The Illuminati in the United States
In the late 18th century, American political and religious leaders such as Timothy Dwight and Jedidiah Morse warned of the Illuminati as a dangerous secret society threatening Christian civilization and the U.S. government. These fears were tied to anxieties over the French Revolution, immigration, and partisan conflict between Federalists and Democratic Republicans. Although the Illuminati had been suppressed in Bavaria by 1785, conspiracy theories about their influence persisted, fueled by writings from John Robison and Augustin de Barruel.
- ▪Timothy Dwight, President of Yale, warned in 1798 that the Illuminati posed an existential threat to American religious and political order.
- ▪Federalist preachers like Jedidiah Morse linked the Illuminati to revolution, atheism, and moral decay, often accusing Thomas Jefferson and his supporters of being their agents.
- ▪The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798-1801 targeted immigrants and political dissenters amid fears of Illuminati-inspired subversion.
- ▪John Robison and Augustin de Barruel published influential works claiming the Illuminati orchestrated the French Revolution and were spreading their conspiracy to the United States.
- ▪Despite widespread alarm, belief in the Illuminati threat began to decline by 1799 due to lack of evidence.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
History Matters The Illuminati in the United States In the late 18th century, fears of a demonic secret society bent on destroying religion and government spread rapidly across the US. S. Jonathon O’Donnell | Published in History Today Volume 70 Issue 12 December 2020 New Haven, Connecticut, 4 July 1798. The President of Yale, Timothy Dwight, announces the name of an apocalyptic and conspiratorial threat facing America. Referencing the Book of Revelation, he declared that the end was close, the Antichrist was abroad in the land and agents of a conspiracy were filling the nation with impious people and false prophets.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Historytoday.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Historytoday
