Editing Quakers Philadelphia (section)

== Founding Era ==

William Penn, himself a Quaker who had suffered persecution in England, founded Pennsylvania as a "Holy Experiment" where religious freedom would prevail. Philadelphia became the center of Quaker settlement, with the Society of Friends dominant in colonial governance, commerce, and society. Quaker meetinghouses—their plain houses of worship—rose throughout the city.<ref name="quakers"/>

Quaker governance brought distinctive policies:

* '''Religious tolerance''' — No established church, freedom of conscience
* '''Peaceful relations with Native Americans''' — Treaties rather than warfare
* '''Opposition to oaths''' — Simple affirmations rather than sworn oaths
* '''Simplicity''' — Plain dress, plain speech, unpretentious buildings

These policies created a colonial society different from other English settlements.<ref name="quakers"/>