Economic uncertainty, fueled by a growing disparity between the haves and have-nots. A perceived enemy both far away and close to home whose religious beliefs and very appearance are anathema to you, and who seem to act irrationally or without conscience. A government who you find you can’t trust because it has engaged in a wholesale cover-up of facts that are important for you to know.

America in the 21st century?

Actually, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.

There is nothing new under the sun, said Emerson Baker, a Salem State University history professor and York resident who has spent the past 20 years studying the infamous Salem witch trials.

“The fact is, the witch trials underscore the dangers of extremism and rushing to judgment,” he said. “We see it repeatedly throughout time, and we see it today. If there’s someone who is different and if a problem happens, maybe they’re responsible....