William Penn Biography

Penn's Land-Grant

Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 by William Penn. Penn was issued a land grant by King Charles II largely because of a significant debt owed to his father, Admiral Penn. At the time, the grant was one of the largest in terms of area ever known. It was named Pennsylvania, which means Penn’s Woods, after Admiral Penn.

A Quaker Colony Based on Religious Freedom

Penn quickly established a government based on religious freedom for the Quakers. Quakers did not believe in the strict rules imposed by the Puritan church. They believed that people could have a direct relation with God, rather than one mediated by a minister. The colony’s religious tolerance soon attracted German and Scottish immigrants, and promoted more peaceful relations with local Indians. Furthermore, it helped Philadelphia grow into the most important city in the thirteen colonies, and it helped established Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where German “Deutsch” political and religious refugees formed farming communities.

William Penn Articles and Activities

• William Penn Interactive Cloze Reading Exercise (With Immediate Feedback)
• Pennsylvania Colony Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Pennsylvania Colony Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• Who were the Quakers? Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Who were the Quakers? Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• Pennsylvania Colony Paragraph Paramedics - Correct the poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation in the passage about the Pennsylvania Colony.

13 Colonies People and Founders

• John Smith
• John Rolfe
• Pocahontas
• Christopher Newport
• House of Burgesses
• Cotton Mather
• Roger Williams
• Thomas Hooker
• William Penn
• Lord Baltimore
• Lords Proprietors
• James Oglethorpe