How did Freemasonry begin?

The origins of Freemasonry are not known definitively. The most popular theory is that Freemasonry emerged out of the stonemasonry guilds of the Middle Ages. Working stonemasons had lodges where they discussed their trade, but, with the decline of cathedral building, some lodges began to accept honorary members.

Who started Freemasonry?

In 1717, the first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England, and Freemasonry was soon disseminated throughout the British Empire. The first American Mason lodge was established in Philadelphia in 1730, and future revolutionary leader Benjamin Franklin was a founding member.

What is the historical significance of Freemasonry?

The Significance of Freemasonry in Early America. In the new American republic, Freemasonry provided a nonsectarian alternative to religion that simultaneously reinforced and weakened the ruling elites. The influence of the institution of Freemasonry on the leaders of revolutionary America and the republic they created is well known.

What is the real purpose of Freemasonry?

What is the purpose of Freemasonry? “The purpose of Freemasonry is not charity nor is it a fraternal society. These are but attributes which have developed. The real purpose of Masonry is the eternal search for truth, the truth about God, and the immortality of the soul.

What is the meaning and the origin of Freemason?

Freemasonry or Masonry consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. Freemasonry has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories throughout the years. Modern Freemasonry broadly consists of two main

What are the origins of the Freemasons?

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that arose from obscure origins in the late sixteenth to early seventeenth century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around 5 million, with around 480,000 in England, Scotland and Ireland alone, and nearly two million in the United States.