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Washington became increasingly critical of slavery as an economic system

As early as 1786, Washington had determined that the only acceptable solution would be emancipation. "There is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for the abolition of [slavery]," he wrote to Robert Morris. While he took no steps politically, he began to take steps personally

"liberate a certain species of property which I possess, very repugnantly to my own feelings." Unfortunately, there were no acceptable offers to lease the farms.

What was revolutionary, however, were the next few lines. In them, George Washington provided that all of his slaves be freed and that they be supported financially or trained for a period of years for "some useful occupation" to assure their preparedness for life as free men and women.

For Washington, however, it was once again evidence of the virtuous precedent he was bound and determined to set. The new American republic could survive only if it relied upon the virtuous and full participation of all its citizens. For Washington, that could mean no less than the abolition of slavery. He would take the first step.

Alone of the Founding Fathers, Washington freed his slaves

the American western territories after 1800

Jefferson also proposed that slavery should be excluded from all of

he himself was a slaveowner, he believed that slavery was an evil that should not be permitted to spread. In 1784 the provision banning slavery was narrowly defeated

In his inaugural speech Jefferson held out an olive branch to his political enemies, inviting them to bury the partisanship of the past decade, to unite now as Americans.

debt. Simplicity and frugality became the hallmarks of Jefferson's administration

Jefferson wished to be remembered; they constituted a trilogy of interrelated causes: freedom from Britain, freedom of conscience, and freedom maintained through education. On July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson died at Monticello.

Penn's quest for spiritual peace

he began writing about freedom of conscience

he was released seven months later, he had written pamphlets defining the principal elements of Quakerism. His best-known work from this period : No Cross, No Crown , which presented a pioneering historical case for religious toleration

, which presented a pioneering historical case for religious toleration

: No Cross, No Crown

The King proposed the name "Pennsylvania" which meant "Forests of Penn"--

he founded Philadelphia--he chose the name, which means "city of brotherly love" in Greek

His First Frame of Government provided for secure private property, virtually unlimited free enterprise, a free press, trial by jury and, of course, religious toleration. Whereas the English penal code specified the death penalty for some 200 offenses, Penn reserved it for just two--murder and treason. As a Quaker, Penn encouraged women to get an education and speak out as men did. He called Pennsylvania his "Holy Experiment."

To help promote settlement, Penn suspended all taxes for a year.

Penn's First Frame of Government was the first constitution to provide for peaceful change through amendments

Penn's practices contrasted dramatically with other early colonies, especially Puritan New England which was a vicious theocracy. The Puritans despised liberty. They made political dissent a crime. They whipped, tarred, and hanged Quakers. The Puritans stole what they could from the Indians.

Penn achieved peaceful relations with the Indians--Susquehannocks, Shawnees, and Leni-Lenape. Indians respected his courage, because he ventured among them without guards or personal weapons. He was a superior sprinter who could out-run Indian braves, and this helped win him respect. He took the trouble to learn Indian dialects, so he could conduct negotiations without interpreters. From the very beginning, he acquired Indian land through peaceful, voluntary exchange. Reportedly, Penn concluded a "Great Treaty" with the Indians at Shackamaxon, near what is now the Kensington district of Philadelphia. Voltaire hailed this as "the only treaty between those people [Indians and Christians] that was not ratified by an oath, and that was never infringed." His peaceful policies prevailed for about 70 years, which has to be some kind of record in American history.

By creating Pennsylvania, Penn set an enormously important example for liberty. He showed that people who are courageous enough, persistent enough, and resourceful enough can live free. He went beyond the natural right theories of his friend John Locke and showed how a free society would actually work. He showed how individuals of different races and religions can live together peacefully when they mind their own business. He affirmed the resilient optimism of free people.