Freemasonry in the United States

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Freemasonry is a fraternal order originating in Colonial Britain that now wields influence internationally. Freemasons traditionally meet in male-only societies called lodges to practice ethical improvement motivated by belief in a higher power. Their history includes exposure to many different cultural demographics and political opposition.

Contents

Colonial Era

Grand Lodges founded during the Colonial Era

Freemasonry spread from the British Isles during the Colonial Era when all of the original Grand Lodges from England began to issue charters in North America. Starting in 1730, the "Modern" Grand Lodge of England began issuing warrants for Provincial Grand Lodges in the colonies. Initially, these warrants were issued to individuals to act as deputies for the Grand Master, and some confusion resulted due to overlapping jurisdictions. To confuse matters further, with the formation of the "Ancient" Grand Lodge of England, rival Provincial Grand Lodges were chartered under their jurisdiction. The two most influential Grand Lodges – the "Ancients" and the "Moderns" – quickly became the most prolific Freemason groups.

Timeline of Grand Lodges Foundations in North America:

Later Grand Lodges

After the American Revolution, the various Provincial Grand Lodges were closed, and the Lodges in each state formed independent Grand Lodges. These, in turn, chartered lodges in the new territories and states. As each new state came into being, the lodges that had been chartered within its borders gathered together and formed new Grand Lodges. [8]

Rapid growth 1800-1830

Masonic membership grew rapidly in the first quarter of the 19th century, especially in the Northeast. By the year 1800, America had 11 Grand Lodges, 347 subordinate lodges, and about 16,000 members. By 1820, New York alone had 300 lodges with 15,000 members, and adding another 150 lodges and 5,000 members by 1825. [9]

Internationally, Freemasonry gained traction in Latin America and continental Europe, where the French lodges predominated with active involvement in politics and religious opposition. [10]

Social and cultural roles

Historian Mark Carnes argues that the Freemasons, along with other fraternal societies including the Odd Fellows, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Knights of Pythias, contributed to cultural shifts in beliefs surrounding traditional masculinity through new secret rituals. Lodges designed initiation ceremonies featuring chains, skeletons, robes, masks, blindfolds, and torch lights in response to mainstream Protestant denominations moving toward feminized themes in religion. The result was a private set of attitudes and secret rituals that comprised an alternative counterculture. [11] A leading California Mason had a vision of Freemasonry that rejected "Dreaminess and Nambi-Pambyism," as well as "sloppy sentimentalism" or "a lady's sewing circle" or a "church pink tea," but rather sought "A Real Man's Organization." [12]

Although women were not members, their support contributed to the rapid recovery of Freemasonry after the 1830s as wives and even innovators. Sarah Josepha Hale in 1823, with the financial support of her late husband's lodge, published a collection of her poems titled The Genius of Oblivion. The Masonic movement continued their support for Hale's promotion of traditional ladylike roles throughout her career, especially when she served as editor for forty years of the nation's most influential women's magazine, Godey's Lady's Book." [13]

Illustration promoting African American ascent of the ladder of success, from a Prince Hall Masonic convention program book in 1920 Internationalcon01knig 0005.jpg
Illustration promoting African American ascent of the ladder of success, from a Prince Hall Masonic convention program book in 1920

African-American lodges

Prince Hall Freemasonry was founded as a North American branch for African Americans by black activist Prince Hall in 1784. [14] There are two main branches: the independent State Prince Hall Grand Lodges, most of which are recognized by White Masonic jurisdictions, and those under the jurisdiction of the National Grand Lodge. Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest and largest (300,000+ initiated members) predominantly African-American fraternity in the nation. [15] [16]

Anti-Masonic Party

The Anti-Masonic Party was a single-issue party in the late 1820s that strongly opposed Freemasonry, but later aspired to become a major political party by expanding its platform to take positions on other issues. The party was founded following the disappearance of William Morgan, a former Mason who had become a prominent critic of the Masonic organization, fueling speculations of foul play and Anti-Masonic sentiment. [17]

The Anti-Masons believed that Masons posed a threat to American republicanism through government opposition and claimed they were hostile to evangelical Christianity. Fear of politicized Masonry soon coalesced into the Anti-Masonic Party. In New York, the Anti-Masons supplanted the National Republicans as the primary opposition to the Democrats.[ citation needed ]

The Masons claimed avoidance to state and national politics. They saw their role as facilitating the cooperation of political leaders of differing views and parties, so it would be fatal to endorse one party. [18] Historians agree that often, Masons were locally prominent, and perhaps did attempt a local cover-up of the Morgan case, but that the main conspiracy argument is largely unfounded. [19] Membership had grown rapidly, but then collapsed even faster. Of the 450 lodges operating in 1825, only 50 remained in 1834. [20]

As the 1830s progressed, most Anti-Masons switched to the new Whig Party, which united all voters opposed to President Andrew Jackson. Jackson was a Mason, but so too was his leading opponent Henry Clay. The Anti-Masons brought to the Whigs an intense distrust of politicians, a rejection of automatic party loyalty, and innovative campaign techniques to excite voters. They invented the national convention in 1835. [21] By 1840, the Anti-Masons had ceased to function as a national organization, and local cells had disappeared. The few Anti-Masons who would become leading politicians, such as William H. Seward, Thurlow Weed, and Thaddeus Stevens, became leaders of the Whig and Republican parties.

International affairs

In addition to connections with Masonic bodies in other countries, the Masonic movement provided a mechanism for international cooperation among national leaders and men of affairs. According to Joachim Berger, from the late 19th century, Masonic lodges spearheaded efforts to form permanent links between nations. They played an especially active role in 1914-1919, as the leaders who fought against Germany worked hard to promote public opinion favorable to their longstanding rivals, who were now military allies. Leaders in London and Paris were especially active in building support for the Allies in the United States. In 1918, Freemasons sought to gain support for the League of Nations, with New York Masons especially active. Political discussions were not allowed during lodge meetings. However, the Masonic networks brought together like-minded men who cooperated in promoting internationalism beyond their local lodges. [22]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Borneman, Henry S. Early Freemasonry in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, 1931. Facsimile of letter in Appendix D.
  2. ↑ Barrat, Norris S. & Julius F. Sachse. Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, 1727-1907, As Shown by the Records of Lodge No. 2, F. & A.M. of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: New Era Printing Company, 1908. p. 3-4.
  3. ↑ "Home". Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina.
  4. ↑ "Freemasons of North Carolina". Freemasons of North Carolina.
  5. 1 2 Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge No. 8, published by the Lodge, New York, 1988. pp 9-12
  6. ↑ Coil, Henry Wilson; "Massachusetts", pg. 412; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  7. ↑ Coil, Henry Wilson; "America, Freemasonry into", pg. 33; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia"; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  8. ↑ Albert Gallatin Mackey, The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6 (Masonic History Co., NY, 1898) membership by state p 1485; online
  9. ↑ Ronald P. Formisano, For the People: American populist movements from the revolution to the 1850s (2008) p. 96.
  10. ↑ Milton Arrieta-López, "Freemasonry in Colombia (18th-19th centuries): French or continental origin, leading Freemasons, the Catholic Church, political parties and revolutionary elements in South America." Perseitas (2020) online.
  11. ↑ Mark C. Carnes, Secret ritual and manhood in Victorian America (Yale UP, 1989).
  12. ↑ Quoted in Lynn Dumeni, Freemasonry and American culture 1880-1930 (1984) p 169
  13. ↑ Hackett, That Religion in Which All Men Agree: Freemasonry in American Culture (2015) pp 122-123.
  14. ↑ Peter P. Hinks and Stephen Kantrowitz eds., All Men Free and Brethren: Essays on the History of African American Freemasonry (Cornell University Press, 2013).
  15. ↑ "Prince Hall Freemasonry". Freemason Information. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  16. ↑ David G. Hackett, That Religion in Which All Men Agree: Freemasonry in American Culture (U. of California Press, 2015) pp 151–174.
  17. ↑ Dickey, Colin (July 11, 2023). "The Masonic Murder That Inspired the First Third Party in American Politics". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  18. ↑ Steven C. Bullock, Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730-1840 (1996) p. 225-229, quoting p. 229.
  19. ↑ Sean Wilentz, Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln (2005) p. 274.
  20. ↑ Formisano, p. 107.
  21. ↑ Laura Ellyn Smith, "Anti-Jacksonian democratization: the first national political party conventions." American Nineteenth Century History (2020) 21#2 pp 149-169.
  22. ↑ Joachim Berger, "The great divide: Transatlantic brothering and masonic internationalism, c. 1870–c. 1930." Atlantic Studies 16.3 (2019): 405-422.

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