The Manson Family

Definition of cult

Group of members come together to go against people who have different beliefs

How is power and conformity used to control the followers

It helped Charles because it helped him in predicting behaviors of his members. Also, behavior patterns of a particular group of members helped Charles gain control over them.

Does this cult still exist?

This cult does not exist still. Some of them are in jail and those who are not don't belong to the family anymore.

Type of cult

Living situation

Religion, because Charles was very religious. He believed black people were going to take over the world

Charles and his followers moved around a lot throughout the years he was in and out of jail.

What types of people joined this cult?

Charles followers were weak-willed people who were gullible and easy to lead. LSD and an addicting mood-altering drug, used illegally as a stimulant and legally as a prescription drug to treat children with ADD and adults with narcolepsy were additional tools by which Charles altered their personalities to his needs.

The family

How is the family funded?

Charles doesn't need money for his followers. He is very good at manipulating others into doing what he wants.

The Plans Created

About Charles Manson

Manson believed the Beatles song, "Helter Skelter" predicted an upcoming race war. Manson believed it was going to happen in the summer of 1969 when blacks were going to come together and slaughter all the white people. He told his followers that they would be saved because they would go underground by traveling to an underground city of gold located in Death Valley. Manson also told four of his followers to go to Los Angeles and kill the people inside. Terry Melcher, the man who had not helped Manson with his music career was suppose to be inside but instead, another actor was inside and was killed by the followers.

Charles followers

Charles was a very smart man with great intelligence. He was a very organized person who loved music and songwriting. At one point, he was very serious about being in the music career. He had anti- personality disorder that developed at a young age. When Charles was younger he had a bad childhood. His mom left him and he had already stolen many things by the age of 15 and ran away from his guardians.

Charles Beliefs

• The murders that happened by the members of Charles Manson's "Family" were inspired in part by Manson's belief in Helter Skelter, a war he believed would arise from tension over racial relations between blacks and whites.
• He also believed he was the son of god

How Did The Cult Start?

Charles Manson the leader of this cult started to rule his cult during the time of the Vietnam War when the society was in trouble. Charles was never impressed by the hippie culture, but he lived off it and he used it to his advantage to learn about drugs and how he could use them to influence people. Charles started to attract a group of followers, many of them were very young women with emotional lives who were rebelling against their parents and society in general just like him when he was younger.

Charles Manson

The Manson Family

By Sierra Nixon

5th hour