Why did so many people believe in witches in the 1600s?

because people were accused of doing feats that were seemingly impossible at the time. They were then accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death. I think they were tied to a post. Their feet werent touching the ground, and then the villigers piled wood beneath them and lit it on fire wounding and eventually killing the accued. But that was irrelivant so i must move onto topic.But yes, i think that's why they believed in witches at the time. But witches were already a Word before the 1600's so the people became suspicious of the "witches'' after som smarticle came up with the legend of the witches to get the people all scared and stuff.