William Penn, Silhouettes, Stocks, & Pennsylvania First Settlement

Discover what life was like in Colonial America, specifically in Pennsylvania, by delving into the fascinating history of William Penn. Explore the concept of shadow portraits, learn about Colonial punishment practices such as stocks, and access free printables to enhance your learning experience. Join us on this journey back in time and deepen your understanding of this pivotal period in American history.

Colonial America’ William Penn – The Founder of Pennsylvania for Kids

In our final week talking about colonial america for kids as part of our homeschool history unit we learned about William Penn who was a Quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania. As usual with our homeschool units they are filled with hands on history projects for kids. This is perfect for the entire homeschool family to learn about together.

Find more Colonial Activities for kids in our fun history lessons for kids like our Jamestown project ideas.

William Penn

William Penn was a fascinating figure in American history, and there’s a lot to learn about him! Born in 1644 in London, England, he was the son of a wealthy admiral. However, it was not just his family background that made him special. William Penn was a Quaker, which means he was part of a religious group that believed in peace, equality, and treating everyone with kindness.

William had some unusual ideas for his time. He believed that people should be able to practice their own religions in peace. This was not common in the 17th century when many people were persecuted for their beliefs. Because of his faith, he faced a lot of difficulties, including imprisonment. But instead of giving up, he stood firm in his convictions.

In 1681, King Charles II of England granted William Penn a large piece of land in America as payment for a debt owed to his father. This land would later become the colony of Pennsylvania, which means “Penn’s Woods.” William wanted this colony to be a place where all people could live together peacefully, regardless of their religion. He envisioned Pennsylvania as a safe haven for Quakers and other religious groups facing persecution.

When he founded Pennsylvania, William Penn established a government that was quite different from other colonies. He believed in democratic principles and wanted the people to have a voice. He called for fair laws and justice for all. He invited people from different backgrounds to come and settle in Pennsylvania, encouraging diversity and tolerance among the people.

Penn is best known for his Treaty of Shackamaxon with the Lenape Native Americans, which was a peaceful agreement based on mutual respect. This was significant because many leaders of the time treated Native Americans unfairly, but Penn tried to build good relationships with them.

Pennsylvania quickly became known as a land of opportunity, attracting many settlers seeking freedom and a better life. The city of Philadelphia, which he helped to design, became an important center for trade and culture. His policies laid the groundwork for what would later be the United States, promoting ideas of liberty and human rights.

In summary, William Penn was much more than just a founder of Pennsylvania. He was a visionary leader who sought to create a society based on peace, understanding, and respect for all people. His legacy continues to inspire us to strive for tolerance and acceptance in our communities today.

William Penn Books for Kids

We also read The New Americans which is a great book to go back and ‘tell the story’ of the Early Settlers in the 1600s. It was a wonderful way to help my kids see how all the colonies fit together and review what we had learned.

William Penn: Founder of Pennsylvania (Graphic Biographies series)
The New Americans: Colonial Times: 1620-1689 (The American Story)

Shadow portraits

Colonists were not able to take many things with them when they left for America. Camera’s had not been invented and it was expensive and time consuming to have an oil picture made of oneself. So Silhouette pictures became popular with colonists as a way to preserve loved ones likenesses and decorate their homes. Here is our Colonial Silhouette Picture.

Colonial Punishment Stocks

Stocks were used in Colonial America to punish colonists. One punishable item was blasphemy. In the stocks people were submitted to public humiliation as others were encourage to laugh at them (where the term laughing stock comes from) and throw mud, eggs, and rotten vegetables at them. We made our own stocks. The kids determined it would not be fun to be stuck like this.

Colonial Pennsylvania worksheets

And we added the remaining pages to our Life in colonial America Book:

William Penn & Pennsylvania
Puritan Boston & Salem
French in America
Spanish in America
Colonial Expansion & Native Americans
1700s in Colonial America
13 Colonies Mapwork & Review
]Book Cover

Colonial America Workseets

Plus don’t forget to grab the free printable life in Colonial America Workseets with places to color, label, and notebooking pages too.

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Colonial America Pennsylvania William Penn

Colonial America Worksheets #3

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