JQ+September+6,+2009

In which of the colonies from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts would you have preferred to be a settler?
 * Question:**

During the 17th and 18th centuries, discoveries and immigration to the New World was a common escape from the Europeans' world. All of the colonies in the New World were created from Europeans who wanted to escape their old life and start a new one, however a lot of the land was controlled by the King of England. Pennsylvania and the Quakers treated everyone equally while accepting immigrants with different backgrounds. The representative government and freedom of religion makes Pennsylvania the ideal place to live in the New World.
 * Response:**

If I was a settler coming to the New World for the first time, I would want Pennsylvania to be my home. William Penn, an aristocratic Englishman, advertised his colony very well and attracted people to come live there. He allowed many different people from many different countries to inhabitat Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was one of the most diverse colonies in the 18th century. As a newcomer to the New World, this would attract me because of all the different opportunities they offered in Pennsylvania.

The freedoms in Pennsylvania were unlike any others in all of the thirteen colonies. Quakers, especially, believed that every person was a child of God and that each and every person should be treated the same as everyone else. This was an exceptional value that made Pennsylvania a place where settlers wanted to be. However, Penn was forced by the English government to deny the right to vote and hold office to Catholics and Jews. In addition, Pennsylvania had freedom of religion because of the independently funded churches. Therefore, any religion could be started and anyone could worship what they choose. Pennsylvania was a great place for men and women to be who they wanted to be. I would want to live in a place where there was freedom of religion and where I was treated as an equal to others.

The government in Pennsylvania was quite different from other colonies in the New World. They had a representative assembly that was elected by the landowners. The people of Pennsylvania took a stand to not pay taxes because they believed they did not have to fund things for England who was across the ocean. No violence was allowed to used, unless a person committed treason or murder, in which case the death penalty was used. Slavery was not allowed and William Penn did his best to keep good relations between the Native Americans and the Quakers because there was no need to betray them. It would be a great relief to live in a place where I would not have to pay taxes and not worry about violent situations that could possibly endanger my life.

Pennsylvania was a place of great opportunity. For freedom of religion, to the complete equality given to all people, Pennsylvania was a colony that had good intentions in their government. With their great advertisements and opportunities, there is no way I could pass down an opportunity living in Pennsylvania.