Where Did Frats Start?

The fraternity as we know it today first began in the United States in the early 1700's. The first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa (now a national honors society for students studying the liberal arts) was founded at the College of William and Mary as a secret society for students to gather outside of the classroom setting.

Where was the first fraternity founded?

The Phi Beta Kappa Society, founded on December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, was the first fraternal organization in the United States of America, established the precedent for naming American college societies after the Greek letters.

Where did the fraternity come from?

The word fraternity comes from the Latin word "frater" meaning brother. The word fraternity is often used to described not only organizations comprised of men, but also women.