Shaker Inventions and their Influence on Modern Society

Members of the Shaker community created efficient, thoughtful inventions related to enhancing their unpretentious lives which primarily focused on cleaning, cooking, growing things and medicine. While exercising ingenuity, as well as the gift to living simply, they were able to profit from their inventions by producing and selling in-demand items such as seeds, baskets, apple peelers, and tin bedpans. Because of their skill at mechanics and their inventiveness, when many Americans saw an intriguing invention or a useful new product, it was assumed that it was Shaker-made. Since both men and women were regarded as equals within their community, many inventions and innovations were successfully completed by sharing ideas and working toward the same goal. My paper will focus on the influence of Shaker innovations and inventions on parallel Communities such as the Oneidas as well as Shaker influence on today’s society.