What is the rising action that lead up to the climax in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

The climax of this moving and incredibly powerful book
undoubtedly comes in Chapter 19, when Kit is tried for supposedly being a witch. When we
look back at the rising action, however, we see that there are a number of different
events of sequences of events that have led to this point, known as the rising action in
terms of the plot.

Firstly, and centrally, the friendship
between Kit and Hannah Tupper, who is shunned, isolated and ostracised by the rest of
the townsfolk, is key to this development. It is the friendship that results in Kit
bringing Prudence to Hannah's house for her reading lessons and above all it is the love
that Kit has for Hannah that impels her to go to Hannah's house and help her flee before
the enraged mob burn her house down and potentially do something terrible to Hannah
herself. Kit repeatedly disobeys her Uncle Matthew's instructions to not go to Hannah's
house, thus casting suspicion on herself, as Hannah is thought to practice witchery by
the townspeople.

Secondly, the fever that strikes the town
is another crucial element that leads to Kit's arrest and trial. Kit herself is sick,
but only fleetingly, and recovers soon, able to help others back to health. However, the
swiftness of Kit's recovery combined with her friendship with Hannah Tupper appears to
be another piece of evidence that suggests that Kit is a witch, or at least in league
with one.

Thus Kit's friendship with Hannah and the way
that she recovered from the fever so quickly automatically makes her a suspect to the
frenzied townsfolk who are eager to find a victim, especially as Hannah Tupper managed
to elude their trap. It is this that leads to Kit's arrest and trial and the climax of
this novel.