Short answers, pulled from the story.
The first Baptist church formed in 1609 when John Smyth baptized himself and others in Amsterdam. This congregation originated from English Dissenters who fled to the Dutch Republic in 1608 to escape religious persecution under King James I.
General Baptists uphold Arminian theology which teaches that Christ's atonement extends to all humanity. Particular Baptists follow Calvinistic views where election determines who receives grace according to their doctrine.
The Southern Baptist Convention formed in 1845 after southern churches split over slavery following a decision by the Home Mission Society. The society refused to appoint a slaveholder as missionary from Georgia which triggered the division within Baptist denominations during the American Civil War era.
Current statistics show Baptists number around 170 million believers worldwide according to researcher Sébastien Fath. The Baptist World Alliance census released in 2025 lists 53 million baptized members across 138 countries.
Black Baptists established their own conventions after emancipation with the National Baptist Convention forming in 1895 through unification of three national bodies. Alabama saw rapid establishment of state conventions by the late 19th century as freedmen left white churches to form their own institutions.