1644 William Penn is born on October 14th, son of the wealthy and influential Admiral Sir William Penn.
1660s Penn attends Oxford University.
1665 Penn spends one year in law school
1666 Penn sent to Ireland to oversee his father’s estates; there he is influenced by a Quaker preacher.
1667 Penn is briefly jailed for attending a Quaker meeting.
1668 Penn is jailed in the Tower of London for his writings of Quaker beliefs.
1670 Penn is arrested for street preaching; Admiral Penn dies; William inherits a small fortune including a debt the King of England owed Admiral Penn.
1681 Penn cancels the King’s debt in return for a charter to establish a colony in North America; Penn writes “Concessions to the Province of Pennsylvania”
1682 Penn sets out a plan of government for the colony and travels to Pennsylvania where he remains for two years
1685 Penn serves in the Court of King James II; he has some influence there with the King.
1688 King James II is overthrown and replaced by William of Orange and Mary, James II’s daughter; Penn loses influence because of his friendship with King James.
1693 Penn is removed as proprietor of the colony of Pennsylvania by King William and Queen Mary.
1699 Penn returns to Pennsylvania as proprietor of the colony; he finds that the colony had been poorly run during his absence.
1701 Penn issues the Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges and returns to England leaving his son, Thomas Penn, as governor of the colony.
1718 Penn is disappointed with his son’s governorship in Pennsylvania and decides to sell the colony to the English king, George I, but dies of a stroke on July 30th before selling the colony. He was 73.