Pennsylvania: The Quaker Colony
By: Mehdi Lemdani, Jonathan Devizia, and William Reichardt
Key Terms and People to Know
Terms
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Quakers/Religious Society of Friends
Deference
Proprietary colony
Treaty of Shackamaxon
Frame of Government
Charter of Privileges
Paxton Boys
People
• George Fox
• King Charles II
• William Penn
• Duke of York
History and Founding of Pennsylvania Colony
• Land granted to William Penn by
King Charles II to pay for
monetary debt
• Founded on basis of refuge for
Quakers who faced persecution
• Penn protected by Duke of York
History and Founding (cont.)
• Advertising of high wages, cheap labor, and the
freedom of religion attracted myriads of settlers
• Delaware region also granted to Penn
• Considered a proprietary colony
Government of Early Pennsylvania
•
•
•
•
Dominated by Quakers and liberal policies
Representative government
Only Christians could hold political authority
Other faiths were limited to social and economic participation, but were sometimes
granted land and always tolerance
• Individual rights, particularly self-government and freedom of religion were
emphasized
Government of Pennsylvania (cont.)
• The Frame of Government was drafted in 1682, second in 1683
• Penn stopped conflict in upper and lower houses
• Charter of Privileges passed in 1701
• “ Blue Laws”
Economy of Pennsylvania
• Due to honesty, Quakers had fixed prices for all
goods, with no haggling
• Large family structure encouraged higher incomes
• Pennsylvania was based strongly on agriculture and
manufacturing
• Quaker beliefs emphasized no slavery, few slaves
arrived
• Wheat, rye, and other grains/foodstuffs dominated
• Manufacturing possible due to abundant materials,
arts and crafts
• Immigration built up a large part of the labor force
Economy of Pennsylvania (cont.)
• Discovery of iron
• West Indies relationship, not as
defined as Carolinas
• Rifle production
• Saw and gristmills along stream
Religion and Spirituality in Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania was by far a Quaker state
a) Belief in the “Inner Light”
b) The Bible is not the final test of doctrine
c) Prayer was silent; meetinghouses
• Called Quakers as a derogatory term, typically attributed to a trial with George Fox
a) “Quaking before God”
• Although Quakers dominated politics and even the economy, Pennsylvania was
religiously and ethnically diverse
a) Lutherans, Catholics, and Jews among others were tolerated and allowed to live in
Religion and Spirituality in Pennsylvania (cont.)
• Strong belief in equality of all people
• Women had a larger role spiritually, despite
some resistance
• Attributes to many early radical movements,
particularly opposition to slavery
Culture and Social Life in Early Pennsylvania
• Penn’s liberal policies and freedom of expression allowed
people exchange ideas, formation of universities
• Education allowed for technological discoveries,
newspapers, magazines, and the study of law and
medicine
a) First hospital, insurance company, and library
• Sense of respect and morality, or deference, taught to
children
• Deviated from popular Puritan ideas of beating
• Oath-keeping and titles not recognized
I approve of
the Treaty of
Shaqamaxon
Native American Relations
• Tribes included: Lenni Lenape, Munsee-
Delaware, Susquehannocks, Shawnee, the
Eries, and the Six Nations (Iroquois
Confederacy)
• Penn set up a regulation of trade to avoid
unfair deals for natives
• Pacifist faith encouraged Penn to
purchase land from natives
• Treaty of Shackamaxon is a prime
example of this (Penn and Lenni Lenape)
Native American Relations (cont.)
• Positive relations endured until late 18th century,
where attitudes degenerated
• Quaker toleration backfired on relations
• Scots-Irish were particularly cruel, the
Paxton Boys exemplified this
A Timeline of Colonial Pennsylvania
1683: Penn signs
friendship treaty with
Lenni Lenape Farmers;
Mennonite families form
Germany establish
Germantown
March 4, 1681: King
Charles II grants
Pennsylvania to William
Penn to pay off a debt
1644:
William
Penn is born
1647:
Quakerism
is founded
by George
Fox
1682: Duke of York
cedes claim to
Delaware region to
William Penn, Penn
lands in
Philadelphia, first
three counties
established and first
Assembly met
1686: Penn
purchases
land along
Lehigh River
from Lenni
Lenape
Timeline (cont.)
1712: Pennsylvania
Assembly bans
importing of slaves
1688: Germantown
passes first antislavery resolution
1701: The Charter
of Privileges is
passed, remains as a
constitution until
the American
Revolution
1737: ‘Walking Purchase’
purchased by
Pennsylvania
1720: First Catholic
Congregration
‘officially
established’ in
Pennsylvania