PENNSYLVANIA

     William Penn is considered to be the Founding Father of Pennsylvania. He was born into London’s upper-class society and converted to the teachings and beliefs of the Society of Friends, or Quakers; which were formed during the religious upheaval of seventeenth century England. The Quakers believed in a loving God. They opposed war, disapproved of oaths and rituals, and displayed a simplistic manner of speech and dress. In England, the Quakers endured persecution and hostility from the government and non-Quakers. So when King Charles II paid off a debt to William Penn by granting him all the land in Pennsylvania, the Quakers gained a chance at religious freedom.

     William Penn practiced various acts of human kindness while establishing the colony.  Accounts of his relations with surrounding Indian tribes indicate tolerance, honesty, and respect. He promoted religious freedom as a principle of government (Roark, 2009 104). This suggests that the values of democracy were part of Penn’s framework for Pennsylvania.

The immigration of many European settlers to Pennsylvania had a major impact on the characteristics of the colony.  On its Web site, the Pennsylvania General Assembly states, “that thousands of Germans immigrated to the colony and comprised a third of the population by the time of the Revolution. Their skill and industry transformed this region into a rich farming country, contributing greatly to the expanding prosperity of the province”. Farming was focused primarily on wheat and flour milling was the main industry of the colony. English Quakers settled heavily in the area that became Philadelphia. The intellectual and commercial life of Pennsylvania centered on Philadelphia. Another important immigrant group was the Scotch-Irish, who were farmers and frontiersman.

     Family life was endeared in the colony. The likelihood of a family’s survival depended on the contribution each member made, whether on the farm or as aspiring merchants. The hard work ethic of many, along with Quaker beliefs for some of the settlers, contributed to their successful adaptation in Pennsylvania. The education of children was mainly done at home, thereby permitting children to work on the farm as well. A significant contribution to Pennsylvania by its most famous citizen, Benjamin Franklin, was the first free public school and first public library. As was the case in all British colonies, Pennsylvania was not immune to the ravages of disease. The hard winter climate was particularly a factor on the toll disease had on the settlers.

Almost one hundred years after the first settlers arrived in Colonial Pennsylvania, it had expanded into a rich farming area and a center of commerce. In addition, religious tolerance was accepted by the diverse population of the colony. These elements gave Pennsylvania a strong foundation in forming the unique character it has as a colony.

     Pennsylvania General Assembly.  Pennsylvania History:  Pennsylvania on the eve of colonization www.legis.state.pa.us/wu01/vc/.../pa_history/pa_history.htm  (accessed November 8, 2010).

     Roark, James L., Michael P. Johnson, Patricia Cline Cohen, Sarah Stage, Alan Lawson, and Susan M.Hartmann. 2009. The American promise: A history of the United States. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Post Written By Stacy M.