Difference between revisions of "Pennsylvania"

**Pennsylvania**
Capital	Harrisburg;
Nickname	The Keystone State;
Official Language	None
Governor	Ed Rendell, D
Senator	Bob Casey, Jr., D ; {{{s1phone}}} ; [{{{s1email}}}]
Senator	Arlen Specter, R ; {{{s2phone}}} ; [{{{s2email }}}];
Ratification of Constitution/or statehood	December 12, 1787 (2nd)
Flag of Pennsylvania	Motto: "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence"

Revision as of 04:12, October 16, 2008

Pennsylvania was one of the original thirteen colonies. It is now a US state. Its capital is Harrisburg and it borders Ohio, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.

History

When Europeans settlers arrived in the early 17th century the area was inhabited by about 15,000 Indians; they belonged to three main tribal groups, the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Shawnee. The English, Dutch, and Swedes all sought to occupy the land, but the English won the wars and took control. Dutch trading posts were established first; in 1637 Swedes built Fort Christina, and in 1643, began the first permanent settlement, located at the mouth of the Schuylkill River. The Dutch seized New Sweden in 1655, only to lose it to the English in 1664. King Charles II gave it to William penn to pay off debts; the Penn family were theproprietors (oewners) until 1776, when they were overthrown by the patriots as part of the American Revolution.

Religious tolerance

The colony was founded and owned by William Penn, an English Quaker who wanted a place where Quakers and other denominations could worship freely without persecution. The first Colonial Legislative Act, the Great Law of Pennsylvania, December 7, 1682, mandated:

"That no person ... who shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the World ... shall in any case be molested or prejudiced for his, or her Conscientious persuasion or practice." ^[1]

Benjamin Franklin helped write Pennsylvania's 1776 Constitution. In Frame of Government, Chapter 2, Section 10, it states: "Each member of the legislature, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the Universe, the Rewarder of the good and Punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.'"

18th century

Quakers came to the Philadelphia area, where many became successful merchants, handling the long-distance trade to London and other parts of the British Empire. Pennsylvania attracted large numbers of Germans, including Lutherans and many smaller sects. They were farmers in the southeast. Scots-Irish (mostly Presbyterians) settled the frontier regions.

Pennsylvania was the third largest colony by 1775, with 275,000 people (including a few thousand black slaves who worked mostly as house servants.

Philadelphia grew quickly into the largest city in colonial America and with 35,000 people in 1776 was the second largest city in the British Empire. The city's economy was based on growing agricultural wealth from prosperous inland farms which sent their surplus grains, cattle and horses for export. Entrepreneurs set up prosperous shipbuilding works on the Delaware River, and opened an iron industry. The Quaker merchants favored education and civic culture, creating a rich cultural and intellectual life that gave Philadelphia the nickname, "the Athens of America."

The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, and at the time, the largest city in any of the colonies. The Declaration of Independence was signed there, the Liberty Bell is there, and the Continental Army spent the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. The American Constitution was written in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania was the 2nd State to join the Union on December 12, 1787.

Major Cities

Miscellaneous

Pennsylvania is known as the "Keystone State".

Pennsylvania is the birthplace and home of President James Buchanan.

Sports

Pennsylvania is home to the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates, and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles. Additionally, Pennsylvania State University is a traditional college football powerhouse, and Villanova University has had great success in college basketball as of late.

Name

Pennsylvania was named by the king after William Penn's father (Penn himself did not want the name used.)^[2]

References

↑ http://www.docheritage.state.pa.us/documents/constitutiontrans.asp
↑ He wrote, "This day, my country was confirmed to me under the great seal of England, with privileges, by the name of Pennsylvania, a name the King would give it in honor of my father. I chose New Wales, being as this, a pretty, hilly country, but Penn being Welsh for head as in Penmanmoire, in Wales, and Penrith, in Cumberland, and Penn, in Buckinghamshire . . . called this Pennsylvania, which is the high or head woodlands; for I proposed, when the secretary, a Welshman, refused to have it called New Wales, Sylvania and they added Penn to it, and though I opposed it and went to the King to have it struck out and altered he said it was past . . nor could twenty guineas move the under-secretary to vary the name" See source

[1] ttp://www.docheritage.state.pa.us/documents/constitutiontrans.asp

[2] He wrote, "This day, my country was confirmed to me under the great seal of England, with privileges, by the name of Pennsylvania, a name the King would give it in honor of my father. I chose New Wales, being as this, a pretty, hilly country, but Penn being Welsh for head as in Penmanmoire, in Wales, and Penrith, in Cumberland, and Penn, in Buckinghamshire . . . called this Pennsylvania, which is the high or head woodlands; for I proposed, when the secretary, a Welshman, refused to have it called New Wales, Sylvania and they added Penn to it, and though I opposed it and went to the King to have it struck out and altered he said it was past . . nor could twenty guineas move the under-secretary to vary the name" See source

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 }}
 '''Pennsylvania''' was one of the original thirteen colonies. It is now a US state. Its capital is [[Harrisburg]] and it borders [[Ohio]], [[Maryland]], [[New York]], [[New Jersey]], [[Delaware]], and [[West Virginia]].
+==History==
-==Religious tolerance==
+When Europeans settlers arrived in the early 17th century the area was inhabited by about 15,000 Indians; they belonged to three main tribal groups, the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Shawnee. The English, Dutch, and Swedes all sought to occupy the land, but the English won the wars and took control. Dutch trading posts were established first; in 1637 Swedes built Fort Christina, and in 1643, began the first permanent settlement, located at the mouth of the Schuylkill River. The Dutch seized New Sweden in 1655, only to lose it to the English in 1664. King Charles II gave it to William penn to pay off debts; the Penn family were theproprietors (oewners) until 1776, when they were overthrown by the patriots as part of the American Revolution.
+===Religious tolerance===
 The colony was founded and owned by [[William Penn]], an English Quaker who wanted a place where [[Quaker]]s and other denominations could worship freely without persecution. The first Colonial Legislative Act, the Great Law of Pennsylvania, December 7, 1682, mandated:  <blockquote>"That no person ... who shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God
 to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the World ... shall in any case be molested or prejudiced for his, or her Conscientious persuasion or practice." <ref>http://www.docheritage.state.pa.us/documents/constitutiontrans.asp</ref></blockquote>
@@ Line 23: / Line 24: @@
 [[Benjamin Franklin]] helped write Pennsylvania's 1776 Constitution.  In Frame of Government, Chapter 2, Section 10, it states:  "Each member of the legislature, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the Universe, the Rewarder of the good and Punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.'"
-==18th century==
+===18th century===
 Quakers came to the Philadelphia area, where many became successful merchants, handling the long-distance trade to London and other parts of the British Empire.  Pennsylvania attracted large numbers of Germans, including Lutherans and many smaller sects. They were farmers in the southeast.  Scots-Irish (mostly Presbyterians) settled the frontier regions.
+Pennsylvania was the third largest colony by 1775, with 275,000 people (including a few thousand black slaves who worked mostly as house servants.
+Philadelphia grew quickly into the largest city in colonial America and with 35,000 people in 1776 was the second largest city in the British Empire. The city's economy was based on growing agricultural wealth from prosperous inland  farms which sent their surplus grains, cattle and horses for export. Entrepreneurs set up prosperous shipbuilding works on the Delaware River, and opened an iron industry. The Quaker merchants favored education and civic culture, creating a rich cultural and intellectual life that gave Philadelphia the nickname, "the Athens of America."
 The [[Continental Congress]] met in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, and at the time, the largest city in any of the colonies.  The [[Declaration of Independence]] was signed there, the [[Liberty Bell]] is there, and the [[Continental Army]] spent the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania.  The [[Constitution of the United States|American Constitution]] was written in [[Philadelphia]]. Pennsylvania was the 2nd State to join [[United States of America|the Union]] on December 12, 1787.