What you learned in school
History textbooks often described Salem witch executions as burnings at the stake, following European practices. Students learned that "witches" were burned alive as the standard punishment. This dramatic image of burning was reinforced by illustrations and popular accounts that emphasized the horror of the witch trials.
What we know now
History textbooks often stated or implied that accused witches in Salem were burned at the stake, following European witch trial practices. Students learned about burning as the standard punishment for witchcraft. All 20 people executed during the Salem witch trials were hanged, not burned. One person was pressed to death with stones. No one was burned during the Salem trials. The burning of witches was more common in Europe; American colonial law prescribed hanging for capital crimes.