13. The Manson Family
Nothing defines the turbulent years of the 1960s and 1970s in America quite like the rise of cults. One of the most notorious factions to arise in that era was the Manson Family, led by none other than Charles Manson, who claimed to be the manifestation of Jesus Christ. Manson had just been released from prison and, in the free-wheeling culture of flower children and hippies, lured people to his family with promises of drugs and free love. Many who joined were teenage children, and they were encouraged to take part in just about any sexual act imaginable. Some were raped and beaten; they often scavenged for food.
Manson also taught his family members how to use weapons, in preparation for what he believed was an impending race war that he termed “Helter Skelter.” In August of 1969, several members of the family went on a murderous rampage, beginning with the slaying of the pregnant actress, Sharon Tate. Those involved in the murder were sentenced to life in prison. Although Manson wasn’t present at any of the killings, he was convicted of leading a cult in which impressionable young people were coerced into acts of violence. He died in prison in 2017.