European Witch Hunts (15th-18th Centuries)
Accusations typically began with personal grudges or unusual events like crop failures. Torture extracted impossible confessions about midnight flights and demonic pacts. Between 40,000-60,000 people died across Europe, mostly women. Towns lost valuable knowledge-keepers like midwives and herbalists. Economic productivity suffered as communities were paralyzed under constant suspicion. This continent-wide episode demonstrates how societies can embrace lethal scapegoating during stressful times.
