Timeline of Masonry

1390 – Regius Poem

1717 – GL of England

	History begins
	History takes over from Masonic Tradition on St. John the Baptist's Day, June 24, 1717.  In the back of a tavern in London, four or more old Lodges of London and Westminster met.  They organized a Grand Lodge, and on the same day selected their first Grand Master,  Anthony Sayer.  Within a few short years, what had once been an Operative trade guild had become a Speculative fraternity.  The two Degrees of Operative Masonry became the three Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason.  Old manuscripts and writings were collected and collated and the first Book of Constitutions was written.
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	This newly formed Grand Lodge began issuing Charters to constituent Lodges all over the world, including the thirteen colonies here.  This is the beginning of Speculative Freemasonry, as it exists today.
	Other Grand Lodges were formed in Scotland and Ireland and elsewhere.