Society of Friends

The Society of Friends (also known as Quakers) was a Protestant denomination that arose in England in the mid-17th century. The Society was founded by George Fox, a Nottingham shoemaker turned preacher, who emphasized inward apprehension of God, without creeds, clergy, or other ecclesiastical forms. The movement grew rapidly after 1650 but its members were often persecuted or imprisoned for rejecting the state church and refusing to pay tithes or swear oaths. Nevertheless, by 1660, there were 20,000 converts. Persecution continued, and many quakers emigrated to America, where they found toleration in Rhode Island and in the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania, which was chartered by Charles II under the sponsorship of William Penn in 1681. Marks that became characteristic of Quakerism were plain speech and dress, pacifism, and opposition to slavery.