Colonial Philadelphia

Plan it and They Will Come

Jul 16, 2006 Mary Trotter Kion

William Penn arrives in Philadelphia. Within three years there are 7,000 people living in the city. Penn insures peace by dealing fairly with the Indians.

Come, the people did. Before 1681 was a part of American History some 1,000 people were living in Pennsylvania. And still more were arriving or on their way to Pennsylvania. The following year, in 1682, eighteen large ships arrived. The passengers aboard these vessels coming to the New World were a variety of souls ranging from the gentry all the way to artisans, yeomen, and sailors. These were only the first wave of the eleven thousand colonists who arrived in the first decade.

Penn to Pennsylvania

Aboard one of the eighteen ships that arrived in the fall of 1682 was also William Penn, who had come to inspect the beginnings of his new town of Philadelphia.

Within three years of Penn's arrival, ninety ships had arrived, bringing more than 7,000 people to his town. Many of these later arrivals, but still newcomers, were wealthy. Especially so, were the Quakers. They had migrated to America and Pennsylvania to escape the excessive fines imposed on them because of their religious beliefs.

Because of this influx of well to do Quakers Pennsylvania, and especially Philadelphia, had a higher quality of people than most of the other colonies. This, in itself, was an advantage that drew others of the same venue. That the Philadelphia area had the natural advantages of the seaboard, including a healthful climate, plentiful game and fish, and rich soil, also drew settlers.

Courting the Indians

William Penn's natural goodwill towards all men went far in insuring that, in the beginning years of Pennsylvania, there was little conflict with the