Freemasonry is far too complex of a topic to explain in one place. Due to its immensity, had very strong influence on American culture, but this paper will focus on just one aspect of Freemasonry, its architectural style. Several famous buildings across the nation, including iconic ones such as the White House, still retain some freemasonic elements to this day. Freemasonic architecture can be highly complex, and due to this complexity contains various facets and components that one can explore. This paper will outline these various forms of Freemasonic architecture, known as the Five Orders, compare and contrast them, and observe the background of Freemasonic history. This will offer some identification on what Freemasonry was, explain the …show more content…
The entire concept came into popularity with its own type of philosophy, especially in America after the American Revolution. After the Revolution, America was in a state of malleability, with the thoughts and ideas of its people seeking for some type of belief to hook onto. Masonic organizations around and even before this time believed that the government never provided liberty and security for its nation, and that powerful governments were fundamentally wrong. To them, it was only with a government with limited power that people could be truly free, and grant liberty to themselves. After the American Revolution, these ideas and philosophies resonated with the American people, and Freemasonry began to rise in popularity. Over time freemasonry has developed to cult-like status, an exclusive fraternity that is often associated with religion. The official George Washington Masonic Memorial page on Freemasonry defines Freemasonry as “kindness in the home; honesty in business; courtesy toward others; dependability in ones work; compassion for the unfortunate; resistance to evil; help for the weak; concern for good government; support for public education; and above all, a life-practicing reverence for God and love of fellow man.” This is primarily what the term “Freemason” refers to today, and it has grown into a massive group, with over 10,000 local lodges in the United States alone, and 52 Grand Lodges. However, it is a much more complex topic than some believe, having branched out into numerous groups and
With the Pantheon being built over 1700 years ago, it’s amazing that architects are still using features and techniques from this work of architecture in modern creations. The use of this type of classical architecture will continue to be used in works for public space due to its remarkable exterior appearance and it’s long lasting structural durability. When both Jesse hall and the Pantheon are compared it is possible to see their similarities from the types of domes that top each, their external facades, and their interior plan. While they share many similarities, the differences that Bell and Binder used in their creation make this work of architecture unique to many other public spaces.
Another popular conspiracy theory contains the Illuminati society. The Order of the Illuminati was an Enlightenment-age secret society founded by university professor Adam Weishaupt on May 1, 1776, in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The movement consisted of advocates of freethought, secularism, liberalism, republicanism, and gender equality. In 1785, the order was infiltrated, broken up and suppressed by the government agents of Charles Theodore, However, there is no evidence that the Bavarian Illuminati survived its suppression in 1785 (“History of Beliefs”, 2006).
Jacob, Margaret C. The Origins of Freemasonry: Facts & Fictions. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006.
In 1867, Oliver Kelley saw the plight of the American farmer and created the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, the National Grange. Loosely modeled after the Masons, the Grange originally set out to be more of a social and educational outlet to help combat the isolation felt by many farming families and included women among its members.
When studying an ancient culture, it is important for one to comprehend the many unique elements that make up that culture. The study of architecture enables historians to deepen their understanding of a culture and identify the modern influences of that society. Architecture is an essential aspect of ancient Greek culture and its long lasting influence is evident in most cities today. The Greek Revival style dominated American architecture during the nineteenth century. Many prosperous citizens believed that the ancient Greece architecture embodied the spirit of democracy. When analyzing the architecture of New York City, one will find many examples of Greek Revival architecture, the most notable examples being the Old Custom House on 28 Wall Street, the first National City Bank building on 55 Wall Street, and Saint Peter’s Church at 22 Barclay Street.
The Illuminati was apparently revealed on May 1rst, 1776, in Bulgaria, by Dr. Adam Weishaupt in Masonic Lodges, or Private Lodges. In these Masonic Lodges the Illuminati, full of highly revered politicians, business men and cult leaders would gather to sort out business. Weishaupt was a professor at the Canon Law at Ingolstad...
"The Ancient Mysteries and Secret Societies." Secret Teachings of All Ages: , Part Three. N.p., 30 June 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
A cult may be defined as a group of people centred about one person’s religious, social or political ideology (Martin, 2003). It is a movement that venerates a specific person, and uses manipulative techniques to recruit members and raise funds. Cults demand complete obedience from the members and use them to work, provide money and provide sexual favours for the benefit of the leaders. Most cults engage in criminal activities such as child marriages, sexual abuse, kidnapping, assault, arson and even murder (Snow, 2003). Over the years, there has been a brisk rise in the number of people starting up cults and those joining them. Individuals are in a bid to discover their significance through passionate and spiritual experiences, which are provided by cults. Reasons why people turn to cults include loneliness, lack of personal identity and alienation (Martin, 2003). There have been many cults in the course of American history. One of the most infamous cults is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). This paper will give a brief history of the cult, its methods of action, the toxic effects of its beliefs and the methods of treatment used for survivors.
Dell Upton is a historian and renowned professor of architecture and Urbanism at the University of California. He has published several books on architecture; one of them is “Architecture in the United States”, published in 1998. In this book, Upton analyzes the architecture of the United States in different aspects, such as nature, money and art, thus depicting the great variety in architectural forms, and how throughout the decades, different interests have lead communities to different ways of building, different purposes and materials, thus reflecting their way of thinking and their relationship with the environment. By exploring so many different architectural styles, Upton reveals the great diversity and richness that has always, and continues to characterize American architecture.
Folklores are stories that have been through many time periods. Folklore include Legends, Myths, and Fairy Tales. Legends are traditional tales handed down from earlier times and believed to have a historical basis. Myths are ancient stories dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes. Fairy Tales are fantasy tales with legendary being and creators.
Throughout history, architecture has been employed in the service of politics, as symbols of the state. Architecture is therefore shaped by the national traditions in the pursuit of projects of identity, modernity, power, and prestige. A building is not merely a walled structure, but a metaphor for national ideology as it embodies the civic life of the citizens that it houses, as well as the ideals of the nation within which it resides. This paper will explore three varying architectural periods and examine the interaction between nationalism and the building styles that developed either as a means to express it.
“In the Cause of Architecture” is an essay written by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908. In this work, Wright outlines many of his architectural values. This text goes into great detail about the philosophy behind Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, as well as many important milestones in his life, such as working for Adler and Sullivan. This text is useful because it comes straight from Frank Lloyd Wright himself. It talks about many things important to his role as a notable American, such as his influences for his architecture and his architectural
In the early beginnings of this mysterious group many people believed that they were running the US government and that alleged members were Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. It is said that the society
Although cults have become a very common practice in our society, not many people actually know what a cult is. A cult is a group that demonstrates an excessive dedication to an idea, person or thing. Cults will conduct manipulative and persuasive behavior to advance the goals of the leader (Langone). There are many different types of cults, but they usually fall into four categories: Religious, Commercial, Self Help and Counselling or Political. Many people mistake religions as cults, but that is not the case. Religious cults are cults that center around a belief system as many common religions do, but they are categorized as a cult because of their practices and mind control. Common religions do not practice these techniques. Commercial cults are those that are interested in gaining money. These cults use their scare tactics and mind control techniques to get members to give them money and even work for them. Self Help and Counselling cults are centered around a business that has programs designed to help people by counselling them. By taking their courses, members are told they will become better people. This of course is not the case and these cults are inte...
- Kostof, S, A History of Architecture:settings and rituals, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press Ink. Publishers, New York, 1995.