The A to Z of the Shakers
The A to Z of the Shakers

Author: Stephen J. Paterwic

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2009-09-28

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 0810870568

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The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, commonly known as the Shakers, followed Mother Ann Lee to the United States in 1774 when life in England became difficult. In the United States, they established several colonies whose governing principals included celibacy and agrarian communal living. Even at its peak, however, Shakerism claimed only about 4,500 members. Today, except for one active community in Sabbathday, Maine, the great Shaker villages are diminished, but the Shakers left an enduring impact on the religion and culture of the United States. The A to Z of the Shakers relates the history of this fascinating group through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 200 cross-referenced dictionary entries on Shaker communities, industries, individual families, and important people. Every definition, biography, and point of history was submitted to the Shakers at Sabbathday Lake for their review before it was included for publication. As such, the voice of the contemporary Shakers is found in the dictionary, and they have given it their unequivocal endorsement.

The Communistic Societies of the United States
The Communistic Societies of the United States

Author: Charles Nordhoff

Publisher: Cosimo, Inc.

Published: 2008-12-01

Total Pages: 486

ISBN-13: 1605204455

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Experiments in communism sprang up all over the United States in the latter half of the 19th century, idealistic attempts at utopian living amidst the clanging capitalism of the expanding nation. They were already on their way out when American journalist CHARLES NORDHOFF (1830-1901) took his grand tour of these communities, and his unsentimental, unbiased examination of their origins, religious beliefs, daily life, social habits, and other details-based on his own firsthand observation and first published in 1875-remains the best accounts we have of: [ the Amana Society [ the Harmonists at Economy [ the Separatists of Zoar [ the Shakers [ the Oneida and Wallingford Perfectionists [ the Aurora and Bethel Communes [ the Icarians [ the Bishop Hill Colony [ the Cedar Vale Commune [ the Social Freedom Community Complete with a look at three colonies not communistic in nature-Anaheim, California; Vineland, New Jersey; and Silkville Prairie Home, Kansas-and statistics on commune life as it existed in the day, this is an invaluable resource for students of socialism and communism, of American social experiments, and of the little-explored corners of American history in general.