William Penn Part 2 (Ep7)
EPISODE 7: WILLIAM PENN, PART 2. This episode, the second of a two-part series on the life and legacy of William Penn, focuses on his founding of the English colony of Pennsylvania. Penn came to the project with some direct experience in colonial rule. His father was a landholder in Ireland with Catholic tenant farmers, and Penn himself had mediated a dispute in the American colony of West Jersey. Penn successfully receives a colonial charter in 1681, but has to navigate many hostile parties – chiefly Charles Calvert, the Lord Baltimore and proprietor of the Maryland colony, as well as the Anglican Church. Native American tribes already occupy Penn’s nascent colony, as do some European settlers – mostly Swedes, Finns, and Dutch in the “Lower Counties.” Penn sets up a framework of government, recruits settlers, and arrives in Pennsylvania in October of 1682. Under his direction, a great new town is developed, Philadelphia, which will be the capitol of his colony. Penn faces many challenges typically associated with a new colony, but is increasingly embroiled in a border dispute with Calvert and the Maryland colony. Both colonial proprietors – Penn and Calvert – return to England in 1684 to plead their cases. Penn does not return to his colony for 15 years, becoming an absentee landlord. Penn returns to Pennsylvania in 1699 for two more years. He completes the Charter of Privileges in 1701, which will remain the colony’s framework of government for 75 years. He then returns to England and, amid growing financial problems, unsuccessfully tries to sell the colony back to the Crown. Penn suffers a stroke in 1712 and lingers on until he dies in 1718. His second wife, Hannah Callowhill Penn, serves as de facto proprietor of Pennsylvania colony from 1712-1718, and as sole proprietor until her death in 1726.
“The Landing of William Penn” by J.L.G. Ferris., ca 1919
Timestamps for major events/discussions:
[02:30] – Penn mediates a dispute in West Jersey
[05:59] – Penn petitions King Charles II for a colony
[07:36] – How Pennsylvania got its name
[13:15] – Penn as real estate developer
[21:28] – Penn lands in Pennsylvania in 1682
[27:58] – Penn-Baltimore dispute
[31:54] – Penn returns to England in 1684
[32:57] – Penn returns to Pennsylvania in 1699
[33:29] – The Charter of Privileges of 1701
[41:11] – The later years of William Penn
[41:48] – Hannah Callowhill Penn, proprietor
Books to read:
Two books relied upon to craft this episodes were:
· William Penn – A Life, by Andrew Murphy
· The Worlds of William Penn, a collection of essays edited by Andrew Murphy and John Smolenski
Calls to action:
· Follow us on Instagram to learn when new episodes drop or to be a part of our chat community IG: pennsylmaniapod
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· Provide feedback on this episode, or give us ideas for new episodes, by emailing us at producer@pennsylmania.com
· Visit Pennsbury Manor, a reconstruction of William Penn's home. Visit the website at https://www.pennsburymanor.org/
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