Why did William Penn start America?
William Penn was a well-born young Englishman and became a Quaker in 1660 when he was 16 years old. His father disapproved and gave him a flogging. He was arrested several times for being a Quaker. Penn finally decided to go to the New World. Quakers had all ready fled to Rhode Island, North Carolina, and New Jersey. He wanted to establish an asylum for his people and he want to experiment with liberal ideas in government, plus, make a profit. Finally in 1681 he got an huge land grant from the King in consideration of a debt owed to his deceased father by the Crown. The King called the area Pennsylvania (Penn’s Woodland) in honor of the sire. Penn wanted to change the name because he was afraid that people who say he named it after himself. Pennsylvania was promoted by paid agents and pamphlets printed in English, Dutch, French and German. He wanted people who were free thinking, and wanted to work. Within two years Philadelphia had 300 houses and 2500 people. By 1700 the colony was la
