Final answer:
Controversy among Quakers over slave labor was evidenced by leaders like John Woolman and Anthony Benezet advocating for abolition, the creation of the world's first antislavery society in Philadelphia, and the internal conflict regarding Quaker slave ownership prior to the Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Evidence suggesting that there was controversy among Quakers over the use of slave labor includes the outspoken condemnation of slavery by Quaker leaders such as John Woolman and Anthony Benezet. These prominent Quakers highlighted the inconsistency between Quaker beliefs in the 'inner light,' where God dwells inside everyone, and the practice of slavery. They admonished their community to abjure the slave trade and free their slaves, believing that involvement in slavery indicated a neglect of Quaker faith principles.
In 1775, the world's first antislavery society was founded by Quakers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, further indicating a split within the Quaker communities regarding the morality of slavery. However, the presence of Quaker-owned slaves prior to the Revolution underscores the internal divisions and debates on the issue of slavery. Advocacy against slavery also connected with broader social movements, such as the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, which questioned institutions like slavery on the basis of inherent human rights and freedom.
Elsewhere in the American colonies, individuals like Arthur Lee spoke out against slavery, proposing that all humans, including Africans, had a natural right to freedom. Massachusetts towns even sought to ban the importation of slaves, showing a budding regional opposition to the practice. However, resistance to these anti-slavery sentiments was pronounced, especially in Southern colonies where slavery was deeply entrenched and perceived as essential to the economy and social order.