History of the Quakers facts for kids
The Religious Society of Friends started in England in the mid-1600s. Its members are often called Quakers. People said they would "tremble in the way of the Lord" when they felt God's presence.
In the beginning, Quakers faced many challenges and were treated badly. But their movement grew across England, then to America and Africa. Even though they were few, Quakers had a big impact on history.
William Penn founded the colony of Pennsylvania in 1682. It was a safe place for Quakers to live and practice their faith freely. Quakers were important in ending slavery, fighting for equal rights for women, and promoting peace. They also worked to improve education and how prisoners and people with mental health challenges were treated. Many Quaker business owners helped start the Industrial Revolution in England and Pennsylvania.
In the 1800s, Quakers in the United States split into different groups.
Quakers have always believed that men and women are equal. Two Quaker women became famous in astronomy. Jocelyn Bell Burnell helped with research that led to a Nobel Prize in Physics. Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) was the first internationally known woman to be a professional astronomer and a professor.
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George Fox and the Start of Quakers
When George Fox was eleven, he felt God spoke to him. God told him to be "pure and faithful to God and man." Fox began sharing his Christian message. He taught that people needed an "inward transformation of heart." He also believed in the possibility of Christian perfection.
Many English church leaders and people did not like his ideas. But in the mid-1600s, many people liked Fox's preaching. His followers became known as Friends. By 1660, there were 35,000 Quakers. Important early Quakers included William Penn and Margaret Fell.
Quakerism brought together different groups of "Seekers." They formed the Religious Society of Friends after 1647. This was a time of big changes and unrest in England. Quakers challenged the old churches and leaders. They said God could speak to ordinary people through his son. This meant people did not need to listen only to churchmen or pay tithes.
The movement grew quickly in northern England in 1651 and 1652. From there, it spread south to London and beyond. Even arresting Quaker leaders did not stop the movement. Instead, it gave them a new audience in the courts.
Early Quaker Beliefs and Challenges
In 1656, a Quaker minister named James Nayler did something unusual. He rode into Bristol on a horse, like Jesus entering Jerusalem. He wanted to show that the "Light of Christ" was inside everyone. But many people thought he and his followers believed Nayler was Jesus.
Authorities arrested Nayler and his followers. They were tried by Parliament and jailed. In the 1660s and 1670s, George Fox traveled to set up a more formal structure. He created monthly (local) and quarterly (regional) meetings. Quakers still use this structure today.
Quakers Face Persecution in England
George Fox was first put in prison in 1650. He was jailed many times from the 1650s to the 1670s. Other Quakers also went to prison. They were often charged with causing trouble or blasphemy.
Two laws made life very hard for Friends. The Quaker Act 1662 made it illegal to refuse the Oath of Allegiance to the King. Quakers believed it was wrong to take any "superstitious" oath. This law limited their religious freedom. The Conventicle Act 1664 said that secret meetings by those who did not swear loyalty were a crime.
Despite these laws, Friends kept meeting openly. They believed this showed how strong their faith was. They were willing to risk punishment for doing what they thought was right.
Persecution Ends in England
Under King James II of England, the persecution of Quakers almost stopped. James issued a Declaration of Indulgence in 1687 and 1688. Many believed William Penn helped write it.
In 1689, the Toleration Act was passed. This law allowed freedom of belief. It made it illegal to bother anyone else for their worship. So, Quakers became tolerated, though they were still not fully understood.
Quakers in the Netherlands
Quakers first arrived in the Netherlands in 1655. They saw the Netherlands as a safe place from persecution in England. However, English Quakers still faced problems there. Eventually, some Dutch people became Quakers. Amsterdam became a base for preaching tours.
William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania, visited the Netherlands in 1671. He saw the persecution of Quakers there. He returned in 1677 with George Fox. They tried to convert other religious groups to Quakerism.
Many Dutch Quakers moved to the New World to escape persecution. English Quakers in Rotterdam could transport people and goods to English colonies. Throughout the 1700s, many Dutch Quakers moved to Pennsylvania. The Quaker presence in the Netherlands almost disappeared by the early 1800s. It reappeared in the 1920s.
Quakers did not have ordained ministers. So, they did not need schools for religious training. They did not open colleges in the early colonial period. Later, they founded colleges like Haverford College (1833) and Swarthmore College (1864). However, Friends did start some of the first elementary schools in Pennsylvania, like Penn Charter (1689).
Quakers in the New World
In 1657, some Quakers found safety in Providence Plantations, founded by Roger Williams. But other Quakers faced harsh treatment in Puritan Massachusetts. In 1656, Mary Fisher and Ann Austin began preaching in Boston. They were seen as heretics for believing in individual obedience to the Inner Light. They were jailed, their books burned, and their property taken. They were then sent away.
Some Quakers in New England were only jailed or banished. A few were executed by Puritan leaders, usually for ignoring orders to leave. Mary Dyer was executed in 1660. Other Quakers who died for their faith in Massachusetts included William Robinson and Marmaduke Stephenson.
In 1657, a group of Quakers from England arrived in New Amsterdam. One of them, Robert Hodgson, preached to large crowds. He was arrested, jailed, and whipped. Governor Peter Stuyvesant made a strict rule against anyone helping Quakers.
Some Dutch colonists helped Hodgson get released. Soon after, Edward Hart, a town clerk, wrote a petition to Stuyvesant. This was called the Flushing Remonstrance. It asked for freedom of belief, based on the town's charter. Stuyvesant arrested Hart and others who signed. But Quakers kept meeting in Flushing. Stuyvesant arrested a farmer, John Bowne, in 1662 for holding illegal meetings. Bowne went to Amsterdam to speak for the Quakers. The Dutch West India Company told Stuyvesant to "allow everyone to have his own belief."
William Penn and Pennsylvania
William Penn received ownership of Pennsylvania in 1681. The king owed his family money. Penn wanted to create a "holy experiment" there. This meant joining worldly and spiritual matters. Pennsylvania promised religious freedom, and it kept that promise. This attracted many Quakers and others.
Quakers took political control of Pennsylvania. But they disagreed strongly about paying for military defense. Eventually, they gave up political power. They then created a second "holy experiment." They became very involved in helping others through volunteer groups. They built schools, hospitals, and places for people with mental health challenges. This was possible because many Quaker merchants in Philadelphia were wealthy.
Quakers did not want to provide soldiers to defend frontier settlements. Instead, they formed the Friendly Association in 1756. Its goal was to keep peace with Native Americans through peaceful ways. This group helped Quakers control Native American diplomacy and trade in Pennsylvania.
Quakers in the 1700s
George Fox died in 1691. So, the Quaker movement entered the 1700s without one of its most important early leaders. Thanks to the Toleration Act 1688, Quakers in Great Britain were no longer criminals just for being Friends.
During this time, people started to trust Quakers for their honesty in business. Many Quakers became successful in manufacturing or trade. Customers trusted them because Quakers believed in setting fair prices. They also knew Quakers were committed to good quality work.
Some popular products made by Quaker businesses included iron and steel by Abraham Darby II and Abraham Darby III. Pharmaceuticals were made by William Allen.
Quakers in the American Colonies
In North America, Quakers moved to new frontier areas. This included moving south from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Historic meeting houses, like the 1759 Hopewell Friends Meeting House, show how Quakerism spread. From Maryland and Virginia, Quakers moved to the Carolinas and Georgia. Later, they moved further west.
Quakers and Social Reform
Quakers became more concerned about social issues. They became more active in society. Slavery was the most debated issue.
Another concern was how people with mental health challenges were treated. Tea merchant William Tuke opened the Retreat at York in 1796. It was a place where the mentally ill were treated with dignity. Most places at that time treated such people very badly.
The Quakers' belief in peace was challenged during the American Revolution. Many Quakers in the Thirteen Colonies struggled. They felt loyalty to the new United States but also rejected violence. Still, many Quakers were involved in the American Revolution in different ways.
By the late 1700s, Quakers were accepted enough that the United States Constitution mentioned them. It allowed people to "affirm" instead of "swearing" oaths.
Ending Slavery
Most Quakers did not oppose owning slaves when they first came to America. Many thought slavery was fine if owners took care of their slaves' needs. But from 1688, some Quakers began to speak out against slavery.
Anthony Benezet and John Woolman were two early Quakers who spoke against slavery. From 1755 to 1776, Quakers worked to free slaves. They became the first Western group to ban slaveholding among their members. They also created groups to free slaves.
With Quaker efforts, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson helped convince the Continental Congress to ban importing slaves into America by December 1, 1775. Pennsylvania was a strong anti-slavery state. With Franklin's help, they led the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
In November 1775, Virginia's royal governor offered freedom to slaves who would fight for Great Britain. This led George Washington to allow slaves to join the Continental Army. About 5,000 African Americans served and gained their freedom. By 1792, many states in the North had anti-slavery groups. From 1780 to 1804, slavery was mostly ended in New England and the Middle Atlantic states.
However, Southern states still kept slavery. So, a secret network of safe houses and escape routes developed. This was called the Underground Railroad. It helped enslaved people escape to Canada or free states. Quakers were very important in the Underground Railroad. Their efforts helped free many slaves.
The Quaker area of Chester County, Pennsylvania, was a "hotbed of abolition." Not all Quakers agreed on the Underground Railroad. Helping slaves escape was illegal in many states. Some Quakers felt it was right to help slaves, even if it broke the law. They believed it was unjust to keep someone as a slave. Many would "lie" to slave hunters, saying they had no slaves, because they did not believe such a thing existed. Other Quakers thought this broke the law and disturbed peace, which went against Quaker values.
Still, many Quakers strongly believed slavery was wrong. Some were even arrested for helping slaves. Richard Dillingham, a teacher from Ohio, was arrested in 1848 for helping three slaves escape. Thomas Garrett had an Underground Railroad stop at his house in Delaware. He was found guilty in 1848 of helping a slave family escape. Garrett also worked with Harriet Tubman. Educators Levi Coffin and his wife Catherine hid slaves in their Indiana home for over 21 years. They claimed to have helped 3,000 slaves. Susan B. Anthony, a Quaker, did much anti-slavery work alongside her work for women's rights.
Free Quakers
A small group called the Religious Society of Free Quakers started in Philadelphia in 1781. These were Quakers who had been removed from the main Society. They had not followed the Quaker belief in peace during the American Revolution.
Important Free Quakers included Lydia Darragh and Betsy Ross. After 1783, the number of Free Quakers decreased. Some died, and others rejoined the main Society of Friends or other churches. The movement ended by the 1830s.
Quakers in the 1800s
Quaker Influence on Society
In the 1800s, Friends continued to impact the world. Many businesses started by Friends grew. Quakers also continued and increased their work for social justice and equality. They made other contributions in science, literature, art, law, and politics.
In industry, Edward Pease opened the Stockton and Darlington Railway in England in 1825. It was the world's first modern railway. Henry and Joseph Rowntree owned a chocolate factory. Joseph provided many benefits to his workers. He also funded low-cost housing for the poor. John Cadbury founded another chocolate factory. Joseph Storrs Fry founded a third. The shipbuilder John Wigham Richardson was a Quaker. His company, Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, refused to build warships because of his belief in peace.
Quakers actively promoted equal rights. In 1811, Elias Hicks wrote that profiting from slavery went against Quaker principles. This led some to refuse to use products made by slave labor. Quaker women like Lucretia Mott and Susan B. Anthony joined the movement to end slavery. They later focused on women's right to vote. Thomas Garrett helped many slaves escape, including Harriet Tubman. Richard Dillingham died in prison for helping slaves. Levi Coffin helped thousands of escaped slaves move to Canada. He also opened a store selling products made by former slaves.
Prison reform was another Quaker concern. Elizabeth Fry and her brother Joseph John Gurney worked for more humane treatment of prisoners. They also wanted to end the death penalty. Their work helped improve conditions for women and children in prisons. It also led Parliament to pass laws to improve the prison system.
In early Quaker history, Friends were not allowed to get advanced education. Later, some went to universities. This meant more Quakers could enter science fields. Thomas Young studied optics and light. He also helped translate the Rosetta Stone. Maria Mitchell discovered a comet. She also worked for abolition and women's suffrage. Joseph Lister promoted sterile techniques in medicine. Thomas Hodgkin made breakthroughs in anatomy. He was the first to describe Hodgkin's lymphoma. John Dalton developed the atomic theory of matter.
Quakers were not usually involved in public arts. Many thought it was too "worldly." But some Quakers are known for their creative work. John Greenleaf Whittier was a poet in the United States. His poems included Quaker history and hymns. He also worked to end slavery. Edward Hicks painted religious and historical scenes. Francis Frith was a British photographer.
At first, Quakers were kept out of law and politics. Over time, a few Quakers in England and the United States entered these fields. Joseph Pease was the first Quaker elected to Parliament in 1832. Noah Haynes Swayne was the only Quaker to serve on the United States Supreme Court. He strongly opposed slavery.
Native Americans
Quakers were involved in many reform movements in the 1800s. After the Civil War, they convinced President Grant to adopt a fair policy toward Native Americans. Quakers became deeply involved in Grant's "Peace Policy". They wanted to help Native Americans improve their lives and learn American culture. From 1869 to 1885, they served as agents on reservations. Their goal was to help Native Americans adapt. However, this goal was not fully reached due to land issues and politics.
Quakers in the 1900s
In the 1900s, Quakerism saw efforts toward unity. But by the end of the century, Quakers were more divided. By World War I, many Quakers in Britain and the U.S. focused on "liberalism." This meant less emphasis on strict religious statements. Instead, they focused on social action and peace.
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) was created in 1917. It helped Quakers who refused to fight in wars. It aimed to unite different Quaker groups. However, some more traditional Quakers felt the AFSC was too liberal.
To overcome divisions, liberal Quakers held worldwide conferences in 1920 and 1937. A more successful effort was the Friends Committee on National Legislation. It started during World War II as a Quaker lobbying group in Washington, D.C. In 1958, the Friends World Committee for Consultation was formed. It was a neutral place for all Quaker groups to meet and discuss common problems.
Disagreements among Quaker groups involved religious beliefs and social issues. The Friends General Conference (FGC) was more liberal. It supported same-sex marriage and gay rights. Its members were often professionals.
Quakers in Britain and the Eastern United States started adult education programs. Woodbrooke College began in England in 1903. Pendle Hill opened in Pennsylvania in 1930. These schools aimed to train adult Quakers for leadership.
In the 1900s, two Quakers became presidents of the United States: Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon. They achieved more political power than any Friend since William Penn.
Kindertransport
In 1938–1939, before World War II, 10,000 Jewish children from Europe received temporary visas for the UK. This was known as the Kindertransport. It allowed these children to escape the Holocaust. American Quakers played a big role in getting the British government to issue these visas. Quakers helped chaperone the children on trains and cared for many of them in Britain.
War Rescue Operations
Before and during World War II, Quakers helped rescue mainly Jewish families from Europe. They often worked with other groups. In some cases, only the children could escape. These children, about 1,400 of them, were part of the One Thousand Children group. Quakers were nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize. This was for their work in the international peace movement and helping people in need.
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