Though the Quakers, or Society of Friends, suffered severe persecution during the years of their origin in the seventeenth century, and today have small and declining numbers, their beliefs have won general acceptance in mainstream American culture. This paper provides a two-fold overview of the Quaker religion. First, a historical section traces the origins of the Quakers amid persecutions in England and New England into a period of religious tolerance that emerged by about the year 1700. This portion of the paper will conclude with a brief mention of notable historical figures who affiliated with the Quaker religion and other significant legacies. The second portion of this paper focuses upon theology. After identifying the formal and material principles of the Quaker belief system, an exploration of how Quakers view themselves in relation to God, to one another, and to the wider society will culminate in the claim that, despite their status as a numerical minority, Quakers have in fact achieved cultural domination in American religious life.

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