Final answer:
The Quakers were mistreated because they rejected social and political norms and were seen as a threat to the established churches. They were subjected to penalties and faced unwelcoming communities both in England and the New World.
Step-by-step explanation:
Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends, were mistreated by those who did not share their beliefs due to their rejection of conventional social and political norms. The English government objected to the Quakers' tendency to shun church and secular authority, as well as their tendency to interrupt Anglican and Puritan services. As a result, Quakers faced penalties such as fines, public whippings, and imprisonment. Additionally, in the New World, Puritan and Anglican communities were unwelcoming, with Massachusetts strictly forbidding Quakers from living in their colony.