Philadelphia’s founding years were rife with conspiracy fears about ‘godless’ Freemasons and the Illuminati

George Washington was initiated into Freemasonry at the age of 20. Strobridge & Co. Lith./Library of Congress via AP – By Derek Arnold, Instructor in Communication, Villanova University Published: 2026 Apr 06 – How conspiracies spread has changed immensely over the history of the …