Enthusiastic religious conviction among...

As a child, William Penn (1644–1718) became deeply interested in religionand he emerged as a religious rebel when he entered Oxford University. Penn’s quest for spiritual peace led him to attend Quaker meetings, even though the government considered this a crime.Convinced that religious toleration could not be achieved in England, Penn received a charter from King Charles II to establish an American colony—Pennsylvania. His “First Frame of Government” provided for secure private property, virtually unlimited free...