HIST 106: Evaluating the New York Peace Society's Anti-War Efforts

This essay examines the New York Peace Society's role in the anti-war movement within United States history, particularly in the early 19th century. It assesses the society's efforts to spread a message of peace and prevent wars, noting its establishment in 1815 and its use of religious divisions to advocate for pacifism. While the society aimed to promote peace through Christian messages and negotiation, it ultimately failed to prevent major conflicts like the World Wars. The essay also discusses the society's various incarnations and its involvement in conferences, highlighting the challenges it faced in achieving its goals due to a lack of a proper agenda and dedicated leadership. Concluding that while the society preached against violence, its efforts were only partially successful.

Running head: HISTORY
History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HISTORY
This paper will discuss about the importance of anti-war or peace movements in the
background of United States history. The peace attempts by New York Peace Society in the
beginning of the 19th century will be discussed over here. This paper will assess whether New
York Peace Society was able to spread the message of peace and stop fatal wars all over the
world.
This historical question is very important to be explored. It is because the New York
Peace Society had been formed to establish peace in the society and protest against violent steps
against each other in the beginning years of the nineteenth century. This peace foundation had
been set up in the year 1815. The secondary sources from the books and articles will be used to
depict that this society had catered to its purpose during that time. This question has been a very
crucial factor to denote in the history of United States. It is because United States has indulged in
several wars in the past.1 The war against British Empire to gain independence in 1776 is one of
the remarkable ones to be remembered. Apart from that, the civil war between Northern an
Southern states of the country regarding abolishing of dlavery is also one important factor in this
discourse. The ways this organization New York Peace Society has attempted to raise its voice
against war through disseminating religious divisions will be discussed in the paper.2 This
organization has been partially successful because it was unable to stop the World Wars in the
1 Jeong, Ho-Won. Peace and conflict studies: An introduction. Routledge, 2017.
2 Diehl, Paul F. "Exploring peace: Looking beyond war and negative peace." International Studies Quarterly 60, no.
1 (2016): 1-10.

2HISTORY
world.3 This organization has been incarnated four times before hey merged with Quaker World
Alliance for International Friendship through Religion.
The sources have discussed this issue many times as this peacekeeping organization in
the world used to hold regular meetings on weekly basis to find out the nature of conflicts
between diverse sections of the society. Some cases religion is regarded as the main cause and
sometimes the main reason has been political disagreements.4 The members of this peacekeeping
society discussed and showed the people about the horrific results of the war. They have
preached for pacifism on the grounds of Christian messages of peace by Jesus Christ. In the
second and third incarnation of the organization, it wanted to prevent the war of Mexico through
the means of negotiation. After that it was dissolved. Some historians have disagreed over their
attempt because they believe holding Christian views over non-believers will not be much
helpful. Rather. They could have courted for peace through the means of showing the need for
peace to build a developed world.5 This peaceful world would have surely be ideal for nation
building. This foundation had also been involved in the “National Arbitration and Peace
Conference” in 1907 but not being able to make a definite impression to stop wars.
In the concluding section, it can be said that the peacekeeping in the world has been a
very crucial motto for this society since they preached against violence and war at any cost.
3 Bonomi, Patricia U. A factious people: Politics and society in colonial New York. Cornell University Press, 2014.
4 Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company, 2016.
5 Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company, 2016.

3HISTORY
Therefore, their attempts could not stop wars because of proper agenda and people to carry it
through.

4HISTORY
Reference List
Bonomi, Patricia U. A factious people: Politics and society in colonial New York. Cornell
University Press, 2014.
Diehl, Paul F. "Exploring peace: Looking beyond war and negative peace." International Studies
Quarterly 60, no. 1 (2016): 1-10.
Jeong, Ho-Won. Peace and conflict studies: An introduction. Routledge, 2017.
Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton &
Company, 2016.