The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B: he was a Quaker.
William Penn faced significant discrimination and persecution in 17th century England because of his conversion to the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers. At the time, England had an established state religion, the Church of England, and laws demanded conformity. Dissenting religious groups like the Quakers were viewed with suspicion and often faced legal and social punishment.
The Quakers’ beliefs and practices put them in direct conflict with the authorities. Their core tenets were considered radical and subversive. For instance, their commitment to pacifism meant they refused to fight in the military. They also refused to swear oaths of allegiance to the Crown or testify under oath in court, believing it violated a biblical command. This had serious legal and civic repercussions. Furthermore, their egalitarian principles led them to reject social hierarchies; they would not remove their hats for aristocrats or use honorific titles, which was seen as a profound act of disrespect and insubordination. Their belief in a personal, “inner light” from God challenged the authority of the established clergy and the church hierarchy.
As a result of his unwavering faith and public advocacy, Penn was arrested multiple times, imprisoned for blasphemy, and disowned by his influential father, Admiral Sir William Penn. This direct experience with religious persecution was the driving force behind his ambition to found a new colony in America. He envisioned Pennsylvania as a “Holy Experiment,” a sanctuary where Quakers and people of all faiths could live together in peace and practice their beliefs without fear.
The other options are incorrect. Penn was born in London, making him British (C). He was a Christian who converted to Quakerism, not Jewish (A). He died in 1718, decades before the American independence movement gained momentum in the 1760s and 1770s (D).
