The Quakers

At this time the Quakers began to be involved in the cocoa industry. The Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, was founded in England by George Fox (1624–1691), its aims being to promote justice, equality, forgiveness and understanding. Fox felt that the established church did little to help the poor, and abused its position of power, by maintaining that the only way to reach God was to be a member of the church. The Quakers challenged this view, asserting that ministers were not essential and that there was something of God in every man, and equally in every woman. Quaker women played a very important role in both the business and the family, and were far more emancipated than their non-Quaker contemporaries.