Understanding Freemasonry

	What is Freemasonry? Secretive, all-male fraternity & philanthropic organization that evolved from building trade guilds in 18th-century England & spread with Enlightenment. Stonemasons became "speculative" or "free" masons.
	Was not supposed to observe religious or social distinctions, and, over time, really did not over time. Examples: the upwardly mobile Benjamin Franklin & Paul Revere.
	Emphasized fellowship & male bonding in age (18thc.) & culture in which men were not supposed to express inner emotions or admit vulnerability
	The Ultimate Boys’ Club: Involves complex structure of "lodges" & stepped "degrees"of knowledge. Rituals with occult symbolism& mythology borrowed from ancient Jewish & Egyptian culture (key figure was builder of the Temple of Solomon). Special clothing (aprons); rings; secret handshakes; "bloody oaths."
	Claimed to be quasi-Christian but looked/functioned almost like an alternative religion.
	In early US, the best way to make political & business contacts, plus a place to meet & party in private, away from women. Masons supported brothers & kept secrets.
	Prominent role of Freemasons in Early American Republic: Washington & many other Founders as members; cornerstone ceremonies; the Great Seal of the United States.

The Antimasonic Crusade

	Origin: 1826 kidnapping and murder of William Morgan, an ex-Mason from Batavia, NY (along Erie Canal) who planned to publish Masonry’s secrets.
	Investigations discovered that masons in office were helping protect the murderers.
	Controversy set off a major national campaign to exterminate Masonry. What did the Antimasons dislike about Freemasonry? Anti-Christian; secrecy & power made it undemocratic, unfair, & potentially immoral; created an alternate loyalty (besides God & country) that could lead to subversion. Fear of a Masonic plot to establish a monarchy or dictatorship. A competitor to the new evangelical religion, new female-dominated family, interfered with free competition in the new wage labor economy.
	Methods & results: Made heavy use of new political methods: Antimasonic newspapers, Antimasonic political party that held first national convention in 1830 & ran a presidential candidate in 1832. Major leaders: Thurlow Weed and William Seward, future president Millard Fillmore, all NY. Nearly destroyed U.S. Freemasonry & mostly ended fraternity’s political role. In the North, Antimasons became core of Whig Party that replaced the Federalists.

The Continuing Afterlife of Antimasonic CTs

	Jack the Ripper supposedly a Freemason whose crimes were covered up by his Craft brothers, based on resemblance of wounds to Masonic Oaths.
	Hitler, Mussolini, and the Ayatollah Khomeini all persecuted Freemasons, while Pat Robertson & other conservative Christians, hate groups, conspiracists crusade today.
	Evil Masonic deeds: JFK, Manson family, & esp., New World Order.