Final answer:
Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn and the Quakers, was established to offer a safe haven for religious minorities. This early model for religious tolerance in America would eventually lead to the inclusion of religious freedom in the Constitution's First Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The US state established in part to give religious minorities a safe place to live was Pennsylvania. Founded by William Penn, a member of the Society of Friends also known as Quakers, Pennsylvania was conceived as a place where individuals could practice their religious beliefs freely and without persecution. This vision of religious tolerance was particularly important in a time when religious strife was rampant in Europe and other US colonies had their own state-sponsored religions.
In the broader context of US history, the ideal of religious freedom was a central theme in the nation's formation. Despite this, various religious minorities including Catholics, Mormons, and more recently Muslims, have faced persecution. The establishment of states like Pennsylvania provided an early model for religious tolerance that would later be enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution. As American demographics have changed, so have the expressions of religious freedom and intolerance, but the ideal remains a fundamental aspect of American identity.