14 US presidents who were members of one of the most powerful secret societies in history

Almost a third of the presidents of the US have been Freemasons.

It's a statistic that sounds straight out of a conspiracy theorist's fever dream (or "National Treasure," at the very least).

Masonic lodges essentially function as combination social clubs, secret societies, and charitable organizations. The fraternal organization has been around since at least the 1700s, likely arising from early modern organizations of stonemasons. Masons themselves trace their roots back to the construction of King Solomon's temple.

Today, there are several offshoots of Freemasonry, but the branch that most folks would recognize requires that members be men and profess belief in the existence of a deity. Conversations about politics and religion are banned, and a Bible must be displayed in each lodge.

Candidates must get through three degrees of the craft in order to become Freemasons. First, they are "initiated" as apprentices, then "passed" to the level of fellowcraft, and, finally, "raised" as full Masons (if the people in the lodge vote them in).

Since the society is ostensibly mysterious and said to partake in ancient rituals, public perceptions about Masons tend to range from fascination to fear. In fact, the first ever third party in US political history ran on the platform of taking down Freemasonry.

So, what drew a grand total of 14 chief executives (15 if you count LBJ, who was initiated but never raised) to become Masons?

Let's take a look at some of their Masonic experiences to find out: