Quaker Girl

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Quakerism began in the middle years of the Seventeenth Century. This century has aptly been called "The Century of Revolution". This does not mean simply the political revolution in England, which led to the Civil War. There was a revolution in science, in religion, in thought generally; people were questioning authority in a number of ways, all about the same time.

Round about 1630, Galileo was questioning the wisdom of the ancients: of Aristotle with regard to falling bodies and to mechanics in general; of Ptolemy with regard to the motion of the planets. As a result he came into conflict with the established thought of the Church.

About the same time, William Harvey was questioning the established anatomical teaching of the Greek scientist, Galen, and developed his own view of the circulation of the blood.

In 1620, a small body of religious dissenters (often known as "The Pilgrim Fathers") who had gone to Holland to escape persecution, sailed to America in the "Mayflower".

The 17th century might also fairly be called the "Century of Dissent"; meaning that it was a time when people were not content to accept established authority, but claimed the right to think and find out things for themselves. Not only in science, but also in religion, direct personal experience was to become the all important thing.

Quaker Costume Includes: Black floor length dress, white half apron and bonnet.