This show, though highly entertaining, is NOT historically based. Don't be fooled by reviewers who have seen one too many Harry Potter films as they grew up and believe that supernatural "magic" beings called "witches" are a real phenomenon. There is virtually NOTHING about this show that resembles actual events. Sure, on the periphery, there are hints about how difficult life was "roughing it" in the early days of the colonies, and the roots of modern-day religious intrusion into public policy are shown for what they are, power-hungry people (usually men) trying to use religion to serve their own selfish purposes.
But when the writers are looking to boost viewership, it is not the history of the very REAL "witch hunts" which they turn to, it is instead the supernatural silliness of necromancers, sorcery, and satanic cultism, which, again for the sake of entertainment only, they peg for the blame of the witch trials, rather than the all-too human tendency to abuse the gullible morons who are ever-willing to surrender their own will and good sense to the authoritative proclamations of superstitious surrogates (clergy).
If the producers declared that this was based on fact, then there might be good cause to burn them at the stake for their irresponsibility. In my opinion, this show is a comedy, a farce, and pretty gross too. One thing I say in every episode is "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!" It's extremely gory and they push the envelope with child sexuality in the form of a 10-year old boy raised by witches to usher in the rule of Satan, a fictional character that many still believe is real. Some may find this use of a cute kid trying to "get it on" with his mother as a cheap stunt to shock the audience.
Otherwise, it is a lot of fun to watch, as long as you don't take one minute of it seriously.