A society is a group of people generally sharing common values, goals, culture and interests. Most of the time they share the same geographical territory and are subject to the same political rule. Secret societies are those which conceal their activities from people who are not members. There have been many secret societies in existence from thousands of years. Their activities have intrigued experts.
Here is a list of the most famous secret societies:
The Freemasons: Freemasonry, which is believed to have started in the 16th century, exists in various forms all over the world even today. It is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies. There are more than 6 million members all over the world. The governing body is called a “Grand Lodge”. There are many Grand Lodges all over the world, but there is no single authority. A man can be initiated only in a Lodge. Freemasons involve themselves in charitable work, development of brotherhood and in upholding moral values. Freemasons have changed the course of history through their immense contributions in various fields. They are expected to believe in the “Supreme Being” and are forbidden from discussing about religion or politics. Atheists are not allowed. That is the reason why Freemasonry is not active in communist countries. Freemasons are men and are obliged to keep the secrets of the fraternity. Some well known personalities like Plato, Socrates, George Washington, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Goethe, Mozart, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Al Gore, Pythagoras, Swami Vivekananda, Henry Ford, Clive Lloyd, Motilal Nehru and Edwin Aldrin were Freemasons.
The Illuminati: Illuminati in Latin means “Enlightened”. A member of this secret society which was founded in the 18th century is called Illuminatus. Members of this highly secretive society aspire to create a single government to rule the world. Members include many wealthy people all over the world, who control many giant corporates. It is believed that they are the people who are ruling the world today, by wielding their influence on various governments. There are also allegations by some that this group practices black magic.
The Sons of Liberty: The members of this secret society played a prominent role in bringing independence to the United States of America. The group was founded in Boston in the 18th century, prompted by the treatment meted out by the British to the colonies. Members belonged to the middle class. Unfortunately they resorted to violence some times. They were responsible for the burning of HMS Gaspee.
The Knights of the Golden Circle: This extremely secretive society was originally founded in the middle of the 19th century by a Virginia born doctor named George Bickley. The members were also known as “Copperheads”. Their aim was to protect the interests of the southern states of the United States of America during the period of the civil war. This society was pro-slavery. They even made an attempt to invade Mexico in an endeavor to colonize. No one knows for sure if they still exist. It is a mystery. Another thing exiting about this semi military secret society is the rumor that they have hidden treasures worth trillions of dollars all over the US.
Skull and Bones: Founded at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, this secret society boasts of high profile members like George W. Bush and John Kerry. Founded in the early part of the 19th century, this society is informally known as “Bones” and its members as “Bonesmen”. Skulls and bones was created for the purpose of drug smuggling. Now it dedicates itself to help its members after leaving the college. This highly secretive society is believed to be behind the assassination of John Kennedy and in creation of the nuclear bomb!
http://socyberty.com/organizations/most-famous-secret-societies/
