Conspiracy Theory and Critical Thinking Essay

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Worth: 20%

Overview

You will be examining a historical conspiracy, giving the background context of the time, the details of the conspiracy itself, the evidence for and against the conspiracy, and finally an examination of what this conspiracy says about us.

Instructions:

You will choose one of the following conspiracy theories:

– The Business Plot

– Remember the Maine/False Flag

– The Streetcar Conspiracy

In your own words, and using good and reliable sources, provide a historical background for this conspiracy. Where did it take place? What was the political/social/economic situation of the time? Who were the main players? Why was this happening?

Then, explain (again in your own words) the substance of the conspiracy theory. What is the evidence for this theory? What is the evidence against it?

Do you believe this theory? If so, why? How much is due to your rational weighing of the evidence, and how much is due to emotional reasons? Referencing the Gula book may help you for this section (particularly the portion on the difficulties of critical thinking).

Every source you use (Internet or paper) must be cited in the body of the paper as well as in a complete bibliography at the end of the paper. Even when you paraphrase a secondary source, you must provide the citation information. Failure to do so will result in an automatic 0.

Conspiracy Theory and Critical Thinking Essay