Life In Colonial Pennsylvania

Men, women and children were willing to risk their lives to come to Pennsylvania just as William Penn and the Quakers had done

They came to search for a better life, land, jobs, money, faith

Many of these people came from the European countries of Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and England

Immigrant- a person who comes to live in a new land from another place

The first German settlers to come to Pennsylvania were called the Mennonites

The Mennonites were very similar to the Quakers but wanted to live apart from other religions

Mennonites settled in Germantown 1683 and Lancaster in 1710

Amish came to Lancaster in 1737

An indentured servant is a person agreed to work for someone for a fixed amount of time to pay for the trip across the ocean

Some indentured servants worked to clear land for settlements. Others could have worked in printing or watch making

Philadelphia continues to grow

By 1775 Philadelphia was the largest city in the English colonies with a population of 35,000

Most houses were 2 stories high and made of red brick

Ben was Philadelphia’s most famous citizen

Born in Boston in 1706 he ran away to Philadelphia when he was 17

Started his own printing business and became published in the Pennsylvania Gazette

Published the Poor Richard’s Almanac

Was a major helper in writing the Declaration of Independence

Died and is buried in Philadelphia