Why English stopped using thou
Modern English uses you for one person and for several people. Earlier English made a distinction: thou was singular, while you developed from a plural form.
Politeness changed the system
Over time, plural forms began to be used respectfully when addressing one person, much as French distinguishes tu and vous. You became associated with politeness or status, while thou could signal intimacy, inferiority or deliberate insult.
You took over
Because choosing the wrong form carried social risks, the polite you spread into more situations and eventually displaced thou from everyday standard English. Thou survived in religious language, poetry and some regional dialects, which is why it now sounds archaic to many speakers.
Nederlandse uitleg
In het Nederlands: het Engels had vroeger verschillende vormen, enigszins zoals jij en u. Thou was enkelvoud; you kwam uit een meervoudsvorm en werd ook beleefd enkelvoud. Uiteindelijk nam you bijna alles over.
Try it yourself
This history explains why English sometimes adds clarifying forms such as you all, you both or regional yous when the number matters.
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Source: Merriam-Webster. Featured photograph by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.