History’s Secret Groups

History’s Secret Groups — page 1 — 1 Skull and Bones Not Just a College Club Members of the Order of the Skull and Bones have included three US presidents More than 20 US senators have belonged So have dozens of well-known business leader Members are called Bonesmen Skull and Bones was formed at Yale University in 1832 as a social club One of its founders was Alphonso Taft future father to US President William Howard Taft Only Yale students can be Bonesmen And they can’t just decide to join They have to be invited Most members have been white men from rich and powerful families They must swear complete allegiance to the club Many conspiracy theories have sprung up about Skull and Bones Some people believe members take part in crimes or other shady activities Some even think Bonesmen were behind the assassination of US President John F Kennedy in 1963 4

History’s Secret Groups — page 2 — The Skull and Bones headquarters in Connecticut Over time Skull and Bones has changed Women are now allowed to be members So are people of different races Family wealth and influence are no longer the most important qualifications But the order is still very secretive Its headquarters 15 Number of Yale students invited to join Skull and Bones each year Skull and Bones was established in 1832 as a social club Many rich and powerful people have been part of the group Skull and Bones has changed but it’s still very secretive in New Haven Connecticut is a windowless building called the Tomb Skull and Bones owns a private island near the university where only members can go A SHORT LIST OF SKULL AND BONES MEMBERS Members of Skull and Bones have included US presidents William Howard Taft George H W Bush and George W Bush US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart was a member So was former US senator secretary of state and presidential candidate John Kerry And Steven Mnuchin US treasury secretary under President Donald Trump 5

History’s Secret Groups — page 3 — 2 Knights Templar Warriors of the Crusades The Knights Templar was a large Christian society in Europe during the Crusades Its purpose was to protect pilgrims who were visiting holy sites Travelers to the sites were often robbed and even killed A French knight named Hugues de Payens started the society around 1118 At first it was called the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon Members were deeply religious Many were skilled military men They weren’t allowed to gamble swear or drink alcohol They couldn’t own property or get married Their main duty was to fight Over time the Knights Templar became very powerful Governments and other organizations across Europe supported the society It acquired large pieces of land and built great wealth Some people felt the society was too powerful In 1307 King Philip IV of France had many members A 12th-century Knights Templar member providing protection arrested and killed He took away the group’s riches By 1312 the Knights Templar had been dissolved 6

History’s Secret Groups — page 4 — 20,000 Approximate number of members in Knights Templar at group’s peak The Knights Templar protected Christian pilgrims traveling to holy sites Its members were skilled military men with strong religious beliefs After gaining great wealth and influence the society was dissolved SPECIAL RIGHTS In 1139 Pope Innocent II gave special rights to the Knights Templar Members didn’t have to pay taxes They could build their own chapels And the only laws they had to follow were the pope’s Some people didn’t like that the Knights Templar received this special treatment They said the pope’s action showed the group had too much power King Philip IV of France When Philip IV died suddenly in 1314 at age 42 some said that was God’s revenge Some people think the group still exists in secret There are many conspiracy theories about it Writers have spun stories about the Knights Templar 7

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