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Our Pennsylvania Story
L E S S ON 1 5
William Penn, Our Founder
Get ToKnowMe
1. officer
2. worship
3. prison
4. Quaker
FindMeOn TheMap (On Page 4)
1. DelawareRiver
2. Schuylkill River
The name of our state is Pennsylvania. Do you knowwhat
the namemeans?
Long ago therewas a boy namedWilliam Penn. He lived in
the country of England. His father was an
officer
in the Navy.
Hewas called Admiral Penn.
WhenWilliamwas a youngman, his father died. King
Charles II of England owedmoney to Admiral Penn. Now he
owed themoney toWilliam. Instead of themoney, William
wanted land. He asked the King for land in the new country
of America. The Kingwas glad to give the English colony, and
madeWilliam the Governor of this English colony.
In England, peoplewere not free to
worship
as they pleased.
People had to go to the King’s Church or theywere put in
prison
. William Penn did not want to go to the King’s Church.
Pennwanted to be free andworship the religion he chose. He knewmany peoplewho
wanted to hold their own churchmeetings. These people called themselves Friends.
Other people called them
Quakers
. William’s dreamwas to go to America. InAmerica he
and his Friends would be free.
“I will call the land Sylvania,”William Penn told the king. Sylvania is aword that
means woods.
“The land shall be called Pennsylvania,” said the King. “The name is not in honor of
you. It is in honor of your father. Hewasmy friend.” Pennsylvaniameans PennsWoods.
Pennmade good laws for Pennsylvania. He asked othermen to help himmake the laws.
In 1681many people sailed for Pennsylvania. The next year, Penn sailed from
England too. It was a difficult journey. Many of the people became sick and died.
OnOctober 27, 1682, William Penn reached America. How beautiful this new country
was! The forests were thickwith trees. The rivers werewide. Thereweremanywild
birds and small animals. Thereweremany deer, elk, and bears.
Penn had planned a place for a city. The citywas to be on a high hill between two
rivers. The rivers were the Delaware and the Schuylkill. “This place is to be called
Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love,” said Penn.
William Penn gave
our state its name,
Pennsylvania.
