The Pennsylvania Colony was one of the original thirteen colonies. The land was granted to William Penn by King Charles II in 1681 in order to clear a debt the king had with William's father, Admiral Sir William Penn, who was an admiral and politician. The family and many settlers came to the area the following year in order to set up a place where Quakers could freely practice their religion.

Quakers, like Puritans, were known to be hard workers. Quaker women also enjoyed more freedoms than other colonial women at the time, and their approach to others was more inclusive. They made strides to maintain solid relationships with the Native Americans and shaped their colony to make the most of the fertile soil on which they settled.