The Soil, the Twig, and the Water: William Penn's Arrival
Characters:
- NARRATOR: An observer of history who explains the setting and significance.
- MARY: A curious young settler living in the town of New Castle.
- JOHN MOLL: A respected local magistrate and representative of the Duke of York.
- WILLIAM PENN: The new proprietor and governor of the land.
NARRATOR: The year is 1682. The autumn air in the town of New Castle is cool and crisp. A large crowd has gathered near the banks of the Delaware River. They are waiting for a very important ship named the Welcome.
MARY: (pointing toward the water) Look there! The sails are catching the wind! The ship has finally docked at our harbor. Is that the famous Quaker, William Penn, standing on the deck?
JOHN MOLL: Yes, Mary, that is him. King Charles the Second of England has granted him this vast territory. Today, he arrives to take formal possession of our town and the surrounding lands.
MARY: But how does someone officially take over a whole territory? Does he just sign a piece of paper?
JOHN MOLL: In England, we have a very old legal tradition to show who owns the land. It is called the "livery of seisin." Instead of just signing papers, we use real physical symbols of the earth itself.
- proprietor:
- An owner of a business or a holder of property and land.
- livery of seisin:
- An ancient English legal ceremony used to hand over ownership of land using physical symbols like soil, twigs, or keys.
- turf:
- A piece of grass and the surface soil held together by roots.
- harmony:
- Agreement, peace, and friendly relations among people.
- conscience:
- An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1In what year does the play take place?
- 2What is the name of the ship that William Penn sailed on?
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About this reader's theater passage for Upper Elementary
“The Soil, the Twig, and the Water: William Penn's Arrival” is a reader's theater reading passage about William Penn and the Founding of Delaware, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (583 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.