Abstract
Contends that the assassination of President John F. Kennedy shifted the U.S. from a period of hope to a period of paranoia and conspiracy theories. Idea of conspiracies as a staple of popular fiction, film, TV. Analysis of Oliver Stone's 1991 film JFK. The 1997 film CONSPIRACY THEORY. Perpetuation on the Internet.

From the Paper
"John Fitzgerald Kennedy was President of the United States for less than three years, yet in that time he had a major impact on the country and on foreign and domestic policy lasting for a decade or more. Some of his actions produced effects that were beneficial, and others can be seen now as less effective, notably his enmeshing the country in the Vietnam War. Kennedy's presidency began in a spirit of glamour and change and ended in the assassination of an American president. The country shifted from a period of hope to a period of tension, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and a growing distrust of government. In some degree, none of these things was new, but the Cold War era increased world tensions and made Americans less trustful both of other nations and of other Americans. The era of conspiracy theories really begins with the Kennedy assassination, an event ..."

Abstract
This paper examines ways in which popular American culture's fascination with conspiracy theories are reflected in Dan Brown's novel, "Da Vinci Code". The paper cites various conspiracy theories ranging from the murders of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. to U.S. involvement in Vietnam to the narrative of Brown's novel.

From the Paper
"The murder of John F Kennedy in Dallas Texas on November fostered intense national desire to assign blame for the crime and bring those responsible to justice. One view of the assassination was articulated in detail in the Warren Commission Report WCR which..."

Tags:Conspiracy, theory, Da, Vinci, Code

Abstract
The paper reviews three articles/videos on legal matters, conspiracy theorists, and incarceration rates in the United States.

From the Paper
"Chip Berlet, a researcher with Political Research Associates makes the case in "Toxic to Democracy" that a variety of conspiracy theories on such diverse topics as Barack Obama's citizenship, religion, sources of support and legitimacy as a president are essentially damaging to democracy. At the same time, Berlet identifies four tools of fear that have succeeded over time in affirming conspiracist narratives; dualism, scapegoating, demonization and apocalyptic aggression. He argues that conspiracism is rooted in bigotry on..."

Tags:conspiracy theorists, incarceration rates, legal issues

Abstract
The paper reveals that in the years following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C., conspiracy theories have arisen regarding the tragic events of that day. The paper discusses how some critics of the official government accounts have theorized that high officials in the Bush Administration were, at the very least, aware that a major terrorist attack on the United States was imminent and purposely took no action to prevent it, while other critics have theorized that high government officials were complicit in the planning and carrying out of the attacks.

Tags:9/11, conspiracy, theories

Abstract
This paper explores some of the conspiracy theories surrounding the murder of President John F. Kennedy,. It argues that none of them, in the end, is supported by sufficient and believable evidence.

From the Paper
"We've all had days like this. Your alarm clock will break and so you'll oversleep. When you do wake up you will burn your lips tongue and liver with your coffee. Your car will refuse to start and when it does you will discover that one of your tires is flat. ..."

Tags:JFK, Warren Commission, conspiracy, whitewash

Abstract
The paper describes how "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown deals with a respected expert surrounded by murder and secrecy, while the the movie "Conspiracy Theory" deals with a "crazy" cab driver who sees conspiracy in everything around him. The paper compares the main characters and the coherency of the storylines, and highlights how both show the dark side of conspiracy.

From the Paper
"In "The Da Vinci Code," Robert Langdon is called in by the French police to help them solve the riddle of the death of Jacques Sauniere, the curator of the Louvre Art Museum. Sauniere was murdered in the museum, but he left a clue to his murder's identity, which the police want Langdon to decipher. The conspiracy is religious in nature, between the groups Priory of Sion and Opus Dei, who believe that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and she had his child. The curator leaves a clue about Da Vinci and symbols in his own blood, which is why Langdon, an expert in symbols, is pulled into the case. Sauniere was the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion, which is why Opus Dei, a Catholic organization, is behind his murder; however, the French police believe Langdon is a prime suspect in the beginning of the story.
"The conspiracy comes as Landon and Fache, the head detective, believes Langdon is the prime suspect in the murder. Langdon gains the trust of Sophie Neveu, a police cryptographer (and Saunier's granddaughter), and together they follow the clues the curator left and attempt to make sense out of them. The story is part mystery, but there is also a clear conspiracy in trying to cover up the evidence that Jesus left descendents, to covering up the Catholic Church's involvement in the cover up."

Tags:murder, secrecy

Abstract
This paper reviews the increasingly frequent instances of corruption within the Papacy in the 15th century, including the practice of trading indulgences, (absolution without punishment) for the benefit of the Church and its leaders. The paper details the conspiracy between Pope Sixtus IV and Francesco Pazzi to remove the prominent Medici family from their powerful position as leaders of the city-state of Florence, Italy. Also included with the paper are details about the conspiracy from the birth of the idea by Pope Sixtus IV and Francesco Pazzi, the addition of several other conspirators, the formation of a plan to murder Lorenzo 'the Magnificient' Medici and the execution of said plan.

From the Paper
"Unlike traditional Papal organizations of the Dark Ages, the Renaissance Popes placed their religious missions on the back burner, and focused on more worldly ambitions. Their drive to achieve the moral integrity of their Saviour was shaded by their lust for power in the international community. Many of the Renaissance Popes became active in the community politics and were also great patrons of local artists and merchants. Beginning in the fourteenth century, when the sacramental rite of penance became a private affair, many clergy members traded indulgences, (absolution without punishment), for various missionary services that would benefit the Church. This arrangement sparked an era of immoral behaviour, as the sins committed grew even more severe. Priests, Bishops and eventually Popes began to sell indulgences for services granted or for hearty cash donations. These men of the cloth abused their authority and ultimately made people question the integrity of the Catholic Church altogether. The aforementioned wrong doings of the church, however, are minor windows into the weak character of some of the Renaissance Popes. Others make us question if their fundamental values were ever intact."

Tags:Pope Sixtus IV, Medici 15th century, murder, Catholic Church, 1478

Abstract
The paper describes the shooting of President John F. Kennedy, the capture of Lee Harvey Oswald who became the main suspect in President Kennedy's murder and the subsequent murder of Oswald. The paper then shows how the congressional report (the Warren Report), government studies, and the FBI investigation shortly after the President's death, prompted more questions than answers. The paper points out the inconsistencies and errors in the Warren Report's assertions and argues that they lend credence to the notion of a conspiracy or government cover-up. The paper further reveals that by early 1967, an astonishing eighteen witnesses had died, many under highly suspicious circumstances. The writer of this paper is absolutely certain that a conspiracy took place in which either the U.S. government was involved or at the very least had some knowledge about.

From the Paper
"President John F. Kennedy, thirty fifth President of the United States, and his wife Jacqueline, embarked upon a brief trip to Texas in late November 1963. Shortly thereafter, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife Lady Bird accompanied the first couple on a whirlwind tour that would conclude with a weekend at the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall. The purpose of the President's visit was to observe firsthand how the space program was doing, and involved a tour of the space center in Houston on Thursday, November 21. However, JFK also had a political agenda as well. There was a presidential election approaching in 1964 and rifts were beginning to emerge among Texas Democrats that could harm the President's reelection bid. Kennedy sought to ease the growing tensions between conservative Texas Governor John B. Connally and liberal Senator Ralph Yarborough. On Friday, November 22, the President and his wife were scheduled to ride in a motorcade through downtown Dallas, which would take them to a Trade Mart luncheon where JFK was slated to deliver a major speech. The Kennedys would ride in an open car with Governor Connally and his wife Nellie while Senator Yarborough would ride in the car containing Vice President and Mrs. Johnson."

Tags:Warren, Report, FBI, Oswald, witnesses, testimony, shooters

Abstract
This paper analyzes and compares four historians' responses to the article in the October 2001 issue of the the history journal "William and Mary Quarterly" entitled, "The Making of a Slave Conspiracy" which focused on the historical issues about black slavery in America particularly the Denmark Vesey insurrection conspiracy in Charleston, South Carolina in 1822. The articles reviewed include a review essay penned by Prof. Michael Johnson, entitled, "Denmark Vesey and His Co-Conspirators" which offered a new interpretation of the famous (and foiled) uprising of the Negroes in Charleston in the early 19th century.

From the Paper
"Of all his criticisms of Johnson, Egerton said that the historian s biggest error is when Johnson failed to consult sources other than the Official Report and Evidence. Egerton said that Johnson became too focused in spotting differences between the two documents that he failed to recognize the importance of some small but significant and helpful sources such as church records, city directories, and newspapers in St. Domingue , and most importantly, correspondence among people of Charleston during the time of trial and execution of the blacks. These common biographer s technique should have been helpful in his study of the issue. He also refuted Johnson s claim that the court punished heavily those who did not admit their guilt and pardoned those who did by giving an example. Sandy Vesey, Denmark s son, was also implicated in the insurgency plot, but unlike his companions who confessed and turned against them, Sandy Vesey did not admit his guilt, and as punishment, he was transported to Spanish Cuba in 1822 ."

Tags:Lionel, Kennedy, Thomas, Parker, St., Domingue, Court, of, Magistrates, Freeholders

Abstract
This paper reviews the book "A Vast Conspiracy" by Jeffery Toobin and relates the Lewinsky Clinton scandal as a conspiracy against Clinton.