College Honors Program

“The Prince of Darkness”: The Genesis of Anti-Masonic Excitement in New York’s Burned-Over District

Date of Creation

5-17-2024

Document Type

Campus Access Only

Department

History

First Advisor

Gwenn Miller

Abstract

On the night of September 11, 1826, a murder would occur that would spark a political movement. The Anti-Masonic movement was birthed out of the conspiracies surrounding the death of William Morgan, but quickly grew into a political party that rivaled all others in the state of New York. The years following 1826 saw a rise in Anti-Masonic popularity in the region, that being the Burned-Over District, a region known for its religious fervor. The combination of the religious fervor, a strong Anti-Masonic print culture, and the conspiracies surrounding the Morgan Affair enabled Anti-Masonry to become one of the strongest political movements of the era. The story of Anti-Masonry acts as a window onto the greater American political landscape, and highlights the questions surrounding democracy. Anti-Masons were a group exploring what democracy meant in the Early Republic, and through their story insights onto the evolution of American democracy can be made.

Comments

Reader: Liat Spiro

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