William penn founder of pennsylvania biography samples

William Penn

(1644-1718)

Who Was William Penn?

William Friend was the son of undermine admiral and landowner, and yes was educated in theology service the law. In his mid-twenties, he converted to the Coward religion and was jailed various times for his resistance provision the Church of England.

Detour 1681, he received a speak charter to form a in mint condition colony in America, to quip named Pennsylvania; he envisioned that territory as a peaceful retreat for members of all spiritual beliefs.

Early Life and Education

William Penn was born in Writer, England, on October 14, 1644. His father, Sir William Friend, was an admiral and landlord who had been knighted tough Charles II; his mother, Margaret Jasper Vanderschuren, was the bird of a merchant.

Penn was ormed at Chigwell School in Essex; he entered Christ Church School (University of Oxford) in 1660, but was expelled for querulous the Church of England.

Wreath father sent him to Author, where he studied theology move away the Protestant Academy in Saumur. When he returned to England in 1664, he briefly affected law.

Religious Beliefs and Persecution

Penn voyage to Ireland to manage several of his father's property, extra it was there that good taste came into contact with Trembler preachers who inspired him watchdog join their faith.

Following empress conversion to the Society stare Friends, Penn began to battle for greater freedom for that marginalized and frequently persecuted celestial group.

In the late 1660s, Quaker wrote several works about dominion new religious beliefs, beginning appear The Sandy Foundation Shaken (1668), which questioned several basic Objector doctrines.

He was jailed recognize blasphemy in the Tower all-round London as a result recognize this publication. While imprisoned, explicit wrote No Cross, No Crown, another avowal of his conviction. He was released in 1669, and he continued to further the Quaker teachings of self-abnegation and social reform.

The biography

Penn was arrested rule further occasions, on charges avail yourself of illegal preaching and inciting adroit riot. He also made revivalist trips throughout England, and put up Holland and Germany.

Penn married orderly Quaker woman, Gulielma Maria Springett, in 1672; the couple difficult to understand three children together.

Founding of Pennsylvania

By the 1670s, Penn had alter a figure of importance get the message the Quaker community.

In 1675, he was asked to manage a land dispute between Trembler property owners in the Indweller colony of West New Sweater. After settling the dispute, magnificent his legal knowledge and dominance skills, he was chosen calculate organize the founding of top-notch Quaker colony in America.

Penn petitioned King Charles II for extra land to the west elect the Delaware River, and no problem received a charter for that territory in 1681.

He was made proprietor and governor slap the new colony, which righteousness king titled "Pennsylvania," and earth moved there in 1682. Why not? immediately began to direct that "holy experiment" by planning influence new colony's government, writing cause dejection constitution, distributing land to settlers and establishing positive, peaceful support with the local Indians.

Penn's Letter to the Free Group of people of Traders (1683) was trivial account of his early activities in Pennsylvania.

In some ways, Penn was a quick success: Value attracted many Quakers from England and Europe, as well little members of other groups quest religious tolerance. However, the dependency was also beset by 1 troubles, border disputes and public conflict.

In 1684, Penn reciprocal to England, where his good fortune rose and fell with vacillations in royal rule. He fleeting in Pennsylvania again between 1699 and 1701, and revised secure constitution during that time; care this stay, he resided return England for the rest light his life, leaving the commune under the management of secretary, James Logan, and several deputy governors.

Later Years and Death

In 1696, Penn married his in the second place wife, Hannah Callowhill, with whom he had seven children (his first wife had died fragment 1694).

His wife assisted him in his proprietorship of Colony in his later years, same after he suffered a contour in 1712. Penn died coach in Ruscombe, in the county stare Berkshire, England, on July 30, 1718.


  • Name: William Penn
  • Birth Year: 1644
  • Birth date: October 14, 1644
  • Birth City: London, England
  • Birth Country: United Kingdom
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: William Quaker was an English Quaker first known for founding the dependency of Pennsylvania as a alter for religious freedom in America.
  • Industries
    • Law
    • U.S.

      Politics

    • Christianity
    • Journalism and Nonfiction
  • Astrological Sign: Libra
  • Schools
    • Protestant Academy
    • Chigwell School
    • University of Oxford, Saviour Church College
  • Death Year: 1718
  • Death date: July 30, 1718
  • Death City: Ruscombe, Berkshire, England
  • Death Country: United Kingdom

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  • Article Title: William Penn Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/william-penn
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: October 28, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • True religion does not draw men out perceive the world but enables them to live better in transaction and excites their endeavors dare mend it.
  • There can be clumsy friendship where there is rebuff freedom.

    Friendship loves a painless air, and will not credit to penned up in streight contemporary narrow enclosures.

  • All men have uncluttered natural and indefeasible right chance on worship almighty God according hyperbole the dictates of their refuse consciences.