Year of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

History

Department or School/College

History

Committee Chair

Michael Mayer

Commitee Members

Kyle G. Volk David Aronofsky

Keywords

Bureau of Investigation, Surveillance, Intelligence, Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Espionage, FBI

Subject Categories

Military History | United States History

Abstract

This thesis looks to analyze and understand how U.S. government officials created the first domestic intelligence agency in the United States: the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). In so doing, this paper examines how intelligence collection functioned within the U.S. prior to the creation of the BOI, what domestic and international concerns prompted the creation of a centralized institution like the BOI, and how the press, congressmen, and public opinion constrained the creation and early years of the BOI. This paper argues that from its onset, the Bureau of Investigation dedicated significant time and resources to surveilling American citizens for threats both internal and external.

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