Freemasonry in America: Origins, Growth, and Legacy

Introduction to Freemasonry and Its European Origins

Freemasonry has its roots in Europe, though historians are not entirely certain how or when it first formed. Many historians believe the first Freemasons were stonecutters and masons who formed groups to advance their careers and refine their building techniques in medieval England. The emblems of Freemasonry — the square and compass — were tools used by these stonemasons and are now the symbols of the organization on its official seal and documents. These informal groups initially met independently and later formed into still-informal "lodges." In 1717, however, four groups in London banded together and established the first Grand Lodge of England. It was at that point that Freemasonry truly began to spread, including across the Atlantic to the United States (Fuller, 2001, p. 20).

Today, Freemasons operate around the world. The goals of the organization are straightforward. As the Freemason website states, "Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy" (Editors, 2007). Freemasonry may therefore be one of the oldest philanthropic organizations in the world, dating back to the Middle Ages yet still active today.

While no written records exist for the very first lodge formations in America, an early Masonic historian believes the first lodge was organized in Boston in 1733. In an address to fellow Masons, he states: "The premier Provincial Grand Lodge of the Western Hemisphere, organized in Boston Massachusetts, July 30, 1733, has no formal and continuous records written in a book at the time of the recorded events, until 1750" (Johnson, 1917, p. 6). Record-keeping was inconsistent, and written records do not survive for many of the earliest lodges in Europe either.

The First Lodges in Colonial America

It is also known that Benjamin Franklin was a Mason and printed the Freemason constitution and rules in his Philadelphia printing shop as early as 1734 (Johnson, 1917, p. 8). In fact, appointing Franklin as the Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania was the first official act of the first American Grand Master, also in 1734 (Johnson, 1917, p. 234). Because records were so sparse, many experts and historians believe that informal lodges existed in America even before the first recorded lodge was established in Boston (Johnson, 1917, p. 22).

Just as Freemasonry grew in Europe, it expanded rapidly in colonial America. The organization became very popular among businessmen and served as a vehicle for spreading the ideas of the Enlightenment. Many historians regard it as a significant motivating force behind the Revolutionary War for independence from Great Britain. As one historian notes, "By 1776, there were over forty lodges in the colonies. The influence of Freemasonry on early American religious and intellectual history can hardly be overestimated, as evidenced by the fact that fifty-two of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were Masons" (Fuller, 2001, p. 21).

Originally, the organization accepted only men — likely because women were excluded from the stonemasonry trade in the Middle Ages. However, several Masonic organizations for women exist today, including Job's Daughters for young women and the Daughters of the Nile.

Freemasonry, the Enlightenment, and the American Revolution

Americans joined the Masons for a variety of reasons, but the organization has always been grounded in philosophic and philanthropic ideals. Many members were drawn primarily to its social dimension. As historian Fuller observes, "Many who joined were no doubt primarily interested in the convivial, social side of Masonry. For them it was more another men's club than a lodge for the dissemination of ancient, esoteric spiritual wisdom" (Fuller, 2001, p. 22). Even so, the teaching of Enlightenment ideals helped orient members toward democratic and idealistic principles of government and civic life. Another historian argues that "Freemasons engendered among 'a limited but very prominent class of people a feeling of American unity without which American liberty could not have developed — without which there would have been no United States'" (York, 1993). It is well established that prominent Americans such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were Freemasons, as were many others who fought for independence and subsequently led the new nation.

It was not easy to join the Freemason community. Prospective members had to be nominated by existing members, the nomination had to receive unanimous approval, and candidates had to agree to abide by all the "Charges" set out in the Freemason Constitution. Only then could they begin attending secret meetings and learning the organization's rituals (York, 1993). This process is perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of Freemasonry. All meetings were held in secrecy, and there were complex rituals members had to undergo as they advanced through the organization's hierarchy. The levels of membership corresponded to career ranks in stonemasonry: members attained "degrees" — apprentice, fellow craft, and master mason.

A significant division emerged within the Masonic Order in the mid-eighteenth century. The rift began in Britain and spread across the Atlantic fairly quickly, rooted in a disagreement over religion's place in the lodges. Devout Christians supported a version of the Masonic Constitutions from 1738 (called "Ancients"), while those who were less devout or agnostic favored a version written in 1723 (called "Moderns"). As York explains, "Ancients were obliged to obey Christian precepts regardless of where they lived; Moderns abided by the prevailing religious belief of their homeland" (York, 1993). When this controversy reached America, it all but eliminated some lodges in certain regions. In Pennsylvania, several Modern lodges converted to Ancient, and Modern lodges nearly vanished from the state within a few years.