Mother Ann Lee

Goals

Causes/Reasons

- Ann Lee wasn't very educated

- Had a bad childhood, being abused physically and mentally.

- Forced to marry and was unsuccessful having four of her children die during infancy, causing her belief in celibacy

- Was a time of religious awakening and exploration.

- Wanted to create a religion where all men and women are equal and free.

- Create a society that had celibacy, non-marriage, pacifism, abolition of slavery, equality, and communal ownership practices.

- Spread the new belief as told to her in a vision from God. To create the right way of living that God wants.

Summary

References

Tactics

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ann Lee (American Religious Leader)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2014. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/334519/Ann-Lee>.

- Ann Lee was uneducated causing her to have great difficulty in expressing her beliefs and views to potential followers. She conducted many missions, publicly speaking and preaching her religious view points creating a small following wherever she went. She was often misunderstood and put in jail for her belief in pacifism being interpreted as being a tory during the Revolutionary war.

- There was also a natural form of curiosity that people had towards the religion causing interest.

Mother Ann Lee (1736 - 1784) was the leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ Second Appearing (a.k.a "Skakers"). Having a poor upbringing, unsuccessful marriage and four children die in infancy, Lee developed a belief that evolved into the "Shakers" religion. Being restricted by England's church, Lee moved the Shakers to New York City. Their belief in pacifism led to persecution during the revolution causing a second migration north to Niskeyuna, NY. It was here that the first Shaker community was established. They thrived with their ideals going on missions to gather more followers. The religion gathered a substantial amount of followers considering its restrictions and oddities. Ann Lee's preachings along the coast, caused a realization for equality of the sexes and the abolition of slavery.

"Mother Ann Lee Facts." Mother Ann Lee Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2014. <http://biography.yourdictionary.com/mother-ann-lee>.

Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2014. <http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/motherannlee.html>.

Successes and Failures

Key Events

- Grand vision in 1770.

- Moving the "Shakers" to the new world in August of 1774.

- Establishing the first Shaker Community in September of 1776.

- Two year mission from 1781 - 1783 down the Atlantic coast.

- Her death and James Wittaker taking over in 1784.

Success

- Pioneer for justice and equality, religious tolerance and true democracy.

- helped carve the pathway towards equality and freedom of blacks and women.

Failures

- Misunderstood. She wasn't able to explain her beliefs and views effectively due to her lack of education.

- During the Revolution the Shaker pacifist belief was interpreted as being supportive of the British.

Mother Ann Lee

Liam McGeever & Erik Oehler