Unit 1: American Beginnings

Quaker Pennsylvania

William Penn

Quaker

The fourth colonial pattern in North America was set by William Penn, an English Quaker who had been looking for a place for his fellow believers to live according to their religious faith. The term "Quakers" was coined by their enemies because the Quakers were so faithful to God that when they spoke of God, they trembled. These Quakers, though they were Protestants, had very different religious beliefs not only from the Catholics, but also from Puritans and other Protestant sects. They denied both the church and the Bible as the highest authority. They believed that people could communicate directly with God because everyone had an inner light and God was in everyone's soul and in man's heart. They believed in God through their faith without the help of church and priests. They did not build any church and did not train any priest. Their religious place of worship was called a meeting place, which could be anywhere. Since everyone had a divine light in his heart, all were born equal, and all were brothers and sisters. People were not born sinful. Quakers had their own way of life too. They lived a simple life, with thrifty and self-denial. They believed that God required everyone to work hard and have a productive life. Even in jail, they busily set about working at crafts. They refused all forms of war and followed a passive resistance. Their religious beliefs taught them that everyone was equal, so they refused to take off their caps to nobles when they met them and even refused to bow to the king. They wore plain clothes and used plain language. They rejected all the polite forms which were used in high society. As they rejected the authority of church, they refused to pay taxes for the support of the church. As a result, they were persecuted, and many of them were put into prison. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was such a Quaker.

Catholic Church

The Symbol of The Church of England

Benjamin Franklin

William Penn's father was the admiral of England and a member of the Church of England. When Penn was at Oxford, he was converted and became a confirmed Quaker. For this, he was thrown into jail, and his father threatened to cut him off financially. All this could not prevent him from his religious determination. In 1681, after his father's death, he used the debt of 16000 pounds King Charles II owed to his father as an excuse and asked the king to grant him a right to plant a colony in North America. He received the grant from the king and decided to found a colony for his persecuted fellow Quakers in today's Pennsylvania, a name after his father. Before he went to Pennsylvania, he wrote a pamphlet called " Some Account of the Province of Pennsylvania", which was translated into several European languages and circulated far and wide. In the pamphlet, he explained his plan. All those who settled in his land would enjoy religious freedom. This was a great attraction to thousands of people with different religious backgrounds who were being persecuted for their religion in Europe. Another great appeal to Europeans, especially to those peasants hungry for land, was that he offered very easy terms for land. Anyone who would settle in his colony could get some land almost for nothing. Many Europeans were attracted to go to live in Pennsylvania, Germans, French people, Irish people, Northern Europeans as well as the English. When Penn arrived in his colony, he started to carry out what he called "the Holy Experiment". From his religious belief that man was not born sinful and everyone was born equal, he encouraged the spirit of liberty and equality. He set no restrictions on immigration, and naturalization was made easier for non—English people. So many American historians believe that the idea of the melting—pot was first practiced here. William Penn also established a liberal self—government. In his colony, there was a representative assembly elected by the landowners, and death penalty was imposed only for the two crimes of treason and murder, as compared with about 200 crimes leading to capital punishment in England at the time. The Quakers argued that religion was a person's private business with God , therefore no government should interfere in his or her religious beliefs. In accordance with Quakerism, William Penn carried out the policy of separation of state and church in his colony. Penn's holy experiment had great impact on American culture. Voltaire always held this colony up as proof that man could lead a good life without absolute monarch, feudalism or religious and racial uniformity. Some American founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were inspired by Penn's experiment.

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