Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania,officially theCommonwealth of Pennsylvania,is astatespanning theMid-Atlantic,Northeastern,Appalachian, andGreat Lakesregions of theUnited States. It bordersDelawareto its southeast,Marylandto its south,West Virginiato its southwest,Ohioand theOhio Riverto its west,Lake ErieandNew Yorkto its north, theDelaware RiverandNew Jerseyto its east, and theCanadian provinceofOntarioto its northwest viaLake Erie. Pennsylvania's most populous city isPhiladelphia.
Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 through a royalland granttoWilliam Penn, the son ofthe state's namesake. Before that, between 1638 and 1655, a southeast portion of the state was part ofNew Sweden, aSwedishcolony. Established as a haven for religious and political tolerance, thecolonial-eraProvince of Pennsylvaniawas known for its relatively peaceful relations with native tribes,innovative government system, andreligious pluralism.
Pennsylvania later played a vital and historic role in theAmerican Revolutionand the ultimately successful quest for independence from theBritish Empire, hosting theFirstandSecond Continental Congressin Philadelphia, which formed theContinental Armyand electedGeorge Washingtonas its commander in 1775, and unanimously adopted theDeclaration of Independencethe following year.In 1787, following the establishment of the nation's independence, theConstitution of the United States, now the world's oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution, was written at theConstitutional Conventionin Philadelphia, and was ratified in Philadelphia the following year. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
In July 1863, during theAmerican Civil War, theBattle of Gettysburg, fought over three days in and aroundGettysburg, was the bloodiest battle of both the Civil War and of any battle in American military history, with over 50,000UnionandConfederatecasualties. But the success of the Union army at Gettysburg in repelling Confederate generalRobert E. Lee's attempt to invade the North also proved theCivil War's turning point, leading to theUnion's preservation. Recognizing the Union army's extraordinary sacrifice at Gettysburg, U.S. presidentAbraham Lincolnvisited theGettysburg Battlefieldlater that year, where he delivered his historic 271-wordGettysburg Address, widely considered one the most famous speeches inAmerican history.
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, Pennsylvania's manufacturing-based economy blossomed, contributing to the development of much of the nation's early infrastructure, including key bridges,skyscrapers, and much of the military hardware that allowed the U.S. to prevail inWorld War I,World War II, and theCold War. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, the nation's heavy manufacturing base struggled as the two largeststeelmanufacturers for most of the 20th century, both based in Pennsylvania,U.S. SteelinPittsburghandBethlehem SteelinBethlehem, confronted unprecedented challenges from foreign manufacturers and other challenges; Bethlehem Steel subsequently ceased operations in 1982 and was liquidated in 2003.
Pennsylvania's geographyis highly diverse. TheAppalachian Mountainsrun through the center of the state, theAlleghenyandPoconomountains span much ofNortheastern Pennsylvania, and close to60% of the state is forested. Although it has no ocean shoreline, it has 140 miles (225 km) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the tidal Delaware River.
Pennsylvania is thefifth-most populous state in the United States, with over 13 million residents as of the2020 United States census, its highest decennial census count ever.The state is the33rd-largest by areaand has theninth-highest population density among all states. The largestmetropolitan statistical areais the southeasternDelaware Valley, including and surrounding Philadelphia, thestate's largestandnation's sixth-most populous city. The second-largest metropolitan area,Greater Pittsburgh, is centered in and around Pittsburgh, the state's second-largest city. The state's subsequent five most populous cities areAllentown,Reading,Erie,Scranton, and Bethlehem.
Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends thousands of years before the foundation of the colonialProvince of Pennsylvaniain 1681.Archaeologistsbelieve the firstsettlement of the Americasoccurred at least 15,000 years ago, during theLast Glacial Period, though it is unclear when humans first inhabited present-day Pennsylvania. Between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago,Native Americanscrossed the two continents, arriving inNorth America.Meadowcroft RockshelterinJefferson Townshipincludes the earliest known signs of human activity in Pennsylvania and perhaps all of North America,including the remains of a civilization that existed over 10,000 years ago and possibly pre-dated theClovis culture.By 1000 AD, in contrast to their nomadichunter-gathererancestors, the native population of Pennsylvania had developedagriculturaltechniques and a mixed food economy.
By the timeEuropean colonization of the Americasbegan, at least two major Native American tribes inhabited Pennsylvania.The first, theLenape, spoke anAlgonquian languageand inhabited the eastern region of the state, then known asLenapehoking. It included most of present-dayNew Jerseyand theLehigh ValleyandDelaware Valleyregions in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. The Lenape's territory ended somewhere between theDelaware Riverin the east and theSusquehanna Riverin central Pennsylvania. The second tribe, theSusquehannock, spoke anIroquoian languageand were based inWestern PennsylvaniafromNew Yorkstate in the north toWest Virginiain the southwest, including the Susquehanna,Allegheny, andMonongahelarivers near present-dayPittsburgh.European disease and constant warfare with several neighboring tribes and groups of Europeans weakened these two tribes, and they were grossly outpaced financially as theHuronsandIroquoisblocked them from proceeding west intoOhioduring theBeaver Wars. As they lost numbers and land, the Hurons abandoned much of their western territory and moved closer to the Susquehanna River, and the Iroquois and Mohawk tribes moved further north. Northwest of the Allegheny River was the IroquoianPetun,who were fragmented into three groups during the Beaver Wars: the Petun of New York, the Wyandot of Ohio, and the Tiontatecaga of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. South of the Allegheny River was a nation known as Calicua,which may have been part of theMonongahela culture.
In the 17th century, theDutchand theEnglisheach claimed both sides of theDelaware Riveras part of their colonial lands in America.The Dutch were the first to take possession.By June 3, 1631, the Dutch began settling theDelmarva Peninsulaby establishing theZwaanendael Colonyon the site of present-dayLewes, Delaware.In 1638, Sweden established theNew Sweden Colonyin the region ofFort Christinaon the site of present-dayWilmington, Delaware. New Sweden claimed and, for the most part, controlled the lower Delaware River region, including parts of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but settled few colonists there.
On March 12, 1664,King Charles II of EnglandgaveJames, Duke of Yorka grant that incorporated all lands included in the original Virginia Company of Plymouth Grant and other lands. This grant was in conflict with the Dutch claim forNew Netherland, which included parts of today's Pennsylvania.
On June 24, 1664, the Duke of York sold the portion of his large grant that included present-dayNew JerseytoJohn BerkeleyandGeorge Carteretfor a proprietary colony. The land was not yet in British possession, but the sale boxed in the portion of New Netherland on the West side of the Delaware River. The British conquest of New Netherland began on August 29, 1664, whenNew Amsterdamwas coerced to surrender while facing cannons on British ships inNew York Harbor.The conquest was completed in October 1664, when the British capturedFort Casimirin what today isNew Castle, Delaware. TheTreaty of Bredabetween England, France, and the Netherlands confirmed the English conquest on July 21, 1667,although there were temporary reversions.
On September 12, 1672, during theThird Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch reconqueredNew York Colony/New Amsterdam, establishing three County Courts, which went on to become original Counties in present-day Delaware and Pennsylvania. The one that later transferred to Pennsylvania was Upland.This was partially reversed on February 9, 1674, when theTreaty of Westminsterended the Third Anglo-Dutch War and reverted all political situations to thestatus quo ante bellum. The British retained the Dutch Counties with their Dutch names.By June 11, 1674, New York reasserted control over the outlying colonies, including Upland, and the names started to be changed to British names by November 11, 1674.Upland was partitioned on November 12, 1674, producing the general outline of the current border between Pennsylvania and Delaware.
On February 28, 1681, Charles II granted a land chartertoQuakerleader William Penn to repay a debt of £16,000(around £2,100,000 in 2008, adjusting for retail inflation)owed to William's father. The transaction represents one of the largest land grants to an individual in history.Penn proposed that the land be called New Wales, but there were objections to that name, so he recommended Sylvania (from theLatinsilva: "forest, woods"). The King named it Pennsylvania (literally "Penn's Woods") in honor of Admiral Penn. The younger Penn was embarrassed at this name, fearing that people would think he had named it after himself, but King Charles would not rename the grant.Penn established a government with two innovations, thecounty commissionandfreedom of religion, which were subsequently replicated in many of theThirteen Colonies.
What had been Upland on the Pennsylvania side of the Pennsylvania-Delaware border was renamedChester Countywhen Pennsylvania instituted its colonial governments on March 4, 1681.Penn signed a peace treaty withTamanend, leader of the Lenape, which began a long period of friendly relations between the Quakers and the Indians.Additional treaties between Quakers and other tribes followed. TheTreaty of Shackamaxonof William Penn was never violated.
Between 1730 and when the Pennsylvania Colony was shut down byParliamentwith theCurrency Actin 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was calledColonial Scrip.
The Colony issued bills of credit, which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by the government and not a banking institution, they were interest-free, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted general employment and prosperity, since the government used discretion and did not issue excessive amounts that inflated the currency.Benjamin Franklinhad a hand in creating this currency, whose utility, he said, was never to be disputed. The currency also met with "cautious approval" byAdam Smith.
In 1740, Franklin also founded theUniversity of PennsylvaniainPhiladelphia. The university, one of ninecolonial colleges, was the first college established in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the nation. Today, it is anIvy Leagueuniversity, which is routinely ranked among the world's best universities.Dickinson CollegeinCarlisle, founded byBenjamin Rushand named after John Dickinson, was the first college founded afterRevolutionary Warand the unification of the states.Established in 1773, it was ratified on September 9, 1783, five days after theTreaty of Paris.
James Smithwrote that in 1763, "the Indians again commenced hostilities, and were busily engaged in killing and scalping the frontier inhabitants in various parts of Pennsylvania. This state was then a Quaker government, and at the first of this war the frontiers received no assistance from the state."The ensuing hostilities became known asPontiac's War.
After theStamp Act Congressof 1765, delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia wrote theDeclaration of Rights and Grievances. The Congress was the first meeting of theThirteen Colonies, which convened at the request of theMassachusettsassembly; nine of the 13 colonies sent delegates.Dickinson then wroteLetters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768.
When theFounding Fathersconvened in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to theFirst Continental Congress.TheSecond Continental Congress, which began in May 1775, authored and signed theDeclaration of Independencein Philadelphia,but when Philadelphia fell to theBritishin thePhiladelphia campaign, the Continental Congress moved west, where it met at theLancastercourthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then toYork. In York, the Second Continental Congress adopted theArticles of Confederation, largely authored by Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, that formed 13 independent Statesinto a new union. Later, theConstitutionwas written, and Philadelphia was once again chosen to be cradle to the new nation.The Constitution was drafted and signed at thePennsylvania State Housein Philadelphia, now known asIndependence Hall, the same building where the Declaration of Independence was previously adopted and signed in 1776.
On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania was the second state to ratify theU.S. Constitution,five days afterDelawarebecame the first. At the time, Pennsylvania was the most ethnically and religiously diverse of the thirteen colonies. Because a third of Pennsylvania's population spokeGerman, the Constitution was presented in German so those citizens could participate in the discussion about it.Reverend Frederick Muhlenberg, aLutheranminister and thefirst Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, acted as chairman of Pennsylvania's ratifying convention.
For half a century, thePennsylvania General Assemblymet at various places in the Philadelphia area before it began meeting regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years.However, events such as thePaxton Boysmassacres of 1763 had made the legislature aware of the need for a central capital. In 1799, the General Assembly moved to theLancasterCourthouse.
ThePennsylvania General Assemblymet in the oldDauphin CountyCourt House until December 1821when theFederal-style Hills Capitol, named for Lancaster architectStephen Hills, was constructed on a hilltop land grant of four acres set aside for a seat of state government inHarrisburgby the son and namesake ofJohn Harris, Sr., aYorkshirenative who founded a trading post and ferry on the east shore of theSusquehanna Riverin 1705.The Hills Capitol burned down on February 2, 1897, during a heavy snowstorm, presumably because of a faultyflue.
The General Assembly met at a nearbyMethodist Churchuntil a new capitol could be built. Following an architectural selection contest,ChicagoarchitectHenry Ives Cobbwas asked to design and build a replacement building. However, the legislature had little money to allocate to the project. When they dubbed the roughly finished, somewhat industrial Cobb Capitol building complete, the General Assembly refused to occupy the building. In 1901, political and popular indignation prompted a second contest that was restricted to Pennsylvania architects;Joseph Miller Hustonof Philadelphia was chosen to design the presentPennsylvania State Capitolthat incorporated Cobb's building into a magnificent public work, finished and dedicated in 1907.
From 1857 to 1861,James Buchanan, aFranklin Countynative, served as the 15th U.S. president, the first president to be born in Pennsylvania.
Over three days, from July 1 to July 3, 1863, during theAmerican Civil War, theBattle of Gettysburgwas fought nearGettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of both the Civil War and of any battle in American history. TheUnion army's victory at Gettysburg also proved theCivil War's turning point, leading to theUnion's victory two years later and the nation's preservation. Several months later, on November 19, 1863, thenU.S. presidentAbraham Lincolntraveled to Gettysburg, where he participated in a ceremonial consecration of present-dayGettysburg National Cemeteryand delivered theGettysburg Address, a 271-word speech that is one of the most famousspeechesinAmerican history.During the Civil War, an estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union army, including 8,600 African Americanmilitary volunteers.
The politics of Pennsylvania were for decades dominated by the financially conservativeRepublican-alignedCameron machine, established byU.S. Senator Simon Cameron,who later served as Lincoln'sSecretary of War. Control of the machine was subsequently passed on to Cameron's sonJ. Donald Cameron, whose ineffectiveness resulted in a transfer of power toMatthew Quayand later toBoies Penrose.
The post-Civil War era, known as theGilded Age, saw the continued rise of industry in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was home to some of the largest steel companies in the world.Andrew Carnegiefounded theCarnegie Steel CompanyinPittsburghandCharles M. SchwabfoundedBethlehem SteelinBethlehem. Other titans of industry, includingJohn D. RockefellerandJay Gould, also operated in Pennsylvania. In the latter half of the 19th century, the U.S.oil industrywas born inWestern Pennsylvania, which supplied the vast majority ofkerosenefor years thereafter. As thePennsylvania oil rushdeveloped, Pennsylvania's oil boom towns, such asTitusville, rose and later fell. Coal mining, primarily in the state'sCoal Regionin the northeast region of the state, also was a major industry for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1903,Milton S. Hersheybegan construction on a chocolate factory inHershey, Pennsylvania;The Hershey Companygrew to become the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America.Heinz Companywas also founded during this period. These huge companies exercised a large influence on the politics of Pennsylvania; asHenry Demarest Lloydput it, oil baron John D. Rockefeller "had done everything with the Pennsylvania legislature except refine it".Pennsylvania created a Department of Highways and engaged in a vast program of road-building, while railroads continued to see heavy usage.
The growth of industry eventually provided middle class incomes to working-class households after the development of labor unions helped them gain living wages. However, the rise of unions also led to a rise ofunion bustingwith several private police forces springing up.Pennsylvania was the location of the first documented organized strike in North America, and Pennsylvania was the location of two hugely prominent strikes, theGreat Railroad Strike of 1877and theCoal Strike of 1902. The eight-hour day was eventually adopted, and the coal and iron police were banned.
In the beginning of the 20th century, Pennsylvania's economy was centered on steel manufacturing,logging,coal mining,textileproduction, and other forms of industrialmanufacturing. A surge in immigration to the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided a steady flow of cheap labor for these industries, which often employed children and people who could not speak English fromSouthernandEastern Europe.Thousands of Pennsylvanians volunteered during theSpanish–American War. Pennsylvania was an important industrial center duringWorld War I. The state provided over 300,000 soldiers during the war. On May 31, 1918, thePittsburgh Agreementwas signed inPittsburgh, signed byTomáš Masarykand establishedCzechoslovakiaas an independent nation.
In 1922, 310,000 Pennsylvania miners joined theUMW General coal strike, which lasted 163 days and shut down most of the state's coal mines.
In 1923,President Calvin Coolidgeestablished theAllegheny National Forestunder the authority of theWeeks Actof 1911.The forest is located in the northwest part of the state inElk,Forest,McKean, andWarrenCounties for the purposes of timber production and watershed protection in theAllegheny Riverbasin. The Allegheny is the state's only national forest.
DuringWorld War II, Pennsylvania manufactured 6.6 percent of total U.S. military armaments for the war, the sixth-most of the 48 states.Philadelphia Naval Shipyardserved as an important naval base during the war, and Pennsylvania produced many of the war's most important military leaders, includingGeorge C. Marshall,Hap Arnold,Jacob Devers, andCarl Spaatz. During World War II, over a million Pennsylvanians served in the armed forces, and moreMedals of Honorwere awarded to Pennsylvanians than to individuals from any other state.
On March 28, 1979, theThree Mile Island accidentwas the most significantnuclear accidentin U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history.The state was hard-hit by the decline and restructuring of the steel industry and other heavy industries during the late 20th century. With job losses came heavy population losses, especially in the state's largest cities. Pittsburgh lost its place among thetop ten most populous cities in the United Statesin 1950, and Philadelphia dropped to the fifth and is currently thesixth-largest cityafter decades of ranking among the top three.
After 1990, as information-based industries became more important in the economy, state and local governments put more resources into the old, well-established public library system. Some localities, however, used new state funding to cut local taxes.New ethnic groups, especiallyHispanics and Latinos, began entering the state to fill low-skill jobs in agriculture and service industries. For example, inChester County,Mexicanimmigrants brought theSpanish language, increasedCatholicism, high birth rates, and cuisine when they were hired as agricultural laborers; in some rural localities, they made up half or more of the population.
Stateside Puerto Ricanshave built a large community in the state's third-largest city,Allentown, where they comprise over 40% of the city's population as of 2000.
In the late 20th century, as Pennsylvania's historical national and even global leadership inmininglargely ceased and itssteelmakingand other heavy manufacturing sectors slowed, the state sought to grow its service and other industries to replace the jobs and economic productivity lost from the downturn of these industries. Pittsburgh's concentration of universities has enabled it to be a leader in technology and healthcare. Similarly, Philadelphia has a concentration of university expertise. Healthcare, retail, transportation, and tourism are some of the state's growing industries of the postindustrial era. As in the rest of the nation, most residential population growth has occurred in suburban rather than central city areas, although both major cities have had significant revitalization in their downtown areas.Philadelphia anchors theseventh-largestmetropolitan areain the country and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, and Pittsburgh is the center of the nation's 27th-largest metropolitan areas. As of 2020, theLehigh Valleyin eastern Pennsylvania is the nation's 69th-largest metropolitan area.Pennsylvania also hassix additional metropolitan areasthat rank among the nation's 200-most populous metropolitan areas. Philadelphia forms part of theNortheast megalopolisand is associated with theNortheastern United States. Pittsburgh is part of theGreat Lakes megalopolisand is often associated with theRust Belt.
During theSeptember 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, the small town ofShanksville, Pennsylvania, received worldwide attention afterUnited Airlines Flight 93crashed into a field inStonycreek Township, located 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of the town. All 40 civilians and 4Al-Qaedahijackers on board were killed. The hijackers had intended to crash the plane into either theUnited States CapitolorThe White House.After learning from family members via air phone of the earlier attacks on theWorld Trade Center, however, Flight 93's passengers revolted against the hijackers and fought for control of the plane, causing it to crash. It was the only one of the four aircraft hijacked that day that never reached its intended target and the heroism of the passengers has been commemorated.
Since 2003, theTekkoanimeconvention has been held annually in Pittsburgh.
In October 2018, theTree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation, aconservative Jewishsynagogue, experienced thePittsburgh synagogue shooting, which resulted in 11 fatalities.On July 13, 2024, nearButler, Pennsylvania,an assassination attempton the 45th President of the United StatesDonald Trumpoccurred.
Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west.Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km) are waters inLake Erie.It is the33rd-largest statein theUnited States.Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km)of coastline alongLake Erieand 57 miles (92 km)of shoreline along theDelaware Estuary. Of the originalThirteen Colonies, Pennsylvania is the only state that does not border theAtlantic Ocean.
The boundaries of the state are theMason–Dixon line(39°43' N) to the south,Twelve-Mile Circleon the Pennsylvania-Delawareborder, theDelaware Riverto the east, 80°31' W to the west, and the42° Nto the north, except for a short segment on the western end where atriangleextends north toLake Erie. The state has five geographical regions:Allegheny Plateau,Ridge and Valley,Atlantic Coastal Plain,Piedmont, andErie Plain.
Pennsylvania's diverse topography produces a variety of climates, though the entire state experiences cool to cold winters and very warm, humid summers. Straddling two major zones, much of the state has ahumid continental climate(Köppen climate classificationDfaorDfb). The southern portion of the state has ahumid subtropicalclimate. The largest city,Philadelphia, has ahumid subtropical climate(KöppenCfa).
Summers are generally hot and humid. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the winter climate becomes colder, the number of cloudy days increases, and snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particularly locations nearLake Erie, can receive over 100 inches (250 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful precipitation throughout the year. The state may be subject to severe weather from spring through summer into autumn. Tornadoes occur annually in the state, sometimes in large numbers, such as 30 recorded tornadoes in 2011; violent tornadoes, however, are rarer than they are in states further west.
Cities in Pennsylvania includePhiladelphia,Reading,Lebanon, andLancasterin the southeast,Pittsburghin the southwest, and the tri-cities ofAllentown,Bethlehem, andEastonin the central east, known as theLehigh Valley. Thenortheastincludes the formeranthracite coalmining cities ofScranton,Wilkes-Barre,Pittston,Nanticoke, andHazleton.Erieis located in the northwest.State Collegeis located in the central region.Williamsportis in the north-central region withYork,Carlisle, and the state capitalHarrisburgon theSusquehanna Riverin the east-central region of the state.AltoonaandJohnstownare in the state's west-central region.
The state's three-most populated cities, in order of size, are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown.
As of the2020 U.S. census, Pennsylvania had a population of 13,011,844, up from 12,702,379 in 2010. Pennsylvania is thefifth-most populated statein the U.S. afterCalifornia,Texas,Florida, andNew York.In 2019, netmigrationto other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, andimmigrationfrom other countries resulted in an increase of 127,007. Net migration to Pennsylvania was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. 7.2% of the population was foreign-born as of 2021.Pennsylvania'scenter of populationis inDuncannoninPerry County.
According to theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2022Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 12,691homelesspeople in Pennsylvania.
Among Pennsylvania residents, as of 2020, nearly three out of four, 74.5%, are native to the state and were born in Pennsylvania, 18.4% were born in a different U.S. state, 1.5% were born inPuerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 5.6% were foreign born.Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36.0%), Europe (35.9%), and Latin America (30.6%) with the remainder from Africa (5%), North America (3.1%), and Oceania (0.4%). The state's largest ancestry groups, expressed as a percentage of total people who responded with a particular ancestry for the 2010 census, wereGerman28.5%,Irish18.2%,Italian12.8%,African Americans9.6%,English8.5%,Polish7.2%, andFrench4.2%.As of 2018, the top countries of origin for Pennsylvania's immigrants wereIndia, theDominican Republic,China,Mexico, andVietnam.
The vast majority of Pennsylvania's population is made up of whites, blacks and Hispanics, with the latter two being minorities and having significant populations. Non-Hispanic Whites make up the majority of Pennsylvania; they are mostly descended from German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Italian, and English immigrants. Rural portions of South Central Pennsylvania are recognized nationally for theirAmish communities.Wyoming Valley, includingScrantonandWilkes-Barre, has the highest percentage of white residents of any metropolitan area with a population of 500,000 or above in the U.S.; in Wyoming Valley, 96.2% of the population claim to be white with no Hispanic background. The state's Hispanic or Latino American population grew by 82.6% between 2000 and 2010, marking one of the largest increases in a state's Hispanic population. The significant growth of the Hispanic or Latino population is due to migration to the state mainly fromPuerto Rico, a U.S. territory, and to a lesser extent immigration from countries such as theDominican Republic,Mexico, and variousCentralandSouth Americannations and a wave of Hispanic and Latinos leavingNew York CityandNew Jerseyfor safer and more affordable living.
The majority of Hispanic or Latino Americans in Pennsylvania are ofPuerto Ricandescent.Most of the remaining Hispanic or Latino population is made up ofMexicansandDominicans, and the majority of Hispanics and Latinos are concentrated in Philadelphia, theLehigh Valley, and South Central Pennsylvania.The Hispanic or Latino population is greatest inBethlehem,Allentown,Reading,Lancaster,York, and around Philadelphia. As of 2010, the vast majority of Hispanics and Latino Americans in Pennsylvania, about 85%, live within a 150-mile (240 km) radius of Philadelphia, and about 20% live in the city itself.
The Asian population swelled by almost 60%, mostly Indian, Vietnamese, and Chinese immigrants, and many Asians moving toPhiladelphiafrom New York City. The rapid growth of this community has given Pennsylvania one of the largest Asian populations in the nation. The African American population grew by 13%, which was the largest increase in that population among the state's peers ofNew York,New Jersey,Ohio,Illinois, andMichigan.Pennsylvania has a high in-migration of black and Hispanic people from other nearby states with the eastern and south-central portions of the state seeing the bulk of the increases.
Among the state's black population, the vast majority in the state are African American. There are also a growing number of black residents ofWest Indian,recent African, andHispanic or Latinoorigins.Most Blacks live in the Philadelphia area, Pittsburgh, or South Central Pennsylvania.Additionally, in 2020, 31,052 identified as being Native American alone, and 158,112 did in combination with one or more other races.
Note: data for births ofWhite Hispanicorigin have not been collected, but included in oneHispanicgroup; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
As of the 2010 census, Pennsylvania had the fourth-highest proportion of elderly (65+) citizens in the nation at 15.4%, compared to a national average of 13.0%.According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the state's poverty rate was 12.5% in 2017 compared to 13.4% for the U.S. as a whole.
As of 2010, 90.2% (10,710,239) of Pennsylvania residents age five and older spokeEnglishat home as aprimary languagewhile 4.1% (486,058) spokeSpanish, 0.9% (103,502) spokeGerman, includingPennsylvania Dutch, and 0.5% (56,052) spokeChinese, includingMandarin. In total, 9.9% (1,170,628) of Pennsylvania's population age5 and older spoke amother tongueother than English.
Pennsylvania Dutchis a descendant of theWest Central Germandialect family and is closest toPalatine German. Pennsylvania Dutch is still very vigorous as a first language amongOld Order AmishandOld Order Mennonites, principally in theLancaster CountyandBerks Countyareas; it is almost extinct as an everyday language outside theplain communities, though a few words have passed into English usage.
Of the originalThirteen Colonies, Pennsylvania andRhode Islandhad the most religious freedom.Voltaire, writing ofWilliam Pennin 1733, observed: "The new sovereign also enacted several wise and wholesome laws for his colony, which have remained invariably the same to this day. The chief is, to ill-treat no person on account of religion, and to consider as brethren all those who believe in one God."One result of this uncommon freedom was a wide religiousdiversity, which continues to the present.
Pennsylvania's population in 2010 was 12,702,379; of these, 6,838,440 (53.8%) were estimated to belong to some sort of organized religion. According to theAssociation of Religion Data Archives(ARDA) atPennsylvania State University, the largest religious bodies in Pennsylvania by adherents were theCatholic Churchwith 3,503,028 adherents, theUnited Methodist Churchwith 591,734 members, and theEvangelical Lutheran Church in Americawith 501,974 members. Since 2014, among the state's religious population, 73% wereChristian, according toPew Research Center.In 2020, thePublic Religion Research Instituteestimated 68% of the population identified with Christianity.As of 2014, 47% of all Pennsylvanians identified asProtestants, makingProtestantismfar and away the most prominent religious affiliation among Pennsylvanians. Among all self-identified Christians in the state, however, 24% identified asCatholics, the most of any Christian religious affiliation. In April 2023, aFranklin & Marshall Collegepoll found that a plurality of Pennsylvania residents wereunaffiliated, with the rest predominately beingProtestantorCatholic.
Pennsylvania, especially theGreater Pittsburgharea, has one of the largest communities ofPresbyteriansin the nation, the third-highest by percentage of population and the largest outright in membership asProtestantChristians.TheAmerican Presbyterian Church, with about 250,000 members and 1,011 congregations, is the largest Presbyterian denomination, and thePresbyterian Church in Americais also significant, with 112 congregations and approximately 23,000 adherents; theEPChas around 50 congregations, including theECO, according to 2010 estimates. The fourth-largestProtestantdenomination, theUnited Church of Christ, has 180,000 members and 627 congregations in the state. TheAmerican Baptist Churches USA, also referred to as the Northern Baptist Convention is based inKing of Prussia.
Pennsylvania was the center state of theGerman Reformeddenomination from the 1700s.Bethlehemis one of the headquarters of theMoravian Churchin the U.S. Pennsylvania also has a very largeAmishpopulation, second only toOhioamong U.S. states.As of 2000, there was a total Amish population of 47,860 in Pennsylvania and an additional 146,416Mennonitesand 91,200Brethren. The totalAnabapistpopulation includingBruderhofwas 232,631, about two percent of the population.While Pennsylvania owes its existence toQuakers, and much of the historic character of Pennsylvania is ideologically rooted in the teachings of theReligious Society of Friends(as they are officially known), practicing Quakers are a small minority of about 10,000 adherents as of 2010.
As of 2024, Pennsylvania'sgross state product(GSP) is $1.017 trillion, thesixth-largestamong all U.S. states, behindCalifornia,Texas,New York,Florida, andIllinois.If Pennsylvaniawere an independent country, its economy, as of 2023, would rank as the 20th-largest in the world.On a per capita basis, Pennsylvania's 2021 per capita income of $68,957 ranks 21st among the 50 states.As of 2016, there were 5,354,964 people in employment in Pennsylvania with 301,484 total employer establishments. As of January 2024, the state's unemployment rate is 3.4%.
The state has five manufacturing centers:Philadelphiain the southeast,Pittsburghin the southwest,Eriein the northwest,Scranton-Wilkes-Barrein the northeast, and theLehigh Valleyin the east.
Pennsylvania is home to 23 of the nation's 500 largest companies that comprise theFortune500, including two that rank in the top 100,Cencora(formerly AmeriSource Bergen) inConshohocken, which is the nation's 11th-largest company, andComcastin Philadelphia, which is the 29th-largest.Philadelphia is home to six of theFortune500 companies,with more located in suburbs likeKing of Prussia; it is a leader in the financialand insurance industries. Pittsburgh is home to eightFortune500 companies, includingU.S. Steel,PPG Industries,Heinz, andGE Transportation.Hershey is home toThe Hershey Company, one of the world's largest chocolate manufacturers. In eastern Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley has become an epicenter for the growth of the U.S.logisticsindustry, includingwarehousingand theintermodal transportof goods.
Like many U.S. states,Walmartis the largest private employer in Pennsylvania. The state's second-largest employer is theUniversity of Pennsylvania, anIvy Leagueprivateresearch universityin Philadelphia.Pennsylvania is home to the oldest investor-owned utility company in the U.S.,The York Water Company.
As of 2018, Pennsylvania ranks first in the nation in a few economic sectors and niches, including barrels ofbeerproduced annually (3.9 million),farmers' markets(over 6,000),food processingcompanies (2,300), hardwoodlumberproduction (a billion board feet annually),mushroom farms(68),natural gasproduction,potato chipmanufacturing (24 facilities manufacturing one-fourth of the nation's total), andpretzelmanufacturing (80 percent of the nation's total).
Pennsylvania ranks 19th overall among all states in agricultural production.Its leading agricultural products aremushrooms, apples,Christmas trees,layer chickens,nursery,sod, milk,cornforsilage, grapes (includingjuice grapes), and horses production. Pennsylvania ranks eighth in the nation inwinemaking.
ThePennsylvania Department of Agricultureworked with private companies to establish "PA Preferred" as a way to brand agricultural products grown or made in the state.The financial impact of agriculture in Pennsylvaniaincludes employment of more than 66,800 people employed by the foodmanufacturingindustry and over $1.7 billion in food productexportas of 2011.
The first nationally chartered bank in the U.S., theBank of North America, was founded in 1781 in Philadelphia. After a series of mergers, the Bank of North America is now part ofWells Fargo. Pennsylvania is home to the first nationally-chartered bank under the 1863National Banking Act. That year, the Pittsburgh Savings & Trust Company received a national charter and renamed itself the First National Bank of Pittsburgh as part of the National Banking Act. That bank is still in existence today asPNCand remains based in Pittsburgh. PNC is currently the state's largest and the nation's sixth-largest bank.
ThePennsylvania Film Production Tax Creditbegan in 2004 and stimulated the development of a film industry in the state.
Casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2004. As of 2010, there are16 casinosin the state.Table games such as poker, roulette, blackjack, and craps were approved by the state legislature and signed into law in January 2010. Sports betting saw approval in 2018. Five years in, the state and local governments collected over $500 million in sportsbook tax revenue.
Coal mining in Pennsylvania dates back to the mid-1700s. Since then, over 15 billion tons of coal were removed from the state. Production peaked in 1918. As mine output decreased, some 250,000 acres of mine land were abandoned.As of 2024, the state has the largest inventory of abandoned mines in the United States, creating environmental problems such as water pollution and ground subsidence which damages above-ground buildings.AlleghenyandWestmorelandcounties alone account for over 550 abandoned sites. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for remediation of such problems.
Pennsylvania has had fiveconstitutionsduring its statehood:1776,1790,1838,1874, and1968. Before that the province of Pennsylvania was governed for a century by aFrame of Government, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701.The capital of Pennsylvania isHarrisburg. The legislature meets there in theState Capitol.
In a 2020 study, Pennsylvania was ranked as the 19th hardest state for citizens to vote.
The current Governor isJosh Shapiro. The other elected officials composing the executive branch are theLieutenant GovernorAustin Davis,Attorney GeneralDave Sunday,Auditor GeneralTimothy DeFoor, andPennsylvania TreasurerStacy Garrity. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor run as a ticket in the general election and are up for re-election every four years during the midterm elections. The elections for Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer are held every four years coinciding with a Presidential election.
Pennsylvania has abicameral legislaturethat was established in thePennsylvania Constitution, which was ratified in 1790. The original Frame of Government of William Penn had a unicameral legislature.TheGeneral Assemblyincludes 50senatorsand 203representatives.Kim L. Wardis currentlypresident pro temporeof the State Senate,Joe Pittmanthemajority leader, andJay Costatheminority leader.Joanna McClintonisspeakerof the House of Representatives, withMatthew Bradfordas majority leader andBryan Cutleras minority leader.As of 2023, the Republicans hold the majority in the State Senate (28–22) and the Democrats in the State House (102–101). Pennsylvania is one of only two states that currently have divided party control of the state legislature.
Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districts.With the exception ofPhiladelphia County, most have district justices and justices of the peace who preside over most preliminary hearings in felony and misdemeanor offenses, all minor (summary) criminal offenses, and small civil claims.Most criminal and civil cases originate in the Courts of Common Pleas, which also serve asappellate court.TheSuperior Courthears all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas not expressly designated to theCommonwealth CourtorSupreme Court. The Superior Court also has original jurisdiction to reviewprobable causegovernmental requests forwarrantsinwiretapsurveillance.The Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas.TheSupreme Court of Pennsylvaniais the state's final appellate court. All judges in Pennsylvania are elected, and thechief justiceof the state's Supreme Court is determined by seniority.
Pennsylvania is divided into 67counties.Counties are further subdivided into municipalities that are either incorporated as cities,boroughs, ortownships.The most populous county in Pennsylvania and24th-most populous countyin the United States 
isPhiladelphia County, which includes the city ofPhiladelphia, with a 2020 population of 1,603,797; the state's least populous county isCameronwith a population of 4,547.
There are a total of 56 cities in Pennsylvania, which are classified by population as either first-class, second-class, or third-class cities.Philadelphia, the state's largest city with a population exceeding 1.6 million, is Pennsylvania's only first-class city.Pittsburgh(303,000) andScranton(76,000) are second-class and second-class 'A' cities, respectively.All of the state's remaining cities includingAllentown, the state's third-largest city, andReading, its fourth-largest, toParker, the state's smallest city with a population of only 820, are designated as third-class cities.First- and second-class cities are governed by a "strong mayor" form ofmayor–council government, whereas third-class cities are governed by either a "weak mayor" form of government or acouncil–manager government.
Pennsylvania boroughs are generally smaller in population than the state's cities, and most of the state's cities were incorporated as boroughs prior to being designated cities.There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania, all of which are governed by the "weak mayor" form of mayor-council government.The largest borough in Pennsylvania isState College(40,501) and the smallest isCentralia.
Townships are the third type of municipality in Pennsylvania and are classified as either first-class or second-class townships. There are 1,454 second-class townships and 93 first-class townships.Second-class townships can become first-class townships if they have a population density greater than 300 inhabitants per square mile (120/km) and areferendumis passed supporting the change.Pennsylvania's largest township isUpper Darby Township(85,681), and the smallest isEast Keating Township.
There is one exception to the types of municipalities in Pennsylvania:Bloomsburgwas incorporated as a town in 1870 and is, officially, the only town in the state.In 1975,McCandless Townshipadopted a home-rule charter under the name of "Town of McCandless", but is, legally, still a first-class township.The state has 56 cities, 958 boroughs, 93 first-class townships, 1,454 second-class townships, and one town (Bloomsburg) for a total of 2,562 municipalities.
Pennsylvania had the 15th-highest state and local tax burden in the nation as of 2012, according to theTax Foundation.Residents paid a total of $83.7 billion in state and local taxes with a per capita average of $4,589 annually. Residents share 76% of the total tax burden. Many state politicians have tried to increase the share of taxes paid by out-of-state sources. Suggested revenue sources include taxing natural gas drilling as Pennsylvania is the only state without such a tax on gas drilling.Additional revenue prospects include trying to place tolls on interstate highways; specificallyInterstate 80, which is used heavily by out of state commuters with high maintenance costs.
Sales taxesprovide 39% of Pennsylvania's state revenue;personal income taxes34%; motor vehicle taxes about 12%, and taxes oncigarettesand alcoholic beverages 5%.The personal income tax is a flat 3.07%. An individual's taxable income is based on the following eight types of income: compensation (salary); interest; dividends; net profits from the operation of a business, profession or farm; net gains or income from the dispositions of property; net gains or income from rents, royalties, patents and copyrights; income derived through estates or trusts; and gambling andlotterywinnings (other thanPennsylvania Lotterywinnings).
Counties, municipalities, andschool districtslevy taxes on real estate. In addition, some local bodies assess awage taxon personal income. Generally, the total wage tax rate is capped at 1% of income but some municipalities withhome rulecharters may charge more than 1%. Thirty-two of Pennsylvania's sixty-seven counties levy apersonal property taxon stocks, bonds, and similar holdings. With the exception of the city ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, municipalities and school districts are allowed to enact a local earned income tax within the purview of Act 32. Residents of these municipalities and school districts are required to file a local income tax return in addition to federal and state returns. This local return is filed with the local income tax collector, a private collection agency appointed by a particular county to collect the local earned income and local services tax (the latter a flat fee deducted from salaried employees working within a particular municipality or school district).
Philadelphiahas its own local income taxation system. Philadelphia-based employers are required to withhold the Philadelphia wage tax from the salaries of their employees. Residents of Philadelphia working for an employer are not required to file a local return as long as their Philadelphia wage tax is fully withheld by their employer. If their employer does not withhold the Philadelphia wage tax, residents are required to register with the Revenue Department and file an Earnings Tax return. Residents of Philadelphia with self-employment income are required to file a Net Profits Tax (NPT) return, while those with business income from Philadelphia sources are required to obtain a Commercial Activity License (CAL) and pay the Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) and the NPT. Residents with unearned income except interest from checking and savings accounts are required to file and pay the School Income-tax (SIT).
The complexity of Pennsylvania's local tax filing system has been criticized by experts, who note that the outsourcing of collections to private entities is akin totax farmingand that many new residents are caught off guard and end up facing failure to file penalties even if they did not owe any tax. Attempts to transfer local income tax collections to the state level by having a separate local section on the state income tax return, currently the method used to collect local income taxes inNew York,Maryland,Indiana, andIowa, have been unsuccessful.
ThePennsylvania State Policeis the chief law enforcement agency in the Pennsylvania.
Since the latter half of the 20th century, Pennsylvania has been perceived as a powerfulswing state, and winning Pennsylvania has since been deemed as essential toU.S. presidential candidates. Only thrice between1932and1988(1932, 1948, and1968, withFranklin D. Roosevelt,Harry S. Truman, andRichard Nixon, respectively) has a presidential candidate been able to win the White House while losing Pennsylvania.
Between 1992 and 2016, Pennsylvania trendedDemocraticin presidential elections;Bill Clintonwon the state twice by large margins andAl Gorewon it by a slightly closer margin in 2000. In the 2004 presidential election,John F. Kerrybeat PresidentGeorge W. Bushin Pennsylvania, 2,938,095 (51%) to 2,793,847 (48%). In the 2008 presidential election, DemocratBarack ObamadefeatedRepublicanJohn McCainin Pennsylvania, 3,276,363 (54%) to 2,655,885 (44%).
In the2016 United States presidential election, however, RepublicanDonald Trumpbroke the Democratic streak in the state, winning by 2,970,733 (48%) votes to 2,926,441 (47%) votes.The state returned to the Democratic column in2020by voting forJoe Bidenover Trump, 3,458,229 (50%) to 3,377,674 (49%). The state holds 19electoralvotes.
Despite voting for the Democratic ticket for president in every election between 1992 and 2012, Pennsylvania has a history of electing Republican U.S. senators. From 2009 to 2011, the state was represented by two Democratic senators for the first time since 1947 after Republican SenatorArlen Specterswitched party affiliation. In 2010, Republicans recaptured a U.S. Senate seat and a majority of the state's congressional seats, control of both chambers of the state legislature, and the governorship. Democrats won back the governorship, however, four years later in the2014 election. It was the first time since a governor became eligible for reelection that an incumbent governor had been defeated in a reelection bid.
Historically, Democratic strength was concentrated in Philadelphia in the southeast, the Pittsburgh, andJohnstownareas in the southwest, andScrantonandWilkes-Barrein the northeast. Republican strength was concentrated in the Philadelphia suburbs and the more rural areas in the state's central, northeastern, and western portions, some of which have long been considered among the nation's most conservative areas. Since 1992, however, the Philadelphia suburbs have swung Democratic; the brand of Republicanism there was traditionally moderate. In the 21st century, however, Pittsburgh suburbs, which historically had been Democratic strongholds, have swung more Republican.
Democratic political consultantJames Carvilleonce pejoratively described Pennsylvania as "Philadelphia in the east, Pittsburgh in the west, and Alabama in the middle", suggesting that political power in the state was based in its two largest cities, which have been reliably Democratic, offset by the state's large rural power base, which has proven equally reliably Republican. Political analysts and editorials refer to central Pennsylvania as the "T" in statewide elections. The state's three valleys (Delaware,Lehigh, andWyomingValleys) andGreater Pittsburghgenerally vote Democratic, while the majority of the counties in the central part of the state vote Republican. As a result, maps showing the results of statewide elections invariably form a shape that resembles a "T".
Pennsylvania retains thedeath penalty, although there is currently a gubernatorial hold on executions.
Pennsylvania's twoU.S. senatorsareRepublicanDave McCormick andDemocratJohn Fetterman.
Pennsylvania has17 seatsin theU.S. House of Representativesas of 2023.
Pennsylvania has 500 public school districts, thousands of private schools, publicly funded colleges and universities, and over 100 private institutions of higher education.
Under state law, school attendance in Pennsylvania is mandatory for children between ages eight and 17, or until graduation from an accredited high school, whichever is earlier, unless students arehomeschooled.As of 2005, 83.8% of Pennsylvania residents age 18 to 24 are high school graduates. Among residents age 25 and over, 86.7% have graduated from high school.
The following are the four-year graduation rates for students completing high school in 2016:
Among Pennsylvania high school graduates as of 2009, 27.5% of them went on to obtain a bachelor's degree or higher degree.State students consistently do well in standardized testing. In 2007, Pennsylvania ranked 14th in the nation in mathematics, 12th in reading, and 10th in writing for eighth grade students.In 1988, thePennsylvania General Assemblypassed Act 169, which allows parents or guardians to homeschool their children as an alternative to compulsory school attendance. The law specifies varying geographic requirements and responsibilities on the part of parents and school districts.
"Pennsylvania has the fourth most higher education institutions of any state," according toInside Higher Ed, with 250 universities and colleges.The state is ranked second among the nation’s top destinations for freshman out-of-state college students, according toNPR/PBSaffiliateWHYY, which cites a study by theAssociation of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania(AICUP).Pennsylvania is third in the nation for the quantity of "Best Colleges", according toThe Wall Street Journal.
ThePennsylvania State System of Higher Education(PASSHE), which includes 14 state-owned universities and colleges, is Pennsylvania'spublic universitysystem.West Chester Universityis by far the largest of the 14 with nearly 15,000 students. TheCommonwealth System of Higher Educationis the organizing body of Pennsylvania's four state-related schools, which includePennsylvania State University,Lincoln University, theUniversity of Pittsburgh, andTemple University. There are 15 publicly-funded two-yearcommunity collegesand technical schools in Pennsylvania that are separate from the PASSHE system, and many private two- and four-year technical schools, colleges, and universities.
Carnegie Mellon University,Pennsylvania State University, theUniversity of Pennsylvania, and theUniversity of Pittsburghare members of theAssociation of American Universities, an invitation-only organization of leading research universities.Lehigh University, founded in 1865 and located inBethlehem, is a private research university. The Pennsylvania State University is Pennsylvania'sland-grant university,Sea Grant College, andSpace Grant College.
The University of Pennsylvania, founded inWest Philadelphiain 1740 byBenjamin Franklin, aFounding Fatherof the nation, is Pennsylvania's onlyIvy Leagueuniversity, and is the geographically most southern of the nation's eight Ivy League universities. The University of Pennsylvania was one of thefirst universities established in the nation; its medical school,Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765, was the firstmedical schoolestablished in the nation.
TheLake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine(LECOM) is a private graduate school of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy with a main campus in Erie, a branch campus inGreensburg, and two additional campuses outside Pennsylvania. It is the largest medical school in the United States.ThePennsylvania Academy of the Fine Artsis the first and oldestart schoolin the United States.Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, now [art ofUniversity of the Sciences in Philadelphia, was the firstpharmacy schoolin the United States.
Pennsylvania is home to the nation's first zoo, thePhiladelphia Zoo.Other long-accreditedAZAzoos include theErie Zooand thePittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. TheLehigh Valley ZooandZooAmericaare other notable zoos.
Pennsylvania is home to some of the most notable museums in the nation, including theAllentown Art MuseuminAllentown,Carnegie MuseumsinPittsburgh, thePhiladelphia Museum of ArtinPhiladelphia, andseveral others. One unique museum is theHoudini Museumin Scranton, the only building in the world devoted to the legendary magician.Pennsylvania is also home to theNational Aviary, located in Pittsburgh.
All 121state parksin Pennsylvania feature free admission.
Pennsylvania's notable amusement parks includeConneaut Lake Park,Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom,Dutch Wonderland,DelGrosso's Amusement Park,Great Wolf Lodge,Hersheypark,Idlewild Park,Kalahari Resorts Poconos,Kennywood,Knoebels,Lakemont Park,Sandcastle Waterpark,Sesame Place Philadelphia, andWaldameer Park. The largest indoor waterpark resort on theU.S. East CoastisSplash LagooninErie.
The state's notable music festivals includeMusikfest, the nation's largest free music festival held annually each August inBethlehem,thePhiladelphia Folk Festival,Creation Festival, and Purple Door. TheGreat Allentown Fair, held annually at theAllentown Fairgroundssince the 19th century, is one of the nation's longest-running annual fairs.
There are nearly one million licensed hunters in Pennsylvania.White-tail deer,black bear,cottontail rabbit,squirrel,turkey, andgrouseare common game species. Pennsylvania is considered one of the finestwild turkeyhunting states in the nation, alongsideTexasandAlabama. Sport hunting in Pennsylvania provides a massive boost for the state's economy. A report from The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a legislative agency of thePennsylvania General Assembly, reported that hunting, fishing, and furtaking generated a total of $9.6 billion statewide.
TheBoone and Crockett Clubreports that five of the ten largestblack bearentries came from the state.The state also has a tied record for the largest hunter shot black bear in theBoone and Crockettrecord books at 733 lb (332 kg) and askullof 23 3/16, tied with a bear shot inCaliforniain 1993.As of 2007, Pennsylvania has the second-highest number of Boone and Crockett-recorded record black bears at 183, behindWisconsin's 299.
ThePennsylvania Department of Transportation, abbreviated as PennDOT, is responsible for transport issues in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has seven major airports:Philadelphia International,Pittsburgh International,Lehigh Valley International,Harrisburg International,Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International,Erie International, andUniversity Park Airport. A total of 134 public-use airports are located in the state.
Intercity bus service is provided between cities in Pennsylvania and other major points in the Northeast byBoltBus,Fullington Trailways,Greyhound Lines,Martz Trailways,Megabus,OurBus,Trans-Bridge Lines, and variousChinatown buscompanies. In 2018,OurBusbegan offering service fromWest Chester,Malvern,King of Prussia, andFort WashingtontoNew York City.
PennDOT owns 39,861 miles (64,150 km) of the 121,770 miles (195,970 km) of roadway in the state, making it the fifth-largest state highway system in the United States.ThePennsylvania Turnpikesystem is 535 miles (861 km) long, with the mainline portion stretching fromOhioto Philadelphia andNew Jersey.It is overseen by thePennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Another major east–west route isInterstate 80, which runs primarily in the northern tier of the state from Ohio to New Jersey at theDelaware Water Gap.Interstate 90travels the relatively short distance between Ohio and New York throughErie County, in the extreme northwestern part of the state.
Primary north–south highways areInterstate 79from its terminus in Erie throughPittsburghtoWest Virginia,Interstate 81fromNew York statethroughScranton, Lackawanna CountyandHarrisburgtoMarylandandInterstate 476, which begins 7 miles (11 km) north of theDelawareborder, inChester, Delaware Countyand travels 132 miles (212 km) toClarks Summit, where it joins I-81. All but 20 miles (32 km) of I-476 is the Northeast Extension of thePennsylvania Turnpike. The highway south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike is officially called the "Veterans Memorial Highway", but is commonly referred to colloquially as the "Blue Route".
SEPTAis the sixth-largest transit agency in the United States and operates thecommuter,heavyandlight railtransit, andtransit busservice in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.Pittsburgh Regional Transitis the 25th-largest transit agency and provides transit bus and light rail service in and around Pittsburgh.
Intercity passenger rail transit is provided byAmtrak, with the majority of traffic occurring on theKeystone Servicein the high-speedKeystone Corridorbetween Harrisburg and Philadelphia's30th Street Stationbefore heading north to New York City, and theNortheast Regional, which provides regular high-speed service up and down theNortheast Corridor. ThePennsylvanianfollows the same route from New York City to Harrisburg, but extends out to Pittsburgh. TheCapitol Limitedalso passes through Pittsburgh, as well asConnellsville, on its way from Chicago toWashington, D.C.Traveling between Chicago and New York City, theLake Shore Limitedpasses through Erie once in each direction.There are 67short-line, freight railroads operating in Pennsylvania, the highest number in any U.S. state.With more than four millioninter-city railpassengers in 2018, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is Amtrak's third-busiest train station in the nation afterPenn StationinManhattanandUnion StationinWashington, D.C.,and North America's12th-busiesttrain station overall.
ThePort of Pittsburghis the second-largestinland portin the United States and the 18th-largest port overall; thePort of Philadelphiais the 24th-largest port in the United States.Pennsylvania's only port on theGreat Lakesis located in Erie. TheAllegheny River Lock and Dam Twois the most-usedlockoperated by theUnited States Army Corps of Engineersof its 255 nationwide.The dam impounds theAllegheny RivernearDowntown Pittsburgh.
In 2008, author Sharon Hernes Silverman wrote in thePittsburgh Tribune-Reviewthat Pennsylvania was thesnack foodcapital of the world.It leads all other states in the manufacture ofpretzelsandpotato chips. In 1861, as theCivil Warwas beginning,Sturgis Pretzel HouseinLititzwas first to introduce the pretzel to American consumers. Two other Pennsylvania-based companies, Immergut Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels inIntercourseandSnyder's of HanoverinHanover, are leading national pretzel manufacturers. Two of the nation's three leading potato chip companies are based in Pennsylvania:Utz Brands, which started making chips in Hanover in 1921, andWise Foods, which started making chips inBerwickthe same year; the third,Frito-Layis owned byPlano, Texas-basedPepsiCo. Additional Pennsylvania-based companies, includingHerr's SnacksinNottingham,Martin's Potato ChipsinThomasville, are popular chip manufacturers.
The Hershey CompanyinHersheyis a nearly $9 billion a year company and one of the world's leading manufacturers ofchocolate; the company was founded in Hershey byMilton S. Hersheyin 1894.Gertrude Hawk Chocolatesis based inDunmore. Other notable companies includeJust BorninBethlehem, makers ofHot Tamales,Mike and Ikes, the Easter favorite marshmallowPeeps, andBoyer BrothersofAltoona, which manufacturers Mallo Cups. The pretzel companyAuntie Anne'sbegan as a market-stand inDowningtown, and now has corporate headquarters inLancaster.Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch foods include chicken pot pie, ham pot pie, schnitz un knepp (dried apples, ham, and dumplings),fasnachts(raised doughnuts), scrapple, pretzels, bologna, chow-chow, andShoofly pie.Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe, based inChambersburg, Pennsylvania, specializes in potato bread, anothertraditional Pennsylvania Dutch food.D.G. Yuengling & Son, America's oldest brewery, has been brewing beer inPottsvillesince 1829.
Among the regional foods associated with Philadelphia arecheesesteaks,hoagies,soft pretzels,Italian water ice,Irish potato candy,scrapple,Tastykake, andstrombolis. In Pittsburgh, tomato ketchup was improved byHenry John Heinzfrom 1876 to the early 20th century. Famous to a lesser extent than Heinz ketchup is the Pittsburgh'sPrimanti Brothers Restaurantsandwiches,pierogies, andcity chicken. In northeastern Pennsylvania, Italian heritage has popularized a variety of pizza styles. Outside ofScranton, inOld Forge, there are dozens of Italian restaurants specializing in pizza made with thick, light crust, and American cheese.New York–style pizzais popular inWilkes-Barre.Eriealso has its share of foods, including Greek sauce andsponge candy.Sauerkrautalong with pork and mashed potatoes is a traditional meal on New Year's Day in Pennsylvania; its tradition began with thePennsylvania Dutchwho believe the meal leads to good luck in the new year to come.
Pennsylvania is home to eight major league professional sports teams: thePhiladelphia PhilliesandPittsburgh PiratesofMajor League Baseball, thePhiladelphia 76ersof theNBA, thePhiladelphia EaglesandPittsburgh Steelersof theNFL, thePhiladelphia FlyersandPittsburgh Penguinsof theNHL, and thePhiladelphia UnionofMajor League Soccer. Among them, these teams have accumulated sevenWorld Serieschampionships (with the Pirates winning five and Phillies winning two), 16National Leaguepennants (with the Pirates winning nine and Phillies winning seven), three pre-Super Bowlera NFL championships (all won by the Eagles), eightSuper Bowlchampionships (with the Steelers winning six and the Eagles two), two NBA championships (both won by the 76ers), and sevenStanley Cupchampionships (with the Penguins winning five and Flyers winning two).
Withfive professional sports teamsand some of the most passionate sports fans in the nation,Philadelphiais often described as the “nation's best sports city.”
In addition to its two Major League Baseball franchises, Pennsylvania is home to twoTriple-A-level teams, the highest level ofMinor League Baseballplay. TheLehigh Valley IronPigs, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies, are based inAllentown, where they play atCoca-Cola Park. TheScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, affiliated with theNew York Yankees, are based inMoosic, where they play atPNC Field.
Pennsylvania is home to fourDouble-A level baseballteams: theAltoona Curve,Erie SeaWolves,Harrisburg Senators, andReading Fightin Phils. Pennsylvania has twocollegiate summer baseballteams affiliated with theMLB Draft League: theState College SpikesandWilliamsport Crosscutters. In independent baseball, the state has three teams, theLancaster Stormers,Washington Wild Things, andYork Revolution.
In addition to its two National Hockey League teams, Pennsylvania has threeAmerican Hockey Leagueice hockeyteams: theHershey Bearsaffiliated with theWashington Capitals, theLehigh Valley Phantomsaffiliated with the Philadelphia Flyers, and theWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguinsaffiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It also has anECHL-level ice hockey team, theReading Royals, and anArena Football Leagueteam, thePhiladelphia Soul. These Pennsylvania-based developmental-level professional teams have accumulated 12Triple-Aand Double-A baseball league titles (Altoona Curve (1) Reading Fightin Phils (4), and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Senators (6)), 3ArenaBowlchampionships (Soul), and 11Calder Cups(Bears).
In addition to the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer, Pennsylvania has twolower levelprofessional soccer teams:Philadelphia Union IIofMLS Next Proand thePittsburgh Riverhounds SCof theUSL Championship.
Since 1959, theLittle League World Serieshas been held annually in August inSouth Williamsportnear whereLittle League Baseballwas founded inWilliamsport.
In professional golf,Arnold Palmer, one of the 20th century's most accomplished professional golfers, comes fromLatrobe, andJim Furyk, a currentPGAplayer grew up near inLancaster. PGA tournaments in Pennsylvania include the 84 Lumber Classic played at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort inFarmingtonand the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic played at Glenmaura National Golf Club inMoosic.
Philadelphia is home toLove Park, located across fromCity Hall, which is a popularskateboardlocation that hostedESPN'sX Gamesin 2001 and 2002.
In motorsports, theMario Andrettidynasty of race drivers hails fromNazarethin theLehigh Valley. Pennsylvania racetracks includeJennerstown SpeedwayinJennerstown,Lake Erie SpeedwayinNorth East,Lernerville SpeedwayinSarver, andPocono RacewayinLong Pond, which is home to twoNASCAR Cup Seriesraces and anIndyCar Seriesrace. The state is also home toMaple Grove Raceway, nearReading, which hosts majorNational Hot Rod Association-sanctioned drag racing events each year.
There are also twomotocrossrace tracks that host a round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships in Pennsylvania.High Point Racewayis located inMount Morris, Pennsylvania, and Steel City is located inDelmont, Pennsylvania.
Horse racingtracks in Pennsylvania includeThe MeadowsinNorth Strabane Township,Mohegan Pennsylvaniain Wilkes-Barre,Penn NationalinGrantville,Presque Isle DownsinSummit Township, andParx Racing,Harrah's Philadelphiain Chester, which was the home course ofSmarty Jones, winner of the2004 Kentucky Derbyand2004 Preakness Stakes. Harrah's Philadelphia also hostsharness racingand Presque Isle Downs also hoststhoroughbred racing.
Incollege football, three Pennsylvania universities compete inNCAA Division I, the highest level of sanctioned collegiate play in the sport:Penn Statein theBig Ten Conference,Pittin theAtlantic Coast Conference, andTemplein theAmerican Athletic Conference.
Over their respective college football histories, Penn State claims twonational championships(1982 and 1986) and seven undefeated seasons (1887, 1912, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, and 1994) and Pitt has won nine national championships (1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1976) and had eight undefeated seasons (1904, 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1937, and 1976).Penn State plays its home games atBeaver Stadium, a 106,572-capacity stadium that is thesecond-largest stadium in the nation; the team is coached byJames Franklin. Pitt plays its home games atAcrisure Stadium, a 68,400-capacity stadium it shares with thePittsburgh Steelers; the team is coached byPat Narduzzi. Over their respective histories, four additional Pennsylvania universities and colleges have won national college football championships:LafayetteinEaston(1896),VillanovainVillanova(2009),Pennin Philadelphia (1895, 1897, 1904, and 1908),andWashington & JeffersoninWashington(1921).
Incollege basketball, five Philadelphia andPhiladelphia-areauniversities, collectively known as theBig Five, have a tradition in NCAA Division I basketball. National titles in college basketball have been won byLa Salle(1954),Temple(1938),Penn(1920 and 1921),Pitt(1928 and 1930), andVillanova(1985, 2016, and 2018).
Pennsylvania has several universities and colleges known as national leaders incollege wrestling.Penn State, coached byCael Sanderson, has won tenNCAA Division I Wrestling Championshipsin its history, second most among all universities and colleges afterOklahoma State.LehighinBethlehemhas had 28 NCAA Division I individual champions over its history.
Since 1802, Pennsylvania has been known as theKeystone State, which remains the state's most popular and widely-used nickname.The nickname "Keystone State" originates with the agricultural and architectural term "keystone", and is based on the central role that Pennsylvania played geographically and functionally among the originalThirteen Coloniesfrom which the nation was established, the important founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, that were signed and ratified in Pennsylvania, and the central role that Pennsylvania played in the nation's early manufacturing and agricultural development.
Less often, Pennsylvania is referred to asthe Coal State,the Oil State, andthe Steel State, in recognition of the important role these respective industries played in the state in the 19th and 20th centuries.The State of Independenceappears on several current day road signs entering Pennsylvania from bordering states.
Pennsylvania residents and those of surrounding states sometimes refer to Pennsylvania by the state's abbreviation,PA.
Pennsylvania was historically referred to by the nicknameQuaker Stateduring thecolonial erabased on the influential role thatWilliam Pennand otherQuakersplayed in establishing thefirst frame of governmentconstitution for the Province of Pennsylvania that guaranteedlibertyofconscience, which was a reflection of Penn's knowledge of the hostility Quakers confronted when they opposed religious rituals, taking oaths, violence, war, and military service, and what they viewed as ostentatiousfrippery.
41°N78°W﻿ / ﻿41°N 78°W﻿ /41; -78﻿ (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)