Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges

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The Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges was a 1701 colonial constitution granted by William Penn that established a framework of self-government and religious freedom for the Province of Pennsylvania.

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Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf colonial constitution
historical document
legal charter
appliesTo Christians of various denominations
free inhabitants of Pennsylvania
appliesToJurisdiction Province of Pennsylvania NERFINISHED
author William Penn NERFINISHED
country Province of Pennsylvania NERFINISHED
dateCreated 1701
defines powers of the Provincial Assembly
establishes Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania NERFINISHED
unicameral legislature
follows Frame of Government of Pennsylvania NERFINISHED
fullWorkTitle Charter of Privileges Granted by William Penn, Esq., to the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Territories NERFINISHED
grantedBy William Penn NERFINISHED
grants freedom of worship
religious freedom
right to elect representatives
guarantees civil liberties to inhabitants
due process of law
jury trial
property rights
hasHistoricalSignificance early example of written guarantee of religious liberty in North America
strengthened powers of the elected assembly in Pennsylvania
hasSubject legislative powers
religious toleration
rights of colonists
self-government
influencedBy English constitutional traditions
Quaker principles
influences American constitutional development
later colonial charters
language English
legalStatus fundamental law of Pennsylvania (colonial era)
limits powers of the governor
powers of the proprietor
locationOfCreation Philadelphia NERFINISHED
partOf colonial history of the Thirteen Colonies
legal history of Pennsylvania
promulgatedBy proprietary government of Pennsylvania
repealedOrAbolished superseded by Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776
replaces Frame of Government of 1683 NERFINISHED
signedBy William Penn NERFINISHED
year 1701

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Charter of Privileges (1701) alsoKnownAs Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges