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History of Pennsylvania. The Birth of Pennsylvania, a portrait of William Penn (standing with document in hand), who founded the Province of Pennsylvania in 1681 as a refuge for Quakers after receiving a royal deed to it from King Charles II.
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn, who received the land through a grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania was derived from "Penn's Woods", referring to William Penn's father Admiral Sir William Penn.
Province of Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union: December 12, 1787 (2nd) Capital: Harrisburg: Largest city: Philadelphia: Largest county or equivalent: Philadelphia: Largest metro and urban areas: Delaware Valley: Government •
William Penn (October 14, 1644–July 30, 1718) founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The democratic principles that he set forth served as an inspiration for the United States Constitution.
Province of Pennsylvania. The Province of Pennsylvania was a British colony in North America that existed from 1681 until 1776. It was founded by William Penn under a royal charter granted by King Charles II. Penn envisioned Pennsylvania as a place of religious freedom and tolerance, attracting settlers from various European countries seeking ...
Presiding over the first Assembly, Penn saw the government of the “lower counties” united with that of Pennsylvania and the Frame of Government incorporated in the Great Law of the province. In a series of treaties based on mutual trust, he established good relations with the Delaware Indians.
Penn had previously helped found Quaker settlements in West New Jersey and was eager to expand his Quaker colony. In order to generate interest in his new land holdings, Penn wrote a promotional tract, “Some Account of the Province of Pennsylvania in America,” which outlined the terms for obtaining land and promised to clear all Indian titles.
