We are talking about the Shakers, the 1700s millenialist religion, utopian community, and master crafters. They are famous for Shaker design and they made it all: baskets, boxes, chairs, drawers, desks. Shakers are having a moment in the movie The Testament of Ann Lee and on a recent set of USPS stamps. In this video we try to understand if the Shakers are the best examples of simple living or if they were actually titans of industry who wore long dresses.
This video also includes: Charles Dicken’s opinions on the Shakers, the production of cotton in Manchester, England, a Chest of Drawers from the 1800s with some cool inscriptions, and of course some descriptions of their architecture and meetinghouses.