Penn, William. October 28, 1701. “Pennsylvania Charter of Liberties.”
https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/pennsylvania-charter-of-liberties/.
- I. Because no people can be truly happy, though under the greatest enjoyment of civil
liberties, if abridged of the freedom of their consciences as to their religious profession
and worship. And Almighty God being the only lord of conscience, father of light and
spirits, and the author as well as object of all divine knowledge, faith, and worship… no
person or persons inhabiting in this province or territories, who shall confess and
acknowledge one almighty God, the creator, upholder and ruler of the world… shall be in
any case molested or prejudiced in his or their person or estate because of his or their
conscientious persuasion or practice, nor be compelled to frequent or maintain any
religious worship, place, or ministry contrary to his or their mind, or to do or suffer any
other act or thing contrary to their religious persuasion.
- And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world,
shall be capable, notwithstanding their other persuasions and practices in point of
conscience and religion, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and
executively
- II. … there shall be an Assembly yearly chosen by the freemen thereof, to consist of four
persons out of each county…Which Assembly shall have power to choose a speaker and
other their officers and shall be judges of the qualifications and elections of their own
members, sit upon their own adjournments, appoint committees, prepare bills in order
to pass into laws, impeach criminals and redress grievances, and shall have all other
powers and privileges of an Assembly, according to the rights of the freeborn subjects of
England and as is usual in any of the King’s plantations in America.
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