Conspiracy Theory in American History

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course examines conspiracy theories in American history ranging from the seventeenth century to the 1990s. The alleged conspiracies that we will study include slave revolts, monarchical plots against liberty, Catholic secret agents, Freemasons and other secret societies, the abolitionist movement and the Southern "Slave Power," the JFK assassination, and the modern fascination with UFOs, among others. We will examine these conspiracy theories not to prove or disprove them, but to understand how such beliefs come about, why they become popular, and how even paranoid fantasies can exert a decisive influence on culture and politics in America. Students are expected to plan, research, and write an original paper as part of this course.