Are They Clubs, Cults, Sects, or Presidential Training Grounds

From the Masons to the Mystics to the Mafia — a look inside history's fascinating closed worlds.

We call them secret societies because they use hidden rituals, guarded passwords, covert symbols and closed environments to thrive. And for as long as they have existed, these fraternal orders, religious sects, social clubs, paramilitary organizations, and other groups have elicited a combination of fear and intense curiosity.

Are these secret societies true to the myths? What do we know about their inner workings? After all, 14 Freemasons have become president of the United States.

To fully explore the intricacies and details of dozens of these secret groups, U.S. News has compiled a revealing in-depth special — Mysteries of History: Secret Societies. Go inside these pages to find:

• Knights, Assassins, and Alchemists
• Secrets of the Masons
• Opus Dei: Merely discreet? Or really secretive?
• Mystics and Messiahs
• Murder, Mayhem, and Monkey Business
• And more!

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