Where Did the Term Propaganda Originate?
Prototypes of political propaganda in the form of stone carvings, inscriptions, and sculpture date to the earliest civilizations and can be found around the world. However, the term “propaganda” did not originate until the 17th century. The Catholic Church was losing members and looked to recruit peoples of the New World. Pope Gregory XV created the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide (Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith) to send missionaries to the West to convert indigenous people and spread materials and ideas. The materials they produced were known as propaganda.