Holy Experiment in the United States

Holy Experiment in the U.S. Legal History

Summary

Tolerance of religious diversity was at the core of William Penn’s vision for a colony in America. As such, the colony of Pennsylvania represented a “holy experiment” for Penn. He encouraged people of all faiths to live together in harmony and to maintain harmonious relations with Native Americans in the region. The residents of early Pennsylvania never fully embraced Penn’s vision, but the colony was open to religious dissenters and became a model for the diversity that later characterized America.