Facts

• Founded by William Penn in 1682
• King Charles II of England specified in the charter given to William Penn that the name should be Pennsylvania. King Charles II of England specified in the charter given to William Penn that the name should be Pennsylvania.
• This is a combination of the Latin word ' Sylvania ' meaning woodland together with Penn is a combination of the Latin word ' Sylvania ' meaning woodland together with Penn

Facts

• The Pennsylvania Colony was classified as one of the Middle Colonies
• The land that is now Pennsylvania was actually first claimed by the Swedes under Peter Minuit in 1638. Minuit had agreed to help them establish a colony after having a falling out with Dutch officials

King Charles II of England had a large loan with Penn's father, after whose death, King Charles settled by granting Penn a large area west and south of New Jersey on March 4, 1681. Penn called the area Sylvania (Latin for woods), which Charles changed to Pennsylvania in honor of the elder Penn.

Perhaps the king was glad to have a place where religious and political outsiders (like the Quakers, or the Whigs, who wanted more influence for the people's representatives) could have their own place, far away from England.

This is what
Penn looked like