How had many Americans come to regard the Order of the Freemasons in the 1820s?

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Many Americans had come to regard the Order of the Freemasons in the 1820s as a dangerous and antidemocratic institution due to rumors and conspiracy theories about their secret rituals and influence in politics and society. This led to the creation of the Anti-Masonic Party, which aimed to expose and eliminate the perceived threat of the Freemasons.

How Had Many Americans Come to Regard the Order of the Freemasons