Old secret societies

The ‘cloak and daggers’ nature of secret societies make them an endlessly intriguing – but persistently elusive – topic in the media. These Secret societies are usually clubs or organizations whose inner workings are highly classified, accessibly only to the elite members who generally have to go through considerable hazing. Of course, depending on the nature of the society and the tact of its members, they conceal their secrets with varying degrees of success. Secret societies are usually marked by the desire to conceal the group from the general public, a lack of clarity on membership figures and finances, involvement in the exchange of off-the-record information and clandestine rituals between members which reinforce a kinship and solidarity. Historically and anthropologically, secret societies were generally brotherhoods, encouraging traditional ‘male bonding’ and networking.

5. Rosicrucian Order – ~1607

Famous Members: Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Disney

4. Freemasons – ~1717

Famous Members: Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Henry Ford

3. Illuminati – 1776

Famous Members: Beyonce, Rhianna, Nicki Minaj, Michael Jackson, Bono...!

2. Skull and Bones – 1832

Famous Members: John Kerry, George H W Bush, George W Bush

1. The Bilderberg Group – 1954

Famous Attendees: Bill Clinton, Gordon Brown, Bill Gates and officials from the World Bank

Source: http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/new-world-order-the-5-oldest-secret-societies/