Shakers

The Shakers were a religious group.

They started in England. Later, they moved to America.

They were called Shaking Quakers. This was because they shook during worship.

They also liked to dance and sing.

Shakers lived in small groups. They shared everything they owned. They did not get married.

Women were leaders in the group. Ann Lee was a famous leader.

She was called Mother Ann.

They lived very simply. They made beautiful furniture and boxes.

Many of their homes are now museums.

The Shakers were a religious group.

They started in England in the 1700s. Later, they moved to America. Many people called them "Shaking Quakers." This was because they shook during worship.

They also used music and dance in their services.

Shakers believed in living a simple life. They shared everything they owned. This way of living is called communal living. They did not marry or have families. Instead, they chose to stay celibate. This means they did not have sex. They also believed in being pacifists. This means they would not fight in wars. During the Civil War, they did not join the fight.

Women were very important leaders.

Ann Lee was a main leader. People called her Mother Ann. She led the group to America in 1774. The Shakers were also known for making great things. They made simple furniture and wooden boxes.

Today, many Shaker homes are museums.

The Shakers were a unique religious group with many special beliefs.

They were known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. Many people called them "Shaking Quakers" because of how they acted during worship. They would shake or have convulsive movements during their services.

They believed in living a very simple and peaceful life. This meant they were pacifists who would not fight in wars. They also practiced communal living, which means they shared everything they owned. To stay focused on their faith, they chose to live celibately. This meant they did not marry or have families.

Shaker life followed a very specific way of working and living. They believed that all property should be shared by the whole community. Members signed written agreements called covenants to join this way of life. In these agreements, they promised to give up their worldly goods. They also promised to dedicate all their hard work to the society. Some people lived in "noncommunal orders" if they wanted to stay with families. However, the Shakers believed that living together without marriage was more perfect. This structure helped them build many organized villages across the land.

The group began in northwest England during the 1700s.

It grew out of a group called the Wardley Society. James and Jane Wardley were early leaders who broke away from the Quakers. Later, a woman named Ann Lee became a very important leader. Her followers called her "Mother Ann." She believed she was the second coming of Christ.

In 1774, Ann Lee and eight followers sailed from Liverpool to America. They landed in New York City and eventually settled in Watervliet. This was the very first Shaker settlement in the new land.

At their strongest point, the Shakers were quite large.

Between 1820 and 1860, the group reached its "golden age." During this time, they had between 2,000 and 4,000 members. They lived in 18 major communities and many smaller ones. These villages were in places like New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. They also spread west to Ohio, Kentucky, and even Indiana. In the mid-19th century, they had a special time called the Era of Manifestations. During this era, they shared spiritual messages through songs and drawings.

Today, we still see the impact of the Shakers in many ways.

They are very famous for their beautiful and simple furniture. They were also great at making wooden boxes and other tools. Many of their old villages have now become museums for people to visit. One village in Maine, called Sabbathday Lake, is still active today. This is the only Shaker village that remains active in the United States. Their history shows how people can build a whole world based on their deepest beliefs.

The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, was a millenarian restorationist Christian sect.

They were characterized by their communal utopian lifestyle and egalitarian ideals. This meant they believed in social equality, especially between men and women. They practiced celibacy, which is the choice not to marry or have sexual relations. They also lived communally, meaning they shared all property and labor. The group was originally called "Shaking Quakers" due to their ecstatic worship. During services, members experienced seizure-like convulsions or shaking movements.

These movements were seen as spiritual expressions during religious revivals.

Shaker life was organized through a specific system of religious communism. In the 1790s, leaders developed written covenants to formalize this structure. To join, members signed these documents to confess their sins. They also agreed to consecrate their property and labor to the society. This process turned all individual possessions into a "consecrated whole." While most members lived celibately, some sympathizers lived in "noncommunal orders." These individuals remained with their families but were considered less spiritually perfect. This organized system allowed them to establish many stable, self-sustaining villages.

The origins of the Shakers trace back to northwest England in the 18th century. They grew out of the Wardley Society, founded by James and Jane Wardley. The Wardleys had broken away from the Quakers in 1747. They sought a more intense form of spiritual expression. Ann Lee, a central figure in the movement, joined the group by 1758. She eventually became a powerful leader and preacher.

In 1770, Lee believed she received a manifestation of Divine light. She claimed this revelation identified her as the second coming of Christ. Her followers began calling her "Mother Ann."

In 1774, Mother Ann and eight followers emigrated from Liverpool to America.

They landed in New York City and eventually settled in Watervliet, New York. During their early years, they faced significant challenges. Because they could not swear an Oath of Allegiance, they were imprisoned for six months. This imprisonment actually helped their cause by creating public sympathy. After the deaths of Ann Lee and James Whittaker, Joseph Meacham took leadership in 1787. Meacham established the New Lebanon headquarters. He worked with Lucy Wright to develop the formal Shaker communal structure.

The Shaker movement reached its peak during its "golden age" between 1820 and 1860. At this time, the population reached between 2,000 and 4,000 believers. They lived in 18 major communities and many smaller settlements. These communities stretched from New England into the Midwest, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

During the late 1830s, they experienced the Era of Manifestations. This was a period of intense spiritual revelation known as "Mother's work." Members shared these messages through gift songs and "gift drawings." These drawings, created by sisters like Hannah Cohoon, are now recognized as important folk art.

Shaker values heavily influenced their behavior during the American Civil War. As committed pacifists, they refused to participate in violence or warfare. They believed it was wrong to kill or harm others. Despite their neutrality, they showed compassion to both sides of the conflict. They provided food and care to both Union and Confederate soldiers. President Lincoln exempted Shaker men from military service. This made them some of the earliest documented conscientious objectors in United States history.

Several factors led to the decline of the Shaker communities in the late 19th century. Changes in society and the economy played major roles. The rise of mechanization meant factories could produce goods much cheaper than Shaker craftsmen. This made their traditional methods of production less competitive. Additionally, members began leaving the faith, and there were few new converts to replace them. By 1920, only 12 Shaker communities remained in the United States. Today, most former settlements serve as museums. The only active Shaker village left is Sabbathday Lake in Maine.