Despite a long and noble ancestry stretching back to 1500BC, Freemasonry has enjoyed mixed fortunes in recent times. Banned in some places wile flourishing in others, the brotherhood has been vilified and applauded in equal measure. This book seeks to present freemasonry in the context of a long and oboile ancestry stretching back over 2000 years and through the laudable aims espoused by its founding fathers. The Freemasons examines: - The roots of Freemasonry and it's spread around the world - The brotherhood's rites and rituals, its ideals and virtues - The influence of Freemasonry on modern notions of democracy and the rights of the individual - The role of Freemasonry in the lives of some of the most famous men in history, including Jonathan Swift, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Winston Churchill The Freemasons celebrates the ways in which the true Masonic principles of brotherly love and truth have shaped the world for the better.