This is a gross oversimplification, but America was founded by wealthy farmers who believed the conspiracy theories of the day that Great Britain wanted to ruin the colonies, when in reality they just wanted them to pay taxes for the expensive wars that happened there. A healthy distrust of all forms of government is basically required to be an American. It's their greatest attribute, but it's also damned the country in numerous ways.
I like Michael Moors theory of those Settlers coming to this big, strange country and being afraid of everything which then became a kind of fear culture.
I’ve seen quite a few people connect the rise of “main stream” conspiracy theories in the US to the demise of religion here. I suppose I could see that as a plausible explanation. But why is it that Europe seemed able to move on from religion without turning to conspiracies? Is the answer as simple as Europe reaching the secular “tipping point” before the age of social media?
I disagree, look at the origins of the Mormon religion and just their first 50 years of history - this stuff has been happening forever and it usually involves groups of people being killed/raped/tortured for being against it.
