Society of Friends (Quakers), a religious organization that began in England in the 1640s, led by George Fox. The first Quakers arrived in North America in 1656. They were distinguished by their silent worship, their belief in the Inward Light of Christ in all people and the spirituality of the sacraments, their refusal to bear arms, their openness to women's preaching, and their antipathy to professional clergy. By 1660, Friends had won converts in New England , on Long Island, and in the Chesapeake region. They also, as in England, faced persecution, climaxing in the execution of four Friends in Boston . In the 1670s and 1680s thousands of Friends settled in New Jersey and ...