Frame of Government of Pennsylvania facts for kids

The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania was like an early rulebook or constitution for the Province of Pennsylvania. This was a special colony given to William Penn by Charles II of England. The Frame of Government is very important in history because it helped shape how democracy grew in America and around the world.

Why William Penn Created It

William Penn was a Quaker from England. He wanted to create a new kind of community in Pennsylvania. He dreamed of a place with religious freedom for everyone and lots of political freedom.

Penn's ideas about government were likely shaped by an earlier document called the West Jersey Concessions and Agreements of 1677. This document gave law-making power to an assembly chosen by the people. Even though Penn might not have written it, he agreed with its ideas. This showed the advanced ideas Penn had about how a government should work.

The first version of the Frame of Government for Pennsylvania, from 1682, had some new ideas. These ideas later became important parts of modern constitutions. For example, it said that the death penalty should only be used for very serious crimes like murder. It also promised complete freedom of worship for everyone in the colony. The assembly could even try to remove a governor if needed. It also had a way to change the document, but it was very hard to do. However, this 1682 plan was not as free as the West Jersey document.

The 1682 Frame of Government

The Frame of 1682 set up a parliament with two parts. The upper part was called the Council. It had 72 members, who were the first people to buy large amounts of land. Only the Council could suggest new laws. They also chose officials and managed money and military matters.

The lower part was called the Assembly. It had members who owned smaller amounts of land. The Assembly could not suggest laws. It could only say yes or no to the laws proposed by the Council. Both parts of parliament helped the governor with his duties.

Some people believe that the first landowners in Pennsylvania had a big influence on the 1682 Frame. These early settlers had invested a lot of money in the colony. They wanted to have a say in how the government was set up.

William Markham, a trusted helper of William Penn, said that the Frame of Government was "forced upon him by friends." This means that Penn had to change some of his ideas to make the settlers happy.

One big debate in the 1682 Frame was about whether the governor should have a veto power. A veto means the power to reject a law. At first, Penn only wanted one vote in the Council and no power to reject laws. But the final version of the 1682 Frame gave him more power. He got three votes in the Council and could veto laws.

In December 1682, an assembly met to approve the 1682 Frame. Many Quakers were in the assembly. But people who were not Quakers, especially from the Lower Counties, strongly disagreed. They did not like that the Council had all the power to suggest laws. They wanted the Assembly to have more power. Because of this, the 1682 Frame was voted down.

The 1683 Frame of Government

In 1683, a new assembly met to create a new government plan. The same disagreements from before were still there. Quakers mostly controlled the Council. But half of the Assembly members were non-Quakers from the Lower Counties. They still did not want power to be held by only a few Quaker leaders.

The governor's power to vote on laws was still a major issue. The King's charter said that laws should be made by the proprietor (Penn). So, Penn needed to have a veto power. After long discussions, Penn convinced the assembly that his veto was necessary. But he promised to use it only with the Council's advice.

The Assembly also wanted more power. They insisted on being able to suggest laws, just as they had demanded before. Penn and the Council did not want this at first. But they agreed that the Assembly could talk with the Council before laws were passed.

Finally, a compromise was reached, leading to the Frame of 1683. It said that all laws should be passed by "the Governor and the freemen in Council and Assembly met." It also gave the governor the right to approve or reject laws.

However, this government did not work well after Penn returned to England in 1684. Penn left the Council in charge. But the Council started making laws without his or the King's approval. Penn then appointed new leaders to act for him. He told them to cancel the laws made without his approval, but they never did. In 1692, Penn's right to govern the colony was taken away for a short time.

The 1696 Frame (Markham’s Frame)

Penn's right to govern was given back in 1694. He probably wanted the colony to go back to the 1683 Frame. However, the needs of the colony changed the government. This led to a more liberal government, which was seen in the Frame of 1696, also known as Markham's Frame.

The Assembly kept trying to get more power in the 1690s. In 1695, David Lloyd, a Quaker leader, suggested a new charter. This charter would give the Assembly a leading role, including the only power to suggest laws. The Council also started to support giving more power to the Assembly. They thought it was possible that the King might take over the colony. If that happened, the Assembly would still be elected by the people. The Quakers believed they could control the Assembly. This way, even if they lost control of the Council, they could still protect their interests from a royal governor.

William Markham, the lieutenant governor, saw this as a chance to get the Quakers to help pay for military preparations. He promised that they could discuss changing the constitution if the military funding bill passed. Quakers usually did not believe in war. But they agreed to this in exchange for a more powerful Assembly.

Along with a bill to raise money for military use, the Assembly passed the new Frame of 1696. This new frame gave the Assembly the power to suggest laws, meet on its own, and decide if its members were qualified. It also made the legislature smaller. Each county elected only two representatives to the Council and four to the Assembly.

The 1696 Frame also changed voting rules. To vote, a person had to live in the colony for two years. This was to reduce the power of new non-Quaker immigrants. In rural areas, where Quakers lived, the voting rule was made easier. But in cities, where more non-Quakers lived, the rule was made stricter.

The 1696 Frame was probably not legal because Markham did not have the right to approve it. Penn never approved it either and criticized it. But it was used as the colony's constitution for several years until Penn returned in 1699.

The 1701 Frame (The Charter of Privileges)

After being away for 15 years, Penn returned to Pennsylvania in 1699. He found that the Assembly was resisting his authority. His attempts to make the proprietor's power stronger were not popular. The Quaker leaders wanted the legislature to be more independent. In 1701, just before Penn left for London, the Assembly gave him a new plan for government. This became known as the Frame of 1701, or the Charter of Privileges.

The Frame of 1701 made the Assembly even more powerful. The Council was not even mentioned in the law-making process. This meant the Assembly became the only group that could make laws. The Assembly also gained several important rights, like the right to prepare bills, elect its own officers, and remove government officials. The Assembly was to be elected every year, with four representatives from each county. The governor could appoint a council to help him, but this council had no role in making laws.

The 1701 Frame also said that all property claims should go to regular courts. This reduced the power of the Board of Propriety, which managed Penn's land.

Another big change in the 1701 Frame was that the Lower Counties were allowed to create their own governments. In 1705, these counties used this rule to set up their own assembly.

Penn had strongly refused to approve the 1696 Frame. But he agreed to the 1701 Frame, even though it was very similar. Some people thought this meant he was losing control of the colony. Penn said he approved it because most people wanted a government that was "nearer to English methods." Also, he thought a more democratic government might protect the Quakers if the King took over the colony.

The Frame of 1701 was the main government document in Pennsylvania for the next 75 years. It stayed in place until the American Revolution in 1776.

What Made It Special

The founding of Pennsylvania was perhaps the most successful effort by Quakers to create a colony in America. Penn's good relationship with the King helped a lot. His rule was based on the King's charter, which limited some of his ideas for a new government. This meant the government was not as liberal as Penn had hoped. However, the parts of the Frame of Government that protected human rights were very important. They showed the values of the people in the colony and the Quakers. These ideas helped shape the development of constitutional government in America.