Season 1 · Episode 17
The Vilification of Cotton Mather
The Salem Witch Trials Podcast
June 3, 202419m 43s
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Show Notes
Cotton Mather was a third generation minister born into Puritan royalty, a nepo baby long before anyone had ever used the term. But his involvement in the Salem witch trials — and defense of the trials afterward — led to his eventual vilification. We’re joined by Professor Rick Kennedy who helps us sort through Mather’s complex role in Puritan New England.
- Learn about Rick Kennedy
- Learn about Rick Kennedy’s book The First American Evangelical: A Short Life of Cotton Mather
- Rick Kennedy’s latest book is Winds of Santa Ana: Pilgrim Stories of the California Bight
- Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok
- Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials