research paper

William Penn

What religion was William Penn?

William Pen was from an Anglican family that was very distinguished. His father was Sir William Pen who was a landowner. At twenty two, Penn decided to join the Quakers which was also referred to as the Religious Society of Friends. The Quakers used to obey the inner light and they believed that the inner light came directly from God. They refused to take their hats off or even bow for any man. They also refused to take their arms up. Their beliefs were completely different as compared to the beliefs that the other Christians had (Barbour & Frost, 1988).

The Oxford University in England expelled Penn in the year 1662 since he refused to conform to the teachings of the Anglican Church. He could publicly state his beliefs and he could also print some of the things that he believed in.

Quakers’ founder was George Foxx who was a close friend to Penn. Cromwell’s death was a time of turmoil to the Quakers since they were suspected for the death. They were suspected because they had beliefs that differed from the religion that had been imposed for the state. They had also refused to swear a loyalty oath to Cromwell, who was the king. Quakers did not swear since Christ had commanded people not to swear.

The religious views that Penn had were a distress to his father. Naval service had helped him earn an Ireland estate and he had always hoped that the intelligence and charisma that his son had could help him in winning favor at the Charles II court. However, that could not happen since his son was always arrested. Penn and George Foxx were frequent companions since they could always travel together in order to spread their ministry. He also wrote a comprehension that was detailed and comprehensive regarding Quakerism. After the death of his father in 1670, Penn inherited the estates of the family and he could frequently visit the court of King Charles II where he was always campaigning for freedom in religion (Penn, 1794).

Where was William Penn born?

William Penn was born in London, United Kingdom. He was born on fourteenth of October in the year 1644. He was a privileged son since he was born by a gentleman who was a land owner. Thomas Loe, who was a Quaker minister, greatly affected Penn by his teachings.

In 1677 a group of important men all from Penn’s religion received a land area in the Colonies for them to settle. Penn himself remained in England but wrote a government for this new community. In what part of the US was this land area located?

In the year 1677, the Quakers relocated to another land. The city of Burlington is located in the Burlington County in New Jersey. It is Philadelphia’s suburb. The Quakers settlers moved to Burlington. Burlington served as West Jersey’s capital until the year 1702. The Quakers were able to formally establish their congregation in the year 1678. Initially, they could meet in private homes. However, between 1683 and 1687, a hexagonal house that was made of brick was constructed by Francis Collings where they could meet. In the next century, there was a substantial growth in the membership and they required larger buildings that could hold the whole congregation. The house meeting that is presently located on High Street was built in the year 1783.

On March 4, 1681 King Charles II gave to William Penn a large area of land to colonize him. Why did the King give all this valuable land to Penn?

Pen pressed a case that was aimed at extending the region for the Quakers. He aimed to acquire the land from political expediency or personal sympathy. However, he was surprised when he was granted a large area of land by the king. That made him the largest private landowner all over the world since he owned more than forty five thousand square miles. Since Penn became the sole owner of a large piece of land, he was able to acquire sovereign rule all over the territory since he had great privileges and rights.

King Charles II gave all that land as a way of settling the large debt that he had owed Penn’s father. Penn had intended to name the land Sylvania but the king insisted that the land was to be named Pennsylvania as a way of recognizing Penn’s father. Many people tend to believe that Pennsylvania is named after Penn but that is wrong since it is named after his father.

Penn lived in his new colony from 1682 to 1684 (and 1699 to 1701) where he implemented a most impressive and advanced form of democratic government. He also tolerated people of all different religious beliefs. His political ideals were a great inspiration for the US founding fathers. Philadelphia was the first city that Penn planned and built in his colony what does the word Philadelphia mean?

Philadelphia is a name that means brotherly love. The Bible discussed it in the Book of Revelation 3:7. It was an ancient minor in the west of Asia which is the modern day Turkey. Philadelphia also means loving people. It was founded by the Quakers that had high ideals and the friends had the tradition of naming their eldest daughters after the city.

Penn guaranteed all people living in his colony religious freedom. What did that mean?

By guaranteeing religious freedom, all the people had the chance to choose their own faith on a condition that they believed in God. Having been in a religion that was not accepted in the society, Penn had come to realize how important it was for people to choose the religion that they wanted to believe in. That is because he had faced a lot of problems for what he thought was right and that is why he allowed the people that were in his colony to follow the religion that they were comfortable with.

Penn treated the Indians of Pennsylvania with great fairness. Penn even learned some Indian languages so as to better communicate with them the great treaty made with the Indians that provided them with a substantial amount for their land was made under?

Penn was known to treat all the Indians well and with a lot of fairness. He made a great treaty with the Indians that allowed for him to give the Indians a large amount of money in exchange of their land. It is a treaty that was made under the Elm tree. In Rotunda, which is a US capital, there is a stone carving that is very famous and it represents this event.

Penn was an early abolitionist and worked hard to fight slavery

Penn was an abolitionist. That is because he had his own slaves and he also traded in slaves. However, he treated his slaves very well and he really respected them. He did not mistreat the slaves since he had a lot of respect for them. He tolerated slavery thus it is evident that he was not an abolitionist.

Is the smiling man on the Quaker Oats box meant to be likeness of William Penn?

The smiling man does not represent any actual person. That is because it is an image that shows of a man who is dressed in Quaker garb. The image was chosen since the faith of the Quaker religion aimed at advocating certain values for example, purity, integrity, strength, and honesty.

Work’s cited

Barbour, H., & Frost, J. (1988). The Quakers. New York: Greenwood Press.

Brief History of William Penn. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.ushistory.org/penn/bio.htm

Channing, E. (January 01, 1908). William Penn. Annual Report ... for the Year 1906, 1, 191-1977

Penn, W. (1794). A brief account of the rise and progress of the people called Quakers in which their fundamental principle, doctrines, worship, ministry, and discipline, are plainly declared: With a summary relation of the former dispensations of God in the world, By way (The 10th ed.). London: Printed and sold by James Phillips, George-Yard, Lombard-Street.