What does all the talk about lawsuits arguments and disagreements over land and property tell us about the mood in Salem at the beginning of the play?

The talk of lawsuits and property disputes immediately evokes a sense of hostility. The mood in Salem is ripe for hysteria, and unfortunately, Salem becomes the perfect place for people to use this hysteria to their own ends. Accusations become commonplace, and they also become a tool for vengeance, as well as a punishment for perceived wrongs.