USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Society of Friends (known as the Quakers) became involved in political and social movements during the eighteenth century. In particular, they were the first religious movement to condemn slavery and would not allow their members to own slaves.

Detailed explanation-2: -In 1776, Quakers were prohibited from owning slaves, and 14 years later they petitioned the U.S. Congress for the abolition of slavery. As a primary Quaker belief is that all human beings are equal and worthy of respect, the fight for human rights has also extended to many other areas of society.

Detailed explanation-3: -They also refused to doff their hats before magistrates or to swear oaths. They opposed war and gave women the right to speak at public meetings, holding that both sexes were equal in their ability to expound God’s teachings. The Quakers rejected the orthodox Calvinist belief in predestination.

Detailed explanation-4: -The moral strength of Woolman’s arguments helped persuade his co-religionists to begin the process of abolishing slaveholding with a 1758 rule that forbade Quakers to buy or sell slaves. In 1776, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Friends prohibited members from owning slaves.