William Penn: 17th Century Founding Father

by Edwin B. Bronner

Overview

Edwin Bronner first introduces us to William Penn with a brief review of his history, his accomplishments, and his major contributions. As Bronner notes, "Penn holds a permanent place in American history as a leading advocate of religious toleration, civil liberty and representative government."

The pamphlet then presents three of William Penn's major contributions in the realm of politics and government: "The People's Ancient and Just Liberties", "Preface to the First Frame of Government", "Plan for a Union of the Colonies", and one of Penn's major writings, "An Essay Towards the Peace of Europe." This last essay "proposing that the states of Europe be united for peaceful purposes through the creation of a congress is better known today than almost any other product of Penn's fertile, creative mind."

Product Details

BN ID:	2940151287197
Publisher:	Pendle Hill Publications
Publication date:	03/12/2015
Series:	Pendle Hill Pamphlets , #204
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	117 KB

About the Author

The relationship of Edwin Bronner to Quakerism is a close one. Librarian, Curator of the Quaker Collection, and Professor of History at Haverford College, he was also a member of Pendle Hill’s board of directors and has served as Chairman of the Friends World Committee for Consultation since January, 1974. He was President of the Friends Historical Association in America, and a past President of the Friends Historical Society in London. Of his many publications dealing with the Society of Friends a notable work includes “The Other Branch”: London Yearly Meeting and the Hicksites, 1827-1912.
But it was his special knowledge of the great Founder of Pennsylvania which concerns us here. For as author of William Penn’s “Holy Experiment” and many articles on the subject he was a member of the “Committee on the Papers of William Penn,” which has supervised the collection and cataloging of all manuscripts in order to microfilm them and make them available to libraries. He also worked on the definitive list of Penn’s printed works prepared at Haverford. The present pamphlet contains selections from the Founder’s political writings, accompanied by helpful comment and a concise biographical introduction.