William Penn acquired land for the Quakers

Though he did not set out to do so, William Penn successfully found a home for England’s Quakers. Originally established by George Fox in 1647, the Quaker religion responded to the need of people who were tired of the “showmanship” of traditional churches. Fox taught them Christ was to be experienced directly and not through a church ritual or minister. Though the congregations actually referred to themselves as “Friends”, or the Society of Friends, the term “Quakers” was applied to the religion in an effort to ridicule the way many members of the congregation would shake as they…