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William Penn Facts & Worksheets

William Penn was a London-born writer who is best known for being the founder of the province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the present-day state of Pennsylvania in the United States.

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William Penn was a London-born writer who is best known for being the founder of the province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the present-day state of Pennsylvania in the United States. With a background in theology and law, William Penn converted to the Quaker religion in his 20s. He is now known as one of the most influential Quakers of his time.

See the fact file below for more information about William Penn, or you can download our 25-page William Penn worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • William Penn was born to a prominent Anglican family in 1644 at Tower Hill, London, in the United Kingdom. 
  • His father, Sir William Penn, was an English naval officer and landowner, while his mother, Margaret Jasper, was a Dutch widow whose father was a wealthy merchant.
  • For his formal education, William first studied at Chigwell School, a co-educational facility in Essex, England.
  • In 1660, he enrolled as a gentleman scholar in the Christ Church College at the University of Oxford.
  • He was later expelled for being a religious nonconformist and directing criticism at the Church of England.
  • In an effort to circumvent his son’s religious nonconformity, William’s father sent him on a grand tour of Europe.
  • His father also compelled William to study theology at the Protestant Academy in Saumur, France.
  • In 1664, after two years in France, William was summoned to return to England.
  • William entered Lincoln’s Inn and spent a year studying law before his studies were interrupted by the imminent war between the English and the Dutch.

YOUNG ADULTHOOD

  • William decided then to join his father at sea.
  • They returned triumphant amid London’s suffering from the Great Plague of 1665.
  • At the time, William witnessed how Quakers were persecuted and even accused of causing the plague.
  • In 1666, William’s father was plagued by gout and sent his son to Ireland to manage some family properties. 
  • In Ireland, William came into contact with Thomas Loe, a Quaker missionary who was vilified by Catholics and Protestants, for the first time since William’s childhood years.
  • Thomas’ preaching was a deciding factor in William’s conversion to join the Quakers (the Society of Friends), a Christian sect of religious radicals who faced frequent persecution from society.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

  • Following his new membership into the Society of Friends, William became vocal in advocating for greater religious freedom.
  • Because William decided to convert, William’s father withheld his son’s inheritance.
  • William ended up being homeless and began living with Quaker families. 
  • He also began writing about his religious views.
  • In 1668, he published his first pamphlet entitled “Truth Exalted,” highlighting Quaker teachings while criticizing those of Catholics, Anglicans, and other dissenting religious groups.
  • After that, Penn continued to reflect on and assert his beliefs as he published “The Sandy Foundation Shaken,” a book that refuted Protestant doctrines such as the Holy Trinity, also in 1668. 
  • His work was declared heretical and resulted in his arrest for blasphemy and imprisonment in the Tower of London.
  • In jail, William penned “No Cross, No Crown,” where he again asserted his beliefs and expounded on the nature of Quaker beliefs.
  • The first edition of “No Cross, No Crown” was published in 1669, the same year William was released from prison.
  • To this day, William’s work is considered one of the prime examples of prison literature.
  • That was not the first time William was sent to prison for his radical religious views.
  • He had been jailed subsequently on charges of illegal preaching and provoking a riot.
  • Upon his release, William kept on promoting Quaker principles centering on social reform and self-discipline. 
  • In 1670, William cemented his place in English history by writing “The Great Case of Liberty of Conscience Once More Debated & Defended.”
  • “The Great Case of Liberty of Conscience Once More Debated & Defended” is where William defended the right of individuals to stand by their religious beliefs as they see fit without external interference, such as the state, in Restoration England.
  • William’s father died in 1670, and he had already reconciled with his son’s beliefs by then.
  • In 1672, William married Gulielma Maria Springett, a Quaker woman, and they had three children together.
  • Overall, he published 42 books and pamphlets in the seven years after he converted to Quakerism.
  • In addition to William’s written works, he also went on preaching missionary trips from 1671 to 1677 throughout England and to Holland and northern Germany.
  • During these trips, he made connections with people who would later help in the emigration of Dutch and German people to Pennsylvania.

FOUNDING OF PENNSYLVANIA

  • As a prominent figure in the Quaker community, William was asked to resolve a land dispute involving Quaker estate owners in 1675.
  • This dispute was over property claimed by the American colony of West New Jersey. 
  • Having a legal background proved useful to William, who ultimately settled the dispute and elected to organize the founding of a Quaker colony in North America.
  • After a successful petition to King Charles II for more land west of the Delaware River, William received a charter for the territory in 1681. 
  • William relocated to that territory in 1682, following his election as the proprietor and governor of the new colony named Pennsylvania.
  • Some of William’s work as governor included establishing the colony’s first Frame of Government, writing its constitution, assigning land to settlers, and initiating good relations with the local Indian settlement.
  • The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania embodied Quaker-Whig ideals, as authored by William.
  • Pennsylvania became an attractive relocation settlement for Quakers in England and Europe who sought religious tolerance.
  • He resided in Pennsylvania again from 1699 – 1701 and decided to revise its constitution.
  • He returned to England, where he stayed until his death in 1718.
  • He appointed his secretary, James Logan, and several deputy governors to manage the colony.

LATER YEARS AND DEATH

  • William remarried in 1696 after his first wife died two years prior.
  • He had seven children with his second wife, Hannah Callowhill.
  • After William suffered a paralytic stroke in 1712, which rendered him unable to move freely and speak, Hannah assisted him in his proprietorship of Pennsylvania.
  • William Penn died at his home in Ruscombe, Berkshire, England, on July 30, 1718.

William Penn Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about William Penn across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about William Penn. William Penn was a London-born writer who is best known for being the founder of the province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the present-day state of Pennsylvania in the United States.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. William Penn Facts
  2. Penn His Life Story
  3. Key Terms
  4. Relations Review
  5. Life in Eras
  6. Quaker Questions
  7. A Penn-y For Your Thoughts
  8. Notable Quakers
  9. Pennsylvania at Present
  10. Freedom in Question
  11. What Would Penn Do?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was William Penn?

William Penn (1644-1718) was an English Quaker, entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that later became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the development of the early American colonies.

What motivated William Penn to establish the colony of Pennsylvania?

William Penn, a devout Quaker, sought to create a haven for religious freedom and tolerance. He envisioned Pennsylvania as a place where people of different faiths could live together peacefully, free from religious persecution. His “Holy Experiment” aimed to establish a government based on Quaker principles and democratic ideals.

How did William Penn acquire the land for Pennsylvania?

In 1681, King Charles II of England granted a large tract of land to William Penn in lieu of a debt owed to Penn’s father. This land, named Pennsylvania, covered a vast area in the American colonies. Penn saw this as an opportunity to realize his vision of a colony that promoted religious freedom and peaceful coexistence.

What were some key principles of government outlined by William Penn in Pennsylvania?

William Penn’s Frame of Government (1682) for Pennsylvania was progressive for its time. It included principles such as religious freedom, democratic representation, and a separation of powers within the government. It also emphasized the importance of fair treatment of Native Americans, though the success of these ideals varied over time.

How did William Penn contribute to the relationship between European settlers and Native Americans in Pennsylvania?

Penn maintained a generally peaceful and respectful relationship with the Native American tribes in the region. He negotiated fair land agreements with them and sought to establish peaceful coexistence. The Quaker principles of tolerance and respect influenced Penn’s interactions, contributing to a period of relative harmony between European settlers and Native Americans in Pennsylvania during his lifetime.

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Use With Any Curriculum

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