witch craze

plural witch crazes

1. The period from 15th to 18th centuries during which persecution of people as witches was prevalent in Europe and North America.

   In other countries the witch craze was just as bad or worse than in England.

   1909 June 28, The Bendigo Independent, Vic, page 4, column 4

   1 more example

   [B]ut what we thought of most was the witch-burning days, for Salem was the storm-centre of the witch craze, and the town fairly went mad over it.

   1912 January 26, The Sydney Stock and Station Journal, page 3, column 1