This book explains why the United States, a country that values religious freedom, has persecuted some religious minorities while protecting others.

David T. Smith is jointly appointed in the United States Studies Centre and the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Sydney. He earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and was a University Medallist and First Class Honours graduate from the University of Sydney. His research focuses on political relations between governments and religious communities in the US and other countries with a focus on Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

1. Introduction; 2. Religious freedom and persecution in America: a theoretical overview; 3. Joseph Smith and the rise of Mormonism; 4. The federal response to Mormonism; 5. Jehovah's Witnesses and the flag salute, 1870-1940; 6. Mass violence against Jehovah's Witnesses, 1940-2; 7. The Catholic experience in America; 8. The Jewish experience in America; 9. The Islamic experience in America; 10. Conclusion; 11. Sources and bibliography.