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Reading William Penn’s Letter Recruiting Colonists to America | Primary Source Close Reads Explained

What does reading colonist recruitment letters from the 1600s tell us about how those in the Old World viewed America? In this episode of Primary Source Close Reads Explained, Kirk dissects a letter written by William Penn to recruit colonists to the New World in 1683. Penn details the beauty, serenity, and potential for success in America for anyone willing to move across the ocean and start a new life. What does Penn see as some of the most significant opportunities for those coming to America? What does this letter not tell us about the New World?

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Reading William Penn and John Winthrop | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI

38 Min

BRI staff members Kirk Higgins and Tony Williams explore two intriguing 17th-century works that shed light on why colonial America was an appealing destination for European settlers in different ways. The seminal “Modell of Christian Charity” sermon delivered by John Winthrop in 1630 viewed the New World as an opportunity for Puritans to worship freely and escape the religious oppression of the corrupt Church of England. In a letter from 1683, William Penn painted an idyllic picture of Pennsylvania – including its beautiful land and bountiful natural resources – to entice people to immigrate to the new colony.