Published on Historical Society of Pennsylvania (https://hsp.org)


The Promise and Challenge of Religious Freedom, 1655 - 1844

Religious freedom is a right guaranteed to all Americans as stated in the Bill of Rights. The documents selected illustrate the struggle to obtain and maintain religious freedom from the 1600s through the 1800s.  One document predates William Penn's arrival in the colonies with his vision for religious freedom.  The other documents suggest how this theme in American history plays out for differing groups.