The Middle Colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware were home to diverse religious and ethnic groups including the Dutch, Swedes, Germans, Quakers, Scots-Irish, and various Native American tribes. William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681 and sought religious toleration for all faiths as well as good relations with Native Americans. The Middle Colonies became a melting pot of different cultures and a place where liberty was necessary for diverse groups to coexist.