick to accuse still others of witchcraft
- Why skeptics were so vital to ending the witchcraft panic
- How a historical event like the Salem Witch Trials can have multiple causes
Through playing “Salem: Plague of Witchcraft,” players will learn the myriad reasons colonial Massachusetts was ripe for a manufactured epidemic such as witchcraft to take hold–and ultimately turn a community upside down. Although Massachusetts was originally founded as a strict religious utopia, generational tensions in regard to religion, were increasing. Simultaneously, escalating acrimony between neighboring Salem Village and Salem Town, was nearing a breaking point. These frictions, coupled with a lack of political stability, all bubbled to the surface in the shadow of multiple wars… setting the perfect stage, for fear to spread like wildfire.
Players will have the opportunity to both spread and contain the witchcraft panic. First, students get to design their very own social contagion with the goal of spreading the affliction through fear and accusation, into neighboring towns. Players will earn points for successful accusations, and for otherwise helping to spread this social contagion.
Conversely, students will also have the opportunity to contain the spread of fear. As a skeptic, players will earn points for sowing the seeds of doubt in others, to create greater numbers of individuals skeptical about the causes of this so called “affliction.” To succeed on either side, students must understand the myriad fault lines of colonial society.
Stay tuned for more updates about Game Learning’s latest educational video game, “Salem: Plague of Witchcraft,” coming in February 2020!
In the meantime, we wish you a Happy Holiday season.
Game Learning’s educational video games each focus on a pivotal moment in history, accessed through 21st Century technology. Game Learning educational video games can be played on desktops, laptops, and tablets. Our team of historians ensure accuracy of historical subject matter, while developers create engaging, fast-paced games, which put the fun back into the fundamentals of learning. Game Learning has been approved by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Contact us at info@gamelearning.com.
