The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B: he was a Quaker.
William Penn’s identity as a member of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, was the principal reason he faced significant discrimination in 17th century England. The English society of that era was rigidly structured around the authority of the monarchy and the state-sponsored Church of England. The Quakers’ beliefs and practices fundamentally challenged both of these institutions, leading to their persecution as a radical and disruptive sect.
The discrimination stemmed from several core Quaker principles. First, Quakers rejected the formal hierarchy and rituals of the Church of England. They believed in a direct, personal experience of God, guided by an “inner light,” which made priests, bishops, and sacraments unnecessary in their view. This was considered heretical and a direct affront to the established religious order.
Second, their social testimonies created constant conflict. Quakers refused to swear oaths, including oaths of allegiance to the King, based on a biblical interpretation that all speech should be truthful. In a society where oaths were essential for legal and political life, this was often misinterpreted as disloyalty or treason. Their commitment to pacifism meant they refused to serve in the military or pay taxes for war, which was seen as unpatriotic. Furthermore, their belief in the equality of all people before God led them to refuse to remove their hats or use honorific titles for social superiors, an act of defiance against the deeply ingrained class structure.
For these beliefs, Penn was disowned by his powerful father, socially ostracized, and imprisoned multiple times, including in the Tower of London. This firsthand experience with religious intolerance directly motivated him to establish Pennsylvania as a “Holy Experiment,” a sanctuary where people of all faiths could live in peace and freedom, free from the persecution he had endured in England.
