By: Brianna LeeBy: Brianna Lee

Pennsylvania, a middle colony, was one of the original 13 colonies in the United States

Before European settlement, Pennsylvania consisted of Native American inhabitants, the most known during William Penn’s time there is Leni Lenape

King Charles II of England named Pennsylvania after Admiral Sir William Penn. But it wasn’t until a Welsh member of England added Sylvania, meaning woods. (Walther)

Pennsylvania’s capital, Philadelphia, means “City of Brotherly Love.” It was a reflection on the Quaker society

General Information

William Penn saw this land as an opportunity to

establish a colony of his own, mainly for his fellow Quakers. A place to call their own, away from religious persecution.

Motivations

Colonial Rule and Political Structures

“Penn had big plans for his colony– a government run on Quaker principles of equality, cooperation, and religious tolerance.” (Danzer, Gerald A. et al)

William Markham, Penn’s cousin was assigned governor in 1681. “Markham bore an affectionate letter from the proprietor to the Swedes in which he said, "You shall be governed by laws of your own making, and live a free, and if you will, a sober, industrious people.“ “ (History of the United States of America)

Land Division/Rights

William Penn believed in being a pacifist. He and the Quakers refused to serve in the military, and instead embraced the opposition of war (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

Because of this, he decided to be on good terms with the Native Americans. According to letters sent to Native tribe leaders from Penn, with consent, he asked permission to enjoy and love the land so that they may always be neighbors and friends (ExplorePAHistory).

William assured every adult male settler 50 acres of land and the right to vote. His political plans for government was a representative assembly that recognized freedom of religion (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

Types of Settlements

The treaty in 1682 between the colonists and the Natives were fairly treated. To assure friendly relations in order to circumvent any issues, the Friends often regulated trade (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

Economic Activities

William Penn faced similar challenges to the Dutch West Indies colony. He wanted to recruit immigrants from Western Europe. He used advertisements that were translated into Dutch, French and German (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

He wanted to attract farmers, settlers, traders and builders everywhere—to create a more profitable colony.

Penn used emigration as a way to promote and induce Europeans to come and settle in Pennsylvania. There was a deal of 40 shillings for a hundred acres, and 5000 acres for a 100 pounds (Walther).

As a famed colonist and eloquent leader, he never really profited well financially as a proprietor, and rather died in poverty, regardless of the colony’s success.

Labor Challenges

Many of the European settlers in Pennsylvania consisted of Germans that brought over experienced and skilled crafters and farming techniques that would later help the colony succeed (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

Although Penn’s belief was to be free, he enslaved blacks. The original Quakers were said to not have any qualms over it. The blacks were free, but also some indentured servants.

Colonial Pennsylvania was a slave-owning society, but it also had its protests about the treatment of the blacks. Some of the Quakers had their doubts of owning another person (Harper).

Religious/Social Issues

"All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship... against his consent.“- William Penn, Declaration of Rights, 1682 (ExplorePAHistory).

The Friends’, or Quakers in England were persecuted and harassed. Penn’s philosophy on George Fox’s Quaker beliefs were that God’s “inner light” burned inside everyone. That everyone should be able to have a personal relationship with God. The services they held in a typical Quaker meetinghouse gave any person to speak as the spirit moved them.

Penn’s “holy experiment” was the basis of religious freedom, it would be the cornerstone of a new social order (ExplorePAHistory).

Legacy's and Effects

William Penn’s principles of cooperation, equality and religious tolerance on which he founded Pennsylvania, became the fundamental values of the new American nation (Danzer, Gerald A. et al).

Walther, Rudolph J. "Pennsylvania 1630-1700." ushitsory.org. Independence

Hall Association, 2010. Web. 7 Sept. 2010. <http://www.ushistory.org/pennsylvania/pennsylvania.html>.

"ExplorePAHistory.com - Stories from PA History." ExplorePAHistory. WITF, Inc., 2010. Web. 7 Sept. 2010. <http://explorepahistory.com/story.php?storyId=3>.

Danzer, Gerald A., et al. "Settlement of the Middle Colonies." The Americans. N.p.: McDougal Littel, 2005. 55-59. Print.

"History of the United States of America," by Henry William Elson, The MacMillan Company, New York, 1904. Transcribed by Kathy Leigh.

B., H. W., and Henry William Elson. "Pennsylvania." History of the United States of America. 1904. New York: MacMilan Company, n.d. N. pag. History of the USA. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. <http://www.usahistory.info/colonies/Pennsylvania.html>.

Harper, Douglas. "Slavery in Pennsylvania." Slavery in the North. N.p., 2003. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. <http://www.slavenorth.com/pennsylvania.htm>.

Citations