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If I were a colonist living in Colonial America, I would live in the Province of Pennsylvania or the Pennsylvania Colony. I find living here preferable to living in other colonies because of the “Quakers’ belief in the equality of all people resulted in a tolerant attitude toward different religions and peoples.” Pennsylvania also is home to many geographical advantages such as its fertile land. Additionally, the early influx of Germans due to William Penn’s desire to transform the fruitless wilderness into a fecund society gave the colony a population of skilled workers with good farming techniques. Subsequently, the introduction of Scots-Irish supplemented the workforce with “restless people who valued liberty, religion, and responsibility.” This amalgam of auspicious factors on which the Pennsylvania Colony was founded is why I would choose to live there.

I would be proud to be a part of the society sometimes referred to as the “Athens of America” due to its rich cultural life. It would be appropriate to call Pennsylvania a pioneer within America as it can claim America’s first hospital, first library, and first insurance company. My plans for the future would be to embrace the variety and strength of Philadelphia’s intellectual and educational institutions. I would plan to attend the newly founded and only nondenominational college of the colonial period: The Academy and College of Philadelphia. This college was founded by the most notorious citizen of Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin. Although, it would later amalgamate with the University of the State of Pennsylvania by order of the State legislation to become what it is today: The University of Pennsylvania.

I would aspire to follow in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin, as he was likely the most influential figures of that time. I would plan to participate in politics to broaden my personal influence. I would also plan to conduct investigations of scientific matters to increase my own and the public’s understanding of the world. I would plan to run for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, of which Benjamin Franklin was ephemerally the Speaker of the House. I would aspire to do so because I believe that this moments in history were pivotal in the founding of America. The mindset of the American colonies was responsible for crafting what would become America, and I would desire to have an effect on this crafting.

I would prefer to live in the Pennsylvania Colony to living in the Province of Massachusetts Bay because of the existence of King George’s War which would have been taking place at that time. I would also prefer Pennsylvania to the Province of Massachusetts Bay because Pennsylvania was not nearly of a close proximity to the cites of land dispute in the subsequent French and Indian War (also know as the Seven Years’ War). These conflicts would not be conducive to the pursuit of my interests in science and politics. Additionally, living under the religious conservatism of the Puritan rulers of Massachusetts would not be as pleasant as the relative religious freedom and diversity provided in the Pennsylvania Colony.

I would prefer to live in the Pennsylvania Colony to living in the Colony of Georgia because the English government hoped the new colony would serve as a military outpost and buffer to Spanish Florida. Although the founder and governor of the colony, James Oglethorpe, wanted to establish a model society that provided debtors with economic independence and self respect, the original English intent prevailed. Additionally, Oglethorpe intended the province of being populated by farmers whom could defend the border if necessary. Thus, my intent and plans for the course of my life would not align with the purposes of the province, despite some of the blatant benefits such as the prohibition of slavery.

For all of these reasons, I believe that the Province of Pennsylvania would be the best place for me. 

1 Dibacco, R.R. homas V. History Of The United States Survey. Houghton Mifflin College Div, 1997. 55.
2 Dibacco, R.R. homas V. History Of The United States Survey. Houghton Mifflin College Div, 1997. 55.
3 N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sep 2011. .
4 Dibacco, R.R. homas V. History Of The United States Survey. Houghton Mifflin College Div, 1997. 55.