CHAPTER XVII WILLIAM PENN AND THE SETTLEMENT OF THE QUAKERS IN AMERICA
We have already learned how the Puritans were persecuted
m England. Besides the Puritans there was another group
of people who did not believe in the form of worship of the
English church. These people, the Religious Society of
Friends, or Quakers, as they are often called, were as cruelly
punished on account of their religious belief as the Puritans
were. The Quakers were at first under the leadership of
George Fox. He taught that all men are equal in the sight
of God. They showed this belief by always keeping their
hats on in public places, and even in the presence of the king.
They refused to take an oath in court because men should
tell the truth at all times. They also refused to go to war
or to pay taxes in support of war or the English chiu'ch.
They used " thee '' and " thou " in addressing everybody,
instead of saying '' you '' to persons of greater rank or
wealth, as was then the custom. They thought that men
and women should have equal rights. As a protest against
the extravagant clothes of rich-colored cloth worn by many
people at that time, they dressed in very plain clothes of dark
or gray color.
Because of these beliefs they were persecuted by being
thrown into prison, whipped in public, and in some cases
put to death. They were punished both in England and
in the Puritan colonies of the new world. The Puritan
leaders seemed especially to dislike the Quakers, and were
very severe in their punishment of them. They sent many
of them out of the Puritan colonies and even put some to
death.
There were many great leaders among the QuakCTS, but
the one in whom we are most interested was William Penn.
Penn was bom in London. He was the son of Sir William
Penn, a very wealthy man who served as admiral in the
British navy. Sir William Penn was a close friend of the
king. Having wealth and
rank, he naturally desired
to give his son such a
training as would fit him
to take a position at court
when he became older.
This was not to be, how-
ever, because the young
man while at Oxford Uni-
versity became interested
in the Friends, and after
listening to one of their
William Penn. leaders he believed in their
'^rh^',^tim*'rtJQt'^XreZ,^Amer'i« °' cause. Hc Tefused to at-
tend the religious exercises
held at the college. He would not even wear the gown
required to be worn by the students, because he thought it
showed pride. For these and other offenses he was expelled
from the college.
When Penn's father heard what his son had done he was
very angry, but he knew yoimg William was honest in his
belief and so did not try to argue with him. Instead, he
sent him to Paris, hoping that the yoxmg man would foi^et
the Quakers if he were to live the gay life of that city.
Although William did enter somewhat into the gay life
WILLIAM PENN AND THE SETTLEMENT OF QUAKERS 91
of Paris and actually fought a duel there, his father's hopes
were in vain. It was not many years before William Perm
was thrown into jail in Ireland because he was found with
others listening to a Quaker preacher. This time his angry
father had him return to his home in England, and there
informed him that unless he would remove his hat in the
presence of King Charles II and himself, he would turn
him out of his house. Young Perm showed that he was an
earnest Friend by refusing his father's request, though with
sorrow because of the offence it gave. For his refusal he
was driven from his home.
His mother and the king were his friends even though his
father would not forgive him. At one time when the king
and Peim met, the king removed his hat. Penn said,
" Friend Charles, why dost thou remove thy hat? "
" Because," answered the king with a smile, '' where I am,
it is the custom for only one to remain imcovered."
As the years passed Penn wrote and spoke for the Quaker
cause. For his defence of the Quaker ideas he was obliged
to suffer a great deal. He was fined, and sometimes he
was kept in prison for weeks.
His father finally forgave him after he saw that his son
was so much in earnest; and when he died he left his great
fortune to the young Quaker.
The king owed Penn's father a large sum of money which
he found it difficult to pay. Since Penn had for some time
been looking about for a way to help his friends among the
Quakers, he now proposed to the king to give him a tract of
land in America for the debt. This the king was glad to do
and granted to Penn a large tract on the west side of the
Delaware River. Penn desired to call the land Sylvania,
meaning woodland, but the king named it Pennsylvania,
Perm's woods, in honor of his friend. Sir William Penn.
92 FOUNDERS OF FREEDOM IN AMERICA
As soon as he had received his land Penn invited the
Friends to settle there and build up a colony where they
could govern themselves and worship as they desired. The
invitation was gladly accepted by three thousand Quakers
who sailed for the Delaware River in 1681. Penn did not
come to America until the following year. He landed at
Newcastle on the Delaware River in October and was given
a hearty welcome by the settlers.
It was not long after his arrival before he called an
assembly or meeting of the people to make the laws of the
colony. The laws made by this assembly are interesting
because they show Perm's idea of government and because
they were so much more liberal than the laws of England.
The most important items were:
1. Everybody was to be allowed to worship as he desired.
2. The first day of the week was to be kept as a day of rest.
3. All members of the family were to be thought of as
equal in the sight of the law.
4. No oath was to be required in courts of justice.
5. Every taxpayer was to have the right to vote.
6. Every Christian should have the right to hold oflSce.
7. No tax could be collected except by law.
8. Murder was the only crime punishable by death.
9. Prisoners were to be taught useful trades.
Before sailing from England Penn had made plans to
build a city in Pennsylvania. After looking about he
selected the place where the Schuylkill River flows into the
Delaware as the best place for this city. He planned it
carefully. It was laid out like a checker board, with broad
streets and large building lots, giving each house plenty of
room. The streets were given such names as Walnut,
WILLIAM PBNN AND THE SETTLEMENT OF QUAKERS 93
Chestnut, Spruce, Mulberry and Pine, after the trees of
the forest. The city was called Philadelphia, meaning,
brotherly love.
One of William Penn's first acts was to call a meeting of
the Indians at which he told them that the Quakers were
willing to buy the land from them. As the Indians were
willing to sell, they were given knives, blankets, and hatchets,
as they wished, for their claim on the lands. William Pemi
had alsa prepared a treaty of peace. When they were all
together he read the treaty and explained to the Indians
Thb b«1t OH renlly a treHt; ol peace— a treaty that was never broken.
that the Quakers wished to deal fairly with them and did
not care to fight. He also told them that in case of trouble
the dispute was to be settled by a council of six white men
and six Indians. The Indians were so much pleased with
William Penn's words and maimer that they agreed to the
treaty. Both parties were true to their promise, for the
treaty was never broken during Penn's life.
The treaty made between William Penn and the Indians
was not in the form of the treaties of to-day which are
written on paper. That treaty, which is still in existence,
is a woven belt of wampum consisting of eighteen strings of beads. There are two figures shown on the belt. They axe clasping hands to show that the Indians and English- men were to be friends.
The city of Philadelphia grew so rapidly that by 1683 it numbered over three hmidred and fifty houses. By 1685
there were over twenty-five himdrfsd people in the city. Returning to England in 1684, William Penn remained there for fifteen years, spending much time and money in helping the Quakers.
In 1699 he again returned to Philadelphia, this time for a period of two years. He had a fine home in the city and another in the country, with beautiful grounds around them. He was very hospitable; he gave great dinners and entertained many visitors.
Penn's last days were > spent in England, where he died in 1718. No other one of the early leaders of America was loved as William Penn was. His colony was a great success. The men and women who lived in Pennsylvania were happy because they were always treated fairly, could worship as they desired, and share in making the laws.
TmNGS TO THINK ABOUT
I. What do you admire most in the Quakers' belief?
II. William Pemi was a good Quaker. How may this be proven?
III. William Penn planned his city carefully. Explain what is meant by this statement.
IV. Why did William Penn have no trouble with the Indians?
V. What does the name Philadelphia mean? Do you think that this name was a good one for Penn's city? Why?
