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William Penn converted his religion to be a Quaker. As a Quaker in England, meant religious persecution and many times did he spend time in a jail cell. His father, Admiral William Penn did like the idea that his son converted from an Anglican, however, on the Admiral's deathbed, he bailed out his son from jail and also gave him the family's inheritance. The Admiral was well liked by the King of England and the Duke of York. Because of the respect the King and Duke had for the Admiral, they ordered that young William be left alone. But, he did end up in jail, again, for insurrection. Some time after his latest release, he suggested to the King and to the Duke, to resolve the intolerance to the Quakers would be a that a mass migration to settle in North America. He and about 200 English Quakers settled in what was then western New Jersey. The King granted an extraordinarily generous charter which made Penn the world's largest private (non-royal) landowner, with over 45,000 square miles (120,000 sq. km).

William Penn gave the Quakers religious freedom by purchasing land with some help, in North America that is now Pennsylvania. By the way the name Pennsylvania was the idea of the King of England in tribute to Penn's father.

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14y ago

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