Cultural and Historical Context

The book places humbug within a historical framework, from ancient Greek oracles and medieval ordeals to 19th-century American lotteries and spiritualism, showing how deception adapts to different eras and societies.

Provides historical examples of money manias, including the Mississippi Scheme and petroleum frauds, within their cultural and economic settings.

Barnum places the Tulipomania within the broader context of Dutch culture, noting their love of arts and horticulture, and contrasts it with contemporary speculative manias.

The bubble is set in the context of early 18th-century English finance, with parallels to Law's Mississippi Scheme and other contemporary swindles.

The Mississippi Scheme is presented as a product of its time, reflecting the financial naivete and speculative mania of 18th-century Europe.