Routes of penetration of Freemasonry in the Caribbean

Abstract

The introduction and development of Freemasonry in America was a clear reflection and transposition of the situation of the Masonry in Europe of the 18^th century and early 19^th century. While the Spanish-American freemasonry was banned and persecuted by the Inquisition courts and the edicts of kings, the former British colonies followed the tradition and the example of United Kingdom, so the Masonic institution to which was important to politicians and the military achieved a rapid growth with the establishment of Grand Lodges in the thirteen colonies between 1778 and 1794. Furthermore, as the settlers moved westward the Freemasons settled in new areas, seeking permission to build lodges, the seed of future Grand Lodges, in the states that were forming. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explain the Masonic expansion process in the Caribbean.