Have You Heard of the Shakers? Quiz

Answer: United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing

Founded in England in 1747, the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing is the proper name for this unique church. The designation "Shakers" came about not long after the church was founded.

Answer: Quakers

The Shaker church was an off-shoot of the Quaker church. Shakers believed in many of the same religious tenets taught by the Quakers but were much stricter in their observances of religious law. Segregation of the sexes was strictly enforced.

Answer: Their practice of dancing and shaking during worship.

The name Shaker came from the dancing and shaking that occurred during their daily services. Their services were known for religious ecstasy, speaking in tongues, religious visions, and spiritual possession. Stories were told that the service would often end with the whole congregation on the floor, shaking
and crying.

Answer: New York

This settlement was called the Niskayuna community. Every Shaker community was divided into groups based on compass points, such as the north house, the east house, etc. They were subdivided into one area for men and one area for women. The sexes were kept apart and celibacy was strictly enforced. There was no procreation. As you might guess, the church did have a very high turnover.

Answer: true

According to most sources there were between 3-10 members of the church still alive and practicing their faith at the time of this writing in 2009. All these members lived at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine. Their picturesque village has been deeded to the state of Maine to be used as a state park or museum upon the demise of the last Shaker. The church still accepts new members.

Answer: Adoption of orphan children

For 100 years the Shakers adopted orphan children from state orphanages. If a young couple wanted a child, they were not allowed to procreate at all. They would adopt a child instead. One of the basic tenets or "virtues" of the religion was virginity. By adopting an orphan child you were adding to God's family and you were keeping yourselves pure. Female children were expected to stay at the commune for the rest of their lives. Males were free at age 21 to make the choice of leaving and going "into the world" or staying within the family.

The church frowned on marriage in general, believing it to be a ritual created by man, not by God.

Answer: They never used musical instruments.

The Shakers believed musical instruments were sinful. They looked at their singing as talking to God not making music. They did not use any known language, just sounds and noises borrowed from many cultures including Native American ones. They also thought dancing to music was sinful and provocative.

They considered what they were doing were rhythmical movements used to call the spirit of God to enter and possess their bodies.

Answer: Round

The round barn which can be seen at Hancock Shaker Village was built in 1826, the first truly round barn. Earlier versions of a round barn were multi-sided polygons (some having up to 32 sides). Round barns became popular between 1880 and 1920. They had very high roofs and were enormous in size when compared to other buildings in the village.

Some of these barns can still be seen in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Answer: The believed God was both male and female.

The Shaker church believed in an androgynous God that encompassed both male and female traits. Women were accorded the same rights as men in the church and most of the leaders were women. Daily work was divided into roles that were more in agreement with outside norms. Housework was done by the females and heavy labor needing strength was done by the men of the church. So while they equalized the role of women in the church, they maintained the status quo of women in daily life.

Answer: True

Members, including Mother Ann, were arrested as heretics and for disturbing the peace. Worship services were often chaotic, noisy, and very emotional. Fainting, yelling, screaming, crying, and occasional mild self-mutilation occurred. These services were in stark contrast to their daily lives of hard work, simplicity, self-sufficiency, and modesty.

They added greatly to American folklore.