The Quakers were deeply involved with the beginnings of the penitentiary system in Pennsylvania.

Question

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The Quakers, led by Benjamin Rush and William Penn, were instrumental in the founding of the Pennsylvania system of penology, which emphasized penitence and rehabilitation rather than punishment. They believed that inmates could be reformed through solitude, hard work, and religious instruction. This led to the construction of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia in 1829, which became a model for prisons throughout the United States and Europe.

The Quakers Were Deeply Involved with the Beginnings of the Penitentiary