What Is The Role Of Quakers In Early American Society

The Quakers were first founded in the mid-1600s in England and were formerly known as The Religious Society of Friends. They were a very simple and devoted democratic group of people. When they arrived in America, they began to try to settle in Massachusetts. Massachusetts was also where the Puritan colonists had been settling and because they (the Quakers) threatened the Puritan’s beliefs in America they gave them and other opposing religions, such as the Baptists, harsh punishments for inhabiting their land which included hanging, fines, whipping, and banishing the people from Massachusetts. The Quakers later moved their efforts to the new land of Pennsylvania. They established their land on “the equality of all persons (including women, blacks, and Indians) before God.” They proved this stance of equality by being the “first group of whites to repudiate slavery” of Africans. They also purchased their found land from the Indians that owned it. These actions show that the Quakers truly lived in equality. “Religious freedom was Penn’s most fundamental principle.” The Quakers never gave an established church for Pennsylvania and allowed almost all religious freedom in its land. Although the Quakers were lenient on race, gender, and religious preference they did have a “strict code of personal morality.” They “prohibited swearing, drunkenness, and adultery” among many other activities that they thought were immoral. Many of their beliefs spread throughout America and has

During the early colonization of the East coast of North America, many groups of people of Europe came to the New World such as the Puritans and Quakers. Both the Puritans, led by John Winthrop, and the Quakers, led by William Penn, were escaping persecution from England but each they had their own views and goals in religion, politics, and ethnic relations. Being on the native land of the local Indians, both Penn and Winthrop had to face issues and negotiations with the Indians. Penn and Winthrop had their own separate approaches to politics but they both sought a more just system than the one in England. After being persecuted, both Penn and Winthrop wanted their people to be free worship, but Penn and Winthrop each had their own

Quakers- those who condemned extravagance, sought to restore Christianity to its early simple spirituality; William Penn made Pennsylvania a refuge for his fellow Quakers who refused to pay taxes or serve in the military for the Church of England.

Time later, in the colony of Pennsylvania, William Penn and the Quakers proved that Indian-European relations did not have to be based on intolerance or violence. Penn showed respect for Native American culture, and wanted to treat Native Americans as equals, and acknowledged their land rights. Because of their commitment to tolerance and mutual respect, the Quakers and their Native American neighbors lived in peace for over half a

There are good things in this colony, but there are still bad things in this colony. There are many good things in this colony such as the good farmland and the rainy climate. The Pennsylvania colony practices to policy of tolerance. This means that this colony accepts all religions. Also this colony is called,” the best poor man’s country.” It is called this because it is easy to get a job to get money.

This paper will explore the history of the colonial settlements of the Quakers, who are also known as the Society of Friends, who settled in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in colonial times. The history surrounding the establishment and growth of the Quaker colonies of West Jersey and Pennsylvania will be discussed. William Penn’s efforts in establishing the colonies of West Jersey and Pennsylvania were paramount to Quakers immigrating to America. John Fenwick also played a major role in founding the colony of West Jersey, which is now known as New Jersey and the later immigration of Quakers to Pennsylvania. The abolitionist efforts of the Quakers in their fight against slavery, their equal treatment of slaves and the assistance that they provided to slaves will also be discussed. Quakers provided shelter, financial support and harbored many slaves so that they could avoid capture by their owners. Quakers were a large part of the abolitionist movement in the colonies while slavery was legal. Many Quakers played a role in the Underground Railroad, which assisted slaves in obtaining their freedom and avoiding capture. The terms “Quaker” and Society of Friends are interchangeable and will be used throughout this paper accordingly.

The Quakers were different from many of the settlers of other early American colonies. The Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends, were built upon ideals of pacifism and benevolence. They did not come here as traders or merchants. The Quakers came here for religious freedom, as did many others. However, Quakers, who had experienced persecution in other colonies like

One’s vision of society, religious order, and freedom ultimately plays a significant role in their faith. Puritans from Massachusetts attained numerous visions regarding society, religious order, and freedom. Although these visions are somewhat similar to William Penn’s holy experiment, they contrast in an array of ways. The Puritans were a group of english reformed protestants in the 16th and 17th century. They wanted to purify the church of england from its catholic practices. William Penn was a devout Quaker who inspired many. Penn called for a holy experiment, in efforts to seek religious freedom in his colony. Furthermore, I will describe the similarities and differences between the two unique perspectives, as well as explain why William Penn’s holy experiment is a much more appealing vision to myself.

Within the New World, individuals such as William Bradford, a separatist religious leader as well as governor of Plymouth (131), and Thomas Morton, a lawyer and social reformer, were both very significant men within our history books. The story of Merry Mount/Ma-re Mount is shown from two different perspectives which offers the readers an awareness and understanding of the way religion and government influenced the lives of those who dwelled in Plymouth Massachusetts, and Ma-re Mount. Thomas Morton and William Bradford are somewhat like Tom and Jerry for the reason that they dislike one another and have different accounts of Ma-re Mount/Merry Mount and that they tend to dispute with one another often when it comes to religion. Bradford’s writing tells the story of Merry Mount in a narrative and formal way whereas Morton’s writing is unlike any writing during his time, it’s humorous and also told from a non-Puritans perspective. Although Bradford claims Morton to be an anarchic drunk there are many reasons to say that he was in fact a comedic hero.

Patricia Bonomi’s Under the Cope of Heaven: Religion, Society, and Politics in Colonial America was not only well written, but also a very interesting read. She kept the writing style easy to comprehend, but not excessively simple while keeping a good grasp on the subject at hand. Bonomi gives us her view on not only religious argumentation, but also the religious events that kindled the flames of the American Revolution. She discredits the past historiography of the eighteenth century, in which there was a theorized religious decline, placing a rationalist century between the seventeenth century ruled by Puritans and the eighteenth century that revolved around Revivalists, which wouldn’t make sense. While Bonomi relies on many local studies

Butler, J. (2007). . In New Worl Faiths: Religion in Colonial America. [ebrary book]. Retrieved from http://lrps>wgu.edu/provision/17908228

Gold, furs, religious freedoms, a new start, a new venture; whatever the reason that prompted a colony to commence in America, one thing stood out in the minds of the settlers: survival. The first colonist stood on ground once thought absent to the world, their journey started and ended where most before thought the world too ended. Yet, for these first pilgrims, puritan, and pioneers the new-world provided untold possibilities, sadly though, it also yielded immeasurable hardships. This is why, the history of colonial cooperate has always demonstrated to some degree, a yearning for unity and cooperation; this history also provides the basis that fuels the need for a common government, that inevitably forms after the American Revolution. Examples

Within the colony of Massachusetts, religion played an important role in shaping the community’s people and interests. The reason for the Puritans move to North America was to escape the convictions the Christians of England were placing on them (Divine, 89). Winthrop and his followers believed that in this new land they must create a place where they could come together as a people and build the perfect religious society (Divine, 90). In a speech about his vision for the land, John Winthrop said, “We must delight in each

Due to conflicting belief systems, the Quakers were seen as a threat to the Puritans because they opposed some of the Puritans greatest values. In addition to challenging traditional beliefs, they also challenged authority and posed a threat to, “religion, the family, the social hierarchy-that the Puritans believed the Quakers wanted to destroy” (Pestana, 329). As a result of their conflicting views, they were subjected to mistreatment. In order to support her assertion, the author presents several different points that explain the origins of the conflict, and she supports the points with evidence from a variety of sources that she embedded into her work. She uses both primary and secondary sources to offer more valuable insight from the perspective of people who were present at the time of the conflict. To reach her conclusions, Pestana starts with explaining where both groups came from and the conflict’s origin. This is useful for when she dives deeper into their opposing views because, “in order to understand the initial confrontation between English Quakerism and New England Puritanism, these fears

In 1676, Robert Barclay wrote the Apology for the True Christian Divinity in response to the reiglious and political persecution that the Quakers were receiving from non-Quakers.1 In the apology, Barclay seeks to explain fifteen propositions that make up the Quaker faith in hopes that King Charles II and his people will see that the Quakers do not deserve the persecution they are receiving because of their beliefs. He also explains how their beliefs were sound and could be explained with scripture.2 Even though some of the Quaker beliefs may go against the other Christian denominations that were present or were forming at the time, Barclay’s apology was well received by its audience, and becomes a classic that both Quakers and non-Quakers can use as a reliable source that summarizes helps to better understand the Quaker faith.3