Pennsylvania - U.S. States - HISTORY.com Motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence Tree: Hemlock Bird: Ruffed Grouse Interesting Facts Named by Governor William Penn after his arrival in the New World in 1682, Philadelphia combined the Greek words for love (phileo) and brother (adelphos), engendering its nickname of “the city of brotherly love.” Although born in Boston, Philadelphia claims Ben Franklin as one of its sons as the renowned statesman, scientist, writer and inventor moved to the city at the age of 17. Responsible for many civic improvements, Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731 and organized the Union Fire Company in 1736. On September 18, 1777, fearing that the approaching British army would seize and melt the Liberty Bell for ammunition, 200 cavalrymen transported the iconic symbol of freedom by caravan from the Philadelphia State House to the basement of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, where it remained until the British finally left in June of 1778.

Now the largest city in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital from 1790 until a permanent capital was established in Washington, D.C., in 1800. Both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed in Philadelphia. In July of 1952, Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine from the killed virus at the University of Pittsburgh. First tested on himself and his family, the vaccine was made available nation-wide a few years later, which reduced the number of polio cases from nearly 29,000 in 1955 to less than 6,000 in 1957. In 1903, the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates competed against each other in the first official World Series of Major League Baseball at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. In the best-of-nine series, Boston won five games to three. The worst nuclear accident in United States history occurred on March 28, 1979, on Three Mile Island near Harrisburg.

Caused by a series of system malfunctions and human errors, the plant’s nuclear reactor core partially melted, and thousands of residents were evacuated or fled the area, fearing exposure to radiation. William Penn initially requested his land grant be named “Sylvania,” from the Latin for “woods.” Charles II instead named it “Pennsylvania,” after Penn’s father, causing Penn to worry that settlers would believe he named it after himself. Tags Pennsylvania State Nickname | The Keystone State Pennsylvania State Nickname Signing of the U.S Constitution at Philadelphia Convention ( public domain image on Wikipedia ). Official State Nickname of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania's nickname is "The Keystone State" because it was the middle colony of the original thirteen colonies, and because Pennsylvania has held a key position in the economic, social, and political development of the United States.Three of our most treasured documents were written in Pennsylvania: the US Constitution , the Declaration of independence , and the Gettysburg Address. All State Nicknames Pennsylvania's state song mentions the state nickname in the second verse: "Birthplace of a mighty nation, Keystone of the land." A keystone is also featured on the U.S. Mint's Pennsylvania quarter . What is a Keystone?

The word keystone is from architecture, it describes the central wedge-shaped stone in an arch which holds all the other stones in place. Pennsylvania Keystone State - definition of Keystone State by The Free Dictionary Keystone State - definition of Keystone State by The Free Dictionary University of Pennsylvania , Penn , Pennsylvania - a university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S.A. , United States , United States of America , US , USA , America , the States , U.S.

- North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776 Mid-Atlantic states - a region of the eastern United States comprising New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania and Delaware and Maryland Allentown - a city in eastern Pennsylvania; an industrial and commercial center Altoona - a town in central Pennsylvania Bethlehem - a town in eastern Pennsylvania on the Lehigh River to the northwest of Philadelphia; an important center for steel production Erie - a port city on Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania Gettysburg - a small town in southern Pennsylvania; site of a national cemetery capital of Pennsylvania , Harrisburg - capital of Pennsylvania; located in southern part of state Chester - a city of southeastern Pennsylvania on the Delaware river (an industrial suburb of Philadelphia) City of Brotherly Love , Philadelphia - the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania Pittsburgh - a city in southwestern Pennsylvania where the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River forms the Ohio River; long an

 important urban industrial area; site of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh Alleghenies , Allegheny Mountains - the western part of the Appalachian Mountains; extending from northern Pennsylvania to southwestern Virginia Allegheny , Allegheny River - a river that rises in Pennsylvania and flows north into New York and then back south through Pennsylvania again to join the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh which is the beginning of the Ohio River Blue Ridge , Blue Ridge Mountains - a range of the Appalachians extending from southern Pennsylvania to northern Georgia Lehigh River - a river in eastern Pennsylvania that flows southeast into the Delaware River Monongahela , Monongahela River - a river that rises in northern West Virginia and flows north into Pennsylvania where it joins the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River Susquehanna , Susquehanna River - a river in the northeastern United States that rises in New York and flows southward through Pennsylvania and Maryland into Chesapeake Bay The State of Pennsylvania - An Introduction the Keystone State from NETSTATE.COM Independence Hall, Philadelphia The Keystone State A keystone is a central wedge in an arch that locks all other pieces of an arch in place.

It is the part of an arch that all other parts depend upon. Pennsylvania's popular nickname, "The Keystone State," refers to this necessary element. Like most nicknames, it is not known, for certain, where this name originated, but there are a few interesting thoughts about how this nickname came to be. They are all based on the theme of the necessity of a keystone in a supporting structure. In the vote for independence, nine delegates to the Continental Congress were from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It's said that the Pennsylvania delegation was split; four for independence and four against. The deciding vote fell to John Morton.... who voted for independence. Pennsylvania's vote for independence was noted as the keystone vote; the supporting vote for a new government. When the government was moved to Washington, D.C., a bridge was built over Rock Creek to Georgetown. This bridge was the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge. Pennsylvania's initials were carved into the "keystone" of the arch supporting the bridge. Another explanation has it that Pennsylvania's geographic location, among the original thirteen colonies, was the basis for this nickname. Though the nickname's origin is unknown, it's certain that it was in use around, or shortly after, 1800.

It's reported that Pennsylvania was toasted as "...the keystone of the federal union" at a Republican presidential victory rally for Thomas Jefferson in 1802. Regardless of its origin, the nickname has come to represent Pennsylvania's geographic, economic, social and political impact on development of the United States. The Quaker State Pennsylvania is sometimes called "The Quaker State" in reference to the religion of William Penn and the Quakers who settled in the state. The Oil State This nickname represented one of Pennsylvania's three greatest industries. Today, Quaker State oil is a well-known brand. The Coal State Coal mining, one of Pennsylvania's greatest industries, was the reason for this nickname. The Steel State The "Keystone State" was the second state to join the Union on December 12, 1787. State Bird: Ruffed Grouse State Flower: Mountain Laurel State Tree: Eastern Hemlock This "Celebrate America" Pennsylvania State Barn keepsake is hand-crafted from ¾” thick wood with a detailed front design and a short description on the back. You can set it neatly on a shelf, desk or narrow ledge such as window, door trim, or wainscoting.

Group it with other Cat’s Meows to create your own little Village! SKU: Keystone State | Article about Keystone State by The Free Dictionary Keystone State | Article about Keystone State by The Free Dictionary See also: National Parks and Monuments (table) National Parks and Monuments National Parks Name Type1 Location Year authorized Size acres (hectares) Acadia NP SE Maine 1919 48,419 (19,603) Mountain and coast scenery. ..... Click the link for more information. Pennsylvania (pĕnsəlvā`nyə), one of the Middle Atlantic states of the United States. It is bordered by New Jersey, across the Delaware River (E), Delaware (SE), Maryland (S), West Virginia (SW), Ohio (W), and Lake Erie and New York (N). Facts and Figures Area, 45,333 sq mi (117,412 sq km). Pop. (2010) 12,702,379, a 3.4% increase since the 2000 census. Capital, Harrisburg. Largest city, Philadelphia. Statehood, Dec.

12, 1787 (2d of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution). Highest pt., Mt. Davis, 3,213 ft (980 m); lowest pt., sea level. Nickname, Keystone State. Motto, Virtue, Liberty, and Independence. State bird, ruffed grouse. State flower, mountain laurel. State tree, hemlock. Abbr., Pa.; PA Geography The Great Lakes Plain meets the Appalachian Plateau in the extreme northwestern part of the state. The Appalachian Plateau stretches across the western and northern sections of Pennsylvania and covers more than half the area of the state. The Allegheny Mts. line the eastern edge of the plateau and run southwest to northeast, overlooking the Great Appalachian Valley. The Jacks, Tuscarora, and Blue Mts. comprise a ridge and valley section bordered by the Great Appalachian Valley to the southeast and east. The Piedmont Plateau gives way to the Atlantic Coastal Plain in the extreme southeastern portion of the state.

In the east Pennsylvania is drained by the Delaware and the Susquehanna river systems; in the west by the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers, which join at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River; and in the central part by the West Branch of the Susquehanna, which crosses the state and empties into Chesapeake Bay. These turbulent streams and rivers have cut beautiful water gaps, natural passageways for roads and rail lines. The great forests and lush vegetation that once covered the entire state were transformed during the Carboniferous period into deposits of anthracite coal in the northeast and extensive bituminous beds in the west. Large areas of woodland remain and, in some isolated sections, have retained an almost primitive wildness. Of the many historic sites and parks that have been preserved, those under federal ownership include Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Independence and Valley Forge national historical parks (see National Parks and Monuments National Parks and Monuments National Parks Name Type1 Location Year authorized Size acres (hectares) Acadia NP SE Maine 1919 48,419 (19,603) Mountain and coast scenery. .....

Click the link for more information. , table). Harrisburg Harrisburg, city (1990 pop. 52,376), state capital and seat of Dauphin co., SE Pa., on the Susquehanna River; settled c.1710 by John Harris, who established a trading post and operated a ferry there; inc. 1791. ..... Click the link for more information. , the state capital, is located between the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia Philadelphia, city (1990 pop. 1,585,577), coextensive with Philadelphia co., SE Pa., on the Delaware River c.100 mi (160 km) upstream at the influx of the Schuylkill River; chartered 1701. ..... Click the link for more information. , the largest city, and Pittsburgh Pittsburgh , city (1990 pop. 369,879), seat of Allegheny co., SW Pa., at the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers, which there form the Ohio River; inc. 1816.

A major inland port of entry, it is located at the junction of east-west transportation arteries. ..... Click the link for more information. . Economy Iron smelting, made possible by abundant supplies of ore and of hardwoods for the furnaces, became important in the 18th cent. In the 19th cent., after the Bessemer process Bessemer process [for Sir Henry Bessemer], industrial process for the manufacture of steel from molten pig iron. The principle involved is that of oxidation of the impurities in the iron by the oxygen of air that is blown through the molten iron; the heat of oxidation raises the ..... Click the link for more information. made the use of its great bituminous deposits economical, Pennsylvania quickly emerged as the nation's leading steel producer, but the industry has since declined dramatically. Another Pennsylvania resource, anthracite coal, found in the northeast, long made the state a dominant force in American railroading. In the early 21st cent., shale gas has driven a drilling boom in N and W Pennsylvania.

Heavy industry has declined in general, but the state still manufactures metal products, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, machinery, chemicals, and a wide variety of plastic, rubber, stone, clay, and glass products. The Pittsburgh and Philadelphia metropolitan areas, situated at opposite ends of the state and dominating the commercial and industrial life of their regions, present startling contrasts in production and culture. Other leading cities are Allentown Allentown, city (1990 pop. 105,090), seat of Lehigh co., E Pa., on the Lehigh River; inc. as a borough 1811, as a city 1867. The largest city in the agricultural and industrial Lehigh Valley, it is a commercial, financial, and government center. ..... Click the link for more information. , Bethlehem Bethlehem, city (1990 pop. 71,428), Northampton and Lehigh counties, E Pa., on the Lehigh R. near Allentown and Easton; inc. as a city 1917. Local manufacturing, once dominated by the giant Bethlehem Steel Corp., is now more diversified. ..... Click the link for more information.

, Erie Erie, city (1990 pop. 108,718), seat of Erie co., NW Pa., on Lake Erie; inc. as a city 1851. Pennsylvania's only port on the Great Lakes, Erie is a busy shipping point for coal, iron ore, grain, petroleum, machinery, and lumber. ..... Click the link for more information. , Reading Reading. 1 Town (1990 pop. 22,539), Middlesex co., NE Mass., a suburb of Boston; settled 1639, set off from Lynn and inc. 1644. Printing is the major industry. A 17th-century tavern is in Reading. 2 City (1990 pop. 12,038), Hamilton co. ..... Click the link for more information. , Scranton Scranton, city (1990 pop. 81,805), seat of Lackawanna co., NE Pa., in a mountain region, on the Lackawanna River; settled in the 1700s, inc. 1866. Named for George W.

Scranton, it is a commercial and industrial center of the surrounding anthracite coal region of NE Pennsylvania. ..... Click the link for more information. , and Wilkes-Barre Wilkes-Barre , city (1990 pop. 47,523), seat of Luzerne co., E Pa., on the east bank of the Susquehanna River; settled 1769, inc. as a city 1871. Once a major anthracite coal center, Wilkes-Barre has plants that produce processed food; machinery; metal, vinyl, wire, and plastic ..... Click the link for more information. . Agriculture is concentrated in the fertile counties of the southeast, and prized farmlands lie in the Great Appalachian Valley, rich with limestone soils; here the Pennsylvania Dutch Pennsylvania Dutch [Ger. Deutsch=German], people of E Pennsylvania of German descent who migrated to the area in the 18th cent., particularly those in Northampton, Berks, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lebanon, York, and adjacent counties. ..... Click the link for more information. farmer built a culture that is identified with the bountiful agrarian life.

Principal agricultural products include dairy products, cattle, hay, corn, wheat, oats, mushrooms, poultry, potatoes, and fruit. Government and Higher Education Pennsylvania is governed under the constitution adopted in 1873 and amended extensively since then. The governor serves a four-year term and may be reelected for one additional term. Thomas Ridge Ridge, Tom (Thomas Joseph Ridge), 1945–, U.S. politician and government official, first secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security (2003–5), b. Munhall, Pa. ..... Click the link for more information. , a Republican, was elected in 1994 and reelected in 1998. Ridge resigned in 2001 to head the U.S. Office of Homeland Security; he was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Mark S. Schweiker. A Democrat, Ed Rendell, was elected to the office in 2002 and reelected in 2006. In 2010 Tom Corbett, a Republican, was elected governor, but in 2014 he lost to Democrat Tom Wolf.

The state legislature, called the general assembly, consists of a senate of 50 members and a house of representatives of 203 members. Pennsylvania sends 2 senators and 18 representatives to the U.S. Congress and has 20 electoral votes. Among the state's many universities and colleges are Bryn Mawr College, at Bryn Mawr; Bucknell Univ., at Lewisburg; Carnegie-Mellon Univ., the Univ. of Pittsburgh, and Duquesne Univ., at Pittsburgh; Dickinson College, at Carlisle; Drexel Univ., Temple Univ., the Univ. of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's Univ., and La Salle College, at Philadelphia; Franklin and Marshall College, at Lancaster; Haverford College, at Haverford; Lafayette College, at Easton; Lehigh Univ., at Bethlehem; Lincoln Univ., at Oxford; Pennsylvania State Univ., mainly at University Park; Swarthmore College, at Swarthmore; Villanova Univ., at Villanova; and the 14 universities in the state system. History Exploration and Early Settlement In the early 1600s the English, Dutch, and Swedes disputed the right to the region of Pennsylvania.

Explorations were confined to the Delaware River vicinity, where fur trading with the Native Americans was carried on. The original permanent settlement was established on Tinicum Island Tinicum Island , area in the Delaware River, SW of Philadelphia, separated from the mainland by creeks and marshes. Site of the first European settlement in Pennsylvania, it was the capital of New Sweden from 1643 to 1655. ..... Click the link for more information. (1643) in the Delaware River by Johan Printz Printz, Johan Björnsson , 1592–1663, colonial governor of New Sweden, b. Bottnaryd, Sweden. After serving as a mercenary in the armies of various European princes, he obtained a post in the Swedish army (1625) and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. ..... Click the link for more information. , governor of New Sweden New Sweden, Swedish colony (1638–55), on the Delaware River; included parts of what are now Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

With the support of Swedish statesman Axel Oxenstierna, Admiral Klas Fleming (a Finn), and Peter Minuit (a Dutchman), the New Sweden Company ..... Click the link for more information. , and was followed in the succeeding years by the neighboring colony of Uppland. Swedish jurisdiction was short-lived as the Dutch, operating from their stronghold in New Amsterdam, succeeded in gaining control of the Middle Atlantic region in 1655. In turn the Dutch were overpowered by the British forces of Col. Richard Nicolls, acting for the duke of York (later James II), and in 1664 the British took over the Delaware area. The duke of York remained in control until 1681, when, in payment of a royal debt, William Penn Penn, William, 1644–1718, English Quaker, founder of Pennsylvania, b. London, England; son of Sir William Penn. Early Life He was expelled (1662) from Oxford for his religious nonconformity and was then sent by his father to the Continent to overcome his ..... Click the link for more information.

was granted proprietary rights to almost the whole of what is now Pennsylvania, and, in addition, leased the three Lower Counties (see Delaware Delaware , one of the Middle Atlantic states of the United States, the country's second smallest state (after Rhode Island). It is bordered by Maryland (W, S), and there is a short border with Pennsylvania (N); New Jersey (E) is across the Delaware Bay and Delaware River ..... Click the link for more information. ). Penn's Colony A devout Quaker who had suffered for his beliefs, Penn viewed his colony as a holy experiment, designed to grant asylum to the persecuted under conditions of equality and freedom. In 1681 he sent William Markham as his deputy to establish a government at Uppland and sent instructed commissioners to plot the City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia), which was laid out a few miles north of the confluence of the Delaware and the Schuylkill rivers. Penn carefully constructed a constitution, known as the Frame of Government, that gave Pennsylvania the most liberal government in the colonies. Religious freedom was guaranteed to all who believed in God, a humane penal code was adopted, and the emancipation of slaves was encouraged.

However, under the representative system that it established, the popular assembly was left in an inferior position in relation to the executive branches controlled by the proprietors. In 1682 Penn arrived at Uppland (renamed Chester). Shortly thereafter he met with the chiefs of the Delaware tribes and a famous treaty was signed that promoted long-lasting goodwill between the Native Americans and the European settlers. After Penn's death in 1718 proprietary rights were held by his heirs. By this time Pennsylvania had developed into a dynamic and growing colony, enriched by the continuous immigration of numerous different peoples. The Quakers, English, and Welsh were concentrated in Philadelphia and the eastern counties, where they acquired great commercial and financial power through foreign trade and where they achieved a political dominance which they held until the time of the American Revolution. Philadelphia had by then become the finest city in the nation, a leader in the arts and the professions. The Germans (Pennsylvania Dutch)—largely of the persecuted religious sects of Mennonites (including Amish), Moravians, Lutherans, and Reformed—settled in the farming areas of SE Pennsylvania, where they retained their cohesion and to a considerable extent their language, customs, architecture, and superstitions.

Western Settlement and Native American Resistance After 1718 the Scotch-Irish began colonizing in the Cumberland Valley and gradually pushed the frontiers toward W Pennsylvania. Their rugged independence and the peculiarities of their frontier problems made them rebellious against the established order. Throughout the province agriculture was the chief occupation, although industry was spurred by abundant water power and plentiful natural resources. In the west settlement was hindered by a growing unrest among the Native Americans. Penn's heirs lacked both the good sense and the ethical values that prompted Penn's fair and considerate treatment. Resentful of encroachment on their lands and of the land purchase made by the Albany Congress Albany Congress, 1754, meeting at Albany, N.Y., of commissioners representing seven British colonies in North America to treat with the Iroquois, chiefly because war with France impended. ..... Click the link for more information.

(1754), the Native Americans allied themselves with the French, who were then fortifying positions in the Ohio valley (see French and Indian Wars French and Indian Wars, 1689–1763, the name given by American historians to the North American colonial wars between Great Britain and France in the late 17th and the 18th cent. ..... Click the link for more information. ). The frontier settlements were severely ravaged until, after several reverses, the French abandoned (1758) Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne , at the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, on the site of Pittsburgh, SW Pa. Because of its strategic location, it was a major objective in the last of the French and Indian Wars. ..... Click the link for more information. to British and American forces under Gen. John Forbes.

The power of the Native Americans was not completely broken until the suppression of the uprising of 1763 (see Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's Rebellion, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's War, 1763–66, Native American uprising against the British just after the close of the French and Indian Wars, so called after one of its leaders, Pontiac. ..... Click the link for more information. ). The inept defenses provided by the Quaker-controlled assembly during the crisis aroused bitter resentment and intensified efforts to overturn proprietary rule. The struggle between proprietary and antiproprietary parties was soon overshadowed, however, by the opposition to British imperial policies that culminated in the American Revolution. The American Revolution and a New Nation Important Pennsylvanians of both dominant political parties emerged as leaders of the Revolutionary movement—Benjamin Franklin Franklin, Benjamin, 1706–90, American statesman, printer, scientist, and writer, b. Boston. The only American of the colonial period to earn a European reputation as a natural philosopher, he is best remembered in the United States as a patriot and diplomat. ..... Click the link for more information.

, Benjamin Rush Rush, Benjamin, 1745?–1813, American physician, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Byberry (now part of Philadelphia), Pa., grad. College of New Jersey (now Princeton), 1760, M.D. Univ. of Edinburgh, 1768. ..... Click the link for more information. , Joseph Reed Reed, Joseph, 1741–85, American Revolutionary political leader and army officer, b. Trenton, N.J. He studied law, was admitted (1763) to the bar, and then went to London to study at the Middle Temple. ..... Click the link for more information. , Thomas Mifflin Mifflin, Thomas, 1744–1800, American Revolutionary general and political leader, b. Philadelphia. Turning from business to public affairs, he was a member of the Pennsylvania provincial assembly and of the First Continental Congress. ..... Click the link for more information. , John Dickinson Dickinson, John, 1732–1808, American patriot and statesman, b. Talbot co., Md.

After studying law in Philadelphia and in London at the Middle Temple, he developed a highly successful practice in Philadelphia. ..... Click the link for more information. , Robert Morris Morris, Robert, 1734–1806, American merchant, known as the "financier of the American Revolution," and signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Liverpool, England. ..... Click the link for more information. , and Haym Salomon Salomon, Haym , 1740–85, American Revolutionary financier, b. Lissa (now Leszno), Poland. A Jewish emigrant from Poland, he was imprisoned (1778) by the British in New York City for aiding the Revolutionaries and was condemned to death, but he escaped to Philadelphia. ..... Click the link for more information. . In 1776 a provincial convention dominated by radical patriots created the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under one of the most democratic of the new state constitutions. The state was invaded by British troops, and notable engagements were fought in 1777 on the Brandywine (see Brandywine, battle of Brandywine, battle of, in the American Revolution, fought Sept.

11, 1777, along Brandywine Creek. The creek, formed by two small branches in SE Pennsylvania, flows southeast to join, near Wilmington, Del., the Christina River, which empties into the Delaware. ..... Click the link for more information. ) and at Germantown Germantown, residential section of NW Philadelphia, Pa. Settled by Dutch and Germans in 1683, Germantown became one of the earliest printing and publishing centers in the country. ..... Click the link for more information. . Philadelphia was occupied by the British, while Valley Forge Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill River, SE Pa., NW of Philadelphia. There, during the American Revolution, the main camp of the Continental Army was established (Dec., 1777–June, 1778) under the command of Gen. George Washington. ..... Click the link for more information. witnessed the heroic endurance of Washington's troops in the winter of 1777–78, making the site a shrine of patriotism.

In the postwar period, Pennsylvania's role as the geographical keystone of the new nation was strengthened by its resolution of boundary disputes that had persisted throughout the colonial period: agreement was reached with Maryland in 1784 by acceptance of the Mason-Dixon line; with Virginia and New York in 1786; with the United States and the Iroquois Confederacy in 1789; and with Connecticut in 1799 after bitter dissension in the Wyoming Valley. Philadelphia, host to the First and Second Continental Congresses (1774, 1775–81) and scene of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, was for many years the nation's leading city. It was the site of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, served as the seat of the new federal government from 1790 to 1800, and became a financial center through the organization of the First Bank of the United States (1791) and the U.S. Mint (1792).

In 1790 it was also the site of a convention that replaced the radical state constitution of 1776 with a more conservative one patterned after the federal Constitution, while retaining such liberal achievements as the act (1780) providing for the gradual abolition of slavery. Philadelphia was not, however, typical of the state as a whole. From the Whiskey Rebellion to the Civil War Opposition to federal taxation in rural Pennsylvania led to violence in the Whiskey Rebellion Whiskey Rebellion, 1794, uprising in the Pennsylvania counties W of the Alleghenies, caused by Alexander Hamilton's excise tax of 1791. The settlers, mainly Scotch-Irish, for whom whiskey was an important economic commodity, resented the tax as discriminatory and detrimental to ..... Click the link for more information. of 1794 and the Fries Rebellion of 1798 (see Fries Fries, John, c.1750–1818, American rebel, b. Montgomery co., Pa. After serving in the American Revolution, Fries became a traveling auctioneer.

Strongly opposed to the federal property taxes levied (1798) for a possible war with France, he stirred the Pennsylvania Germans ..... Click the link for more information. , John), while anti-eastern sentiment forced removal of the state capital to Lancaster Lancaster. 1 Uninc. city (1990 pop. 97,291), Los Angeles co., S Calif., in Antelope Valley and in the Mojave Desert; laid out 1894. It developed as a trade center for an irrigated farming area and has since become an important site for electronic, aerospace, aircraft, and ..... Click the link for more information. in 1799, then to Harrisburg in 1812. Western influence in state affairs increased as the rapid movement of settlers into the Ohio country created new markets, stimulated the growth of new industries, and assured the importance of Pittsburgh and Erie as commercial centers. The economic and social development of W Pennsylvania also encouraged programs of internal improvements.

The turnpike era, initiated by the incorporation of the Lancaster Turnpike in 1792, was followed by an extensive canal-building program in the 1820s and 30s and, after the introduction of steam power, by an era of extensive railroad construction. Adequate provisions for free public education, championed by Gov. George Wolf and Thaddeus Stevens Stevens, Thaddeus, 1792–1868, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1849–53, 1859–68), b. Danville, Vt. He taught in an academy at York, Pa., studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Maryland. ..... Click the link for more information. , emerged in the Free School Act of 1834, which was implemented in 1849 by legislation making attendance by those of school age compulsory. Much of the early education was denominational, and many schools remained church-affiliated. In political life the Democratic party was generally dominant, and in 1857 Pennsylvania gave the nation a Democratic president in James Buchanan.

However, a split within the party over its opposition to slavery and the desire for a high protective tariff to protect the state's growing industries led to a Republican victory in 1860 and began Pennsylvania's long affiliation with the Republican party. Because of Pennsylvania's location near the South, it was the scene of several battles in the Civil War, notably the Gettysburg campaign Gettysburg campaign, June–July, 1863, series of decisive battles of the U.S. Civil War. The Road to Gettysburg After his victory in the battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate general Robert E. Lee undertook a second invasion of the North. ..... Click the link for more information. of 1863. The Rise of Industry and the Labor Movement With the close of the war came the rapid emergence of the state as a mighty industrial commonwealth. Supported by high protective tariffs, the industries found favorable markets and a constant supply of immigrant labor. The first oil well was dug at Titusville in 1859, and a number of fortunes, particularly that of the Rockefeller family, was founded on petroleum.

But it was steel that became the basic industry, using iron ore from the Lehigh valley and the Bethlehem area and the native Pennsylvania coal. Later the iron ore was transported in massive amounts across the Great Lakes. Under the manipulation of such men as Andrew Carnegie Carnegie, Andrew , 1835–1919, American industrialist and philanthropist, b. Dunfermline, Scotland. His father, a weaver, found it increasingly difficult to get work in Scottish factories and in 1848 brought his family to Allegheny (now Pittsburgh), Pa. ..... Click the link for more information. , Henry Frick Frick, Henry Clay, 1849–1919, American industrialist, b. Westmoreland co., Pa. He worked on his father's farm, was a store clerk, and did bookkeeping before he and several associates organized (1871) Frick & Company to operate coke ovens in the Connellsville coal ..... Click the link for more information. , Charles Schwab Schwab, Charles Michael , 1862–1939, American steel magnate, b. Williamsburg, Pa.

He started as a stake driver in Andrew Carnegie's steelworks and rose to become (1897) president of the Carnegie Steel Company and then the first president (1901) of the U.S. Steel Corp. ..... Click the link for more information. , and J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913; see under Morgan Morgan, American family of financiers and philanthropists. Junius Spencer Morgan, 1813–90, b. West Springfield, Mass., prospered at investment banking. As a boy he became a dry-goods clerk in Boston; later he entered a brokerage house in New York City. ..... Click the link for more information. , family) numerous interests were merged into vast combines with state and national influence. In the face of this increasing concentration of power, labor struggled to achieve safer working conditions, higher wages, and shorter hours. The campaign brought bloodshed during the fight between mine owners and the radical Molly Maguires Molly Maguires , secret organization of Irish-Americans in the coal-mining districts of Pennsylvania.

Its name came from a woman who led an extralegal, antilandlord organization in Ireland during the 1840s, and its membership was drawn from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an ..... Click the link for more information. and reached a climax in the strike at Homestead (see Homestead strike Homestead strike, in U.S. history, a bitterly fought labor dispute. On June 29, 1892, workers belonging to the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers struck the Carnegie Steel Company at Homestead, Pa. to protest a proposed wage cut. Henry C. ..... Click the link for more information. ) in 1892. The miners, under the leadership of John Mitchell Mitchell, John, 1870–1919, American labor leader, b. Braidwood, Ill. He became a miner at the age of 12 and in 1885 joined the Knights of Labor. When the United Mine Workers of America was formed (1890), he became a member; after his successful leadership of the S Illinois ..... Click the link for more information.

and aided by the intervention of Theodore Roosevelt, achieved a qualified victory in the anthracite strike of 1902, but the great steel strike of 1919 was broken. During the 1930s the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) successfully promoted unionization in many new areas and somewhat weakened the strength of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). By 1941 the CIO had succeeded in organizing the steel industry, while the United Mine Workers had acquired increasing strength among the workers in the coal fields. Government Reform and Economic Restructuring The powerful and corrupt political machine that had been built by Simon Cameron continued into the 20th cent. under the leadership of such bosses as Boies Penrose. Gifford Pinchot, a Progressive Republican and a vigorous "dry," was governor for two terms (1923–27, 1931–35) and did much to repair government through a new administrative code, an improved budget system, and pioneer work in conservation.

In 1979 the state suffered a near-disaster as an accident at the Three Mile Island Three Mile Island, site of a nuclear power plant 10 mi (16 km) south of Harrisburg, Pa. On Mar. 28, 1979, failure of the cooling system of the No. 2 nuclear reactor led to overheating and partial melting of its uranium core and production of hydrogen gas, which raised fears of ..... Click the link for more information. nuclear facility near Harrisburg resulted in a partial meltdown. Pennsylvania's population has grown slowly since the 1940s, when it was the second largest state in the union; it was the sixth most populous state after the 2000 census. After losing hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the 1980s, the state's economy experienced a notable shift to the service sector. Some of Pennsylvania's enterprises did grow, however, and in recent years such high-tech industries as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals have flourished, largely in the suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Bibliography See S. G. Fisher, The Making of Pennsylvania (2d ed. 1969); A. S.

Bolles, Pennsylvania, Province and State: A History from 1609 to 1790 (2 vol., 1970); P. H. Gibbons, Pennsylvania Dutch (3d ed. 1971); W. H. Egle, Pennsylvania Women in the American Revolution (1898, repr. 1972); C. A. Hanna, The Wilderness Trail (2 vol., 1911; repr. 1972); P. S. Klein and A. Hoogenboom, A History of Pennsylvania (2d ed. 1980); E. W. Miller, Pennsylvania: Keystone to Progress (1986); D. J. Cuff et al., Atlas of Pennsylvania (1989).

Pennsylvania State Information Office of the Governor 225 Main Capitol Bldg Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-787-2500 fax: 717-772-8284 Secretary of the Commonwealth 302 North Office Bldg Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-787-6458 fax: 717-787-1734 Pennsylvania Commonwealth Libraries 333 Market St Harrisburg, PA 17126 717-787-2646 fax: 717-772-3265 Legal Holidays: Day after Thanksgiving Nov 25, 2011 ; Nov 23, 2012 ; Nov 29, 2013 ; Nov 28, 2014 ; Nov 27, 2015 ; Nov 25, 2016 ; Nov 24, 2017 ; Nov 23, 2018 ; Nov 29, 201

9 ; Nov 27, 2020 ; Nov 26, 2021 ; Nov 25, 2022 ; Nov 24, 2023 Pennsylvania a state of the northeastern US: almost wholly in the Appalachians, with the Allegheny Plateau to the west and a plain in the southeast; the second most important US state for manufacturing.

Capital: Harrisburg. Pop.: 12 365 455 (2003 est.). Area: 116 462 sq. km (44 956 sq. miles) Pennsylvania, overview of the Quaker State other states | articles This is an extract of the main sights in this state, with small photos. You will find the full description and full-sized photos in my e-book View America: Mid Atlantic In the travel series View America, this book describes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC. Each state is described with its own brief historical background and its main sights, points of interest and tourist attractions. It is not a traditional travel story, but a non-commercial and more or less objective chronicle of an in-depth exploration of these states. My book does not describe lodgings, restaurants or entertainment, except where these may interact with the narrative. It is illustrated with more than 120 full-sized photos. OVERVIEW PENNSYLVANIA is one of the thirteen original colonies , and it is also known as the Quaker State, because of its religious origins, and the Keystone State, for its central location among the thirteen colonies.

The name "Penn-sylvania" means "Penn's woodland", as the land was given to Admiral William Penn, whose son founded the colony in 1682, for the Society of Friends or Quakers and other religious minorities. Given its freedom of religion, the Quakers were quickly followed by Mennonites, French Huguenots and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania became the second state to join the US. The capital is Harrisburg, and the largest cities are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, which together account for more than 60% of the population. The surface is approximately 119,000 km2, and thanks to replanting the forestation rate is back to 59 %. The state has approximately 12.3 million inhabitants, with a density of 106 per km2. In order of population, California ranks first, followed by Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. There are many animals, including the black bear. Pennsylvania is strategically located on the east coast, and it has large natural resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, forests, and agricultural land.

Pittsburgh became a major center for coal and steel, while Philadelphia became an industrial center. For more than two hundred years Pennsylvania produced virtually all of the anthracite in the US, and then switched over to cheaper bituminous coal (coke). In 1859, the world's first oil well was drilled in Titusville, and until 1900, the state was the largest oil producer, after which it switched to natural gas. The combination of cheap coal and ores, still make the state the largest American steel producer. During the 18th century, Pennsylvania was also the largest timber producer, but around 1900 they ran out of forests... The Lancaster area still grows tobacco. Pennsylvania played a central role in the history of the USA. In 1754, George Washington and his Virginia militia fought the French, during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Twelve years later, the same French would become his allies against the English... On July 4, 1776, Philadelphia voted the Declaration of Independence, and a new constitution was drafted.

On July 1, 1863, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Battle of Gettysburg became a military turning point. Points of interest are the Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Valley Forge and Gettysburg. Also of interest are the Amish farms around Lancaster. THINGS TO SEE Lancaster : Amish country The southeastern part of Pennsylvania is a relatively densely populated agricultural area. It has a large number of small villages, instead of the traditional major cities in other states, fewer in number but larger in size. This could explain the relatively few number of Interstates. The original Pennsylvania settlers were Swedes. These were expelled by the Dutch, who in turn knuckled under to the British... When Penn opened the colony to immigrants, a vast majority of them came from Germany and Switzerland. The Lancaster area is sometimes also called Dutch Country, even though this denomination is not entirely correct. The early settlers never mastered the difficult German diphthong "eu" in Deutsch, (pronounced as "oy"), and therefore turned it into the more familiar Dutch... Nevertheless, a few town names still refer to ancient Dutch settlements, such as New Holland!

Philadelphia The Philadelphia skyline is certainly worth a look, as does the elegant Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The historic Market Square is the original old warehouse and market area. In the port, Penn's Landing is the place where Penn first came ashore, and just ahead there is a splendid statue, to commemorate the many Irish immigrants. Gettysburg : museum of Civil War Gettysburg is the proud home of the Gettysburg Museum of Civil War. In 1863, Gettysburg was the scene of the greatest clash of the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee, with some 75,000 Confederate soldiers, battled against General George C. Meade, who had some 97,000 Union soldiers. This terrible confrontation resulted in fifty-one thousand dead soldiers, and five thousand dead horses... The various battlefields are open to visits, and there are many statues and monuments. The museum is also home to the Electric Map, which is a display of the battlefield, set up on a large table. Another presentation is the Cyclorama Center, where a huge painting of twenty-seven by three hundred and sixty feet (eight by one hundred and nine meters) details several scenes of Pickett's charge.

State Nicknames New Mexico - South Carolina North Carolina In 1629, King Charles I of England "erected into a province," all the land from Albemarle Sound on the north to the St. John's River on the south, which he directed should be called Carolina. The word Carolina is from the word Carolus, the Latin form of Charles. When Carolina was divided in 1710, the southern part was called South Carolina and the northern, or older settlement, North Carolina. From this came the nickname the Old North State. Historians have recorded that the principle products during the early history of North Carolina were "tar, pitch, and turpentine." It was during one of the fiercest battles of the War Between the States, so the story goes, that the column supporting the North Carolina troops was driven from the field.

After the battle the North Carolinians, who had successfully fought it out alone, were greeted from the passing derelict regiment with the question: "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" Quick as a flash came the answer: "No, not a bit, old Jeff's bought it all up." "Is that so; what is he going to do with it?" was asked. "He's going to put on you-un's heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Creecy relates that General Lee, upon hearing of the incident, said: "God bless the Tar Heel boys," and from that they took the name. (Adapted from Grandfather Tales of North Carolina by R.B. Creecy and Histories of North Carolina Regiments, Vol. III, by Walter Clark). North Dakota The International Peace Garden straddles the international Boundary between North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

In 1956 the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department, on its own initiative, placed the words Peace Garden State on license plates; the name proved so popular that it was formally adopted by the 1957 legislature (North Dakota Century Code (NDCC), Section 39-04-12). Flickertail State refers to the Richardson ground squirrels which are abundant in North Dakota. The animal flicks or jerks its tail in a characteristic manner while running or just before entering its burrow. In 1953 the Legislative Assembly defeated Senate Bill (S.B.) No. 134 that would have adopted the Flickertail facsimile as the official emblem of the state. Roughrider State - This name originated in a state-supported tourism promotion of the 1960s and 70s. It refers to the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry which Theodore Roosevelt organized to fight in the Spanish-American War. In fact, the "Roughriders," which included several North Dakota cowboys, fought dismounted in Cuba due to logistical problems. In both 1971 (House Bill No.

{H.B. No.} 1383) and 1973 (G.B. No. 1443) the Legislative Assembly defeated bills intended to change the words Peace Garden State on state license plates to Roughrider Country. source: Pennsylvania The word "keystone" comes from architecture and refers to the central, wedge-shaped stone in an arch, which holds all the other stones in place. The application of the term Keystone State to Pennsylvania cannot be traced to any single source. It was commonly accepted soon after 1800. At a Jefferson Republican victory rally in October 1802, Pennsylvania was toasted as "the keystone in the federal union," and in the newspaper Aurora the following year the state was referred to as "the keystone in the democratic arch." The modern persistence of this designation is justified in view of the key position of Pennsylvania in the economic, social, and political development of the United States. What is Pennsylvania's state nickname? | Reference.com What is Pennsylvania's state nickname?

A: Quick Answer The state nickname of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania is "The Keystone State." It is derived from Pennsylvania's central position among the original 13 colonies and its importance to the economical, political and social development of the United States: Pennsylvania was the second state admitted to the Union. Full Answer The state motto is "Virtue, Liberty and Independence." The state coat of arms features a shield flanked by a bald eagle, bordered by horses and decorated with a clay-red plough, a ship and bundles of wheat to indicate the state's strength in commerce. A cornstalk and olive branch cross limbs below to signify peace and prosperity. Pennsylvania Facts & History Pennsylvania | Official Travel Guide Virtue, Liberty, and Independence The Keystone State A "keystone" is a central, wedge-shaped stone which holds all the other stones of a structure in place to form an arch. In early America, Pennsylvania played a vital geographic and strategic role in holding together the states of the newly formed Union. Today, Pennsylvania continues to be of key importance to the social, economic and political development of the United States.

State Slogan: Pursue Your Happiness On March 8, 2016, it was declared that whoever you are, no matter what you love to do, know that happiness is Pennsylvania’s keystone. It always has been. It lives in our historic treasures. Our dynamic urban spaces. Our greater-than-great outdoors. Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. In Pennsylvania, we hold these truths to be as self-evident today as they were in 1776. Learn more . The Commonwealth Pennsylvania is officially a Commonwealth, a word which comes from Old English and means the "common weal" or well-being of the public. In Pennsylvania, all legal processes are carried out in the name of the Commonwealth, although the word does not appear on the State Seal. The State Coat of Arms Pennsylvania's Coat of Arms is probably the state's most familiar symbol.

Based on a 1778 design by Caleb Lownes of Philadelphia, it features a shield crested by an American Bald Eagle, flanked by horses and adorned with symbols of Pennsylvania's strengths - a ship carrying state commerce to all parts of the world; a clay-red plough, signifying our rich natural resources; and three golden sheaves of wheat, suggesting fertile fields and Pennsylvania's wealth of human thought and action. An olive branch and cornstalk cross limbs beneath - a message of peace and prosperity. The state motto is festooned below. The State Flag In 1799, the General Assembly authorized the official Pennsylvania State Flag, a banner fringed in gold with the Coat of Arms embroidered on a field of blue. During the Civil War, some Pennsylvania regiments carried battle flags modeled after the American flag, but with our Coat of Arms in place of the block of stars in the corner. This kind of creative license was discouraged in 1907 when the General Assembly acted to standardize the State Flag.

The State Seal Authorized by the General Assembly in 1791, the Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a symbol of authenticity which verifies that proclamations, commissions and other papers of state are legal and official. The face of the Seal displays symbols identical to the Coat of Arms, without the supporting horses, and is used most frequently as an imprint. The reverse side, or counterseal, pictures Liberty dominating Tyranny in the form of a lion, along with the warning "Both Can't Survive." State Bird: Ruffed Grouse Settlers relied on this plump, red-brown bird with the feathery legs as part of their food supply. Sometimes called a partridge, the Ruffed Grouse is still a familiar sight in Pennsylvania's forests. Designated June 22,1931 State Tree: Hemlock The Hemlock was a sturdy ally to the state's first settlers. Many a pioneer family felt better protected from the elements and their enemies inside log cabins made from the patriarch of Pennsylvania's forests.

Designated June 23, 1931 State Flower: Mountain Laurel In mid-June, every sunny mountainside in Pennsylvania is a still-life in pink pastels -- a sight which delighted members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate as well as the wife of Pennsylvania governor Gifford Pinchot. Together, they prevailed over Pinchot's preference for the azalea to name the Mountain Laurel as the official state flower. Designated May 5,1933 State Animal: The Whitetail Deer Indians and settlers depended on the Whitetail Deer to feed, clothe and shelter them year round. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the nation's first game laws in 1721 to protect these valuable animals, some of whom grew to 350 pounds. Whitetail Deer continue to flourish today in Pennsylvania's forests. Designated October 2, 1959 State Dog: Great Dane The next time you visit the Governor's Reception Room in Harrisburg, look for a portrait of William Penn with his Great Dane. Now a popular pet, the Great Dane was a hunting and working breed in frontier Pennsylvania. The choice of State Dog is also unique for the vote that approved it.

When the Speaker of the House called for a voice vote to designate the Great Dane, yips, growls and barks assaulted his ears from every part of the chamber! With a rap of his gavel, the Speaker confirmed that the "arfs have it" and the "Barking Dog Vote" entered the annals of legislative history. Designated August 15, 1965 State Fish: Brook Trout There is nothing more beautiful than the flash of a Brook Trout beneath a bubbling current -- especially for Pennsylvania's 1.1 million anglers. Over 4,000 miles of cold water streams form the natural habitat of this fish, the only trout native to Pennsylvania. Designated March 9,1970 State Insect: Firefly Pennsylvanians know fireflies as "lightning bugs" that brighten a still summer night. That may be why some Pennsylvania citizens heard the word "firefly" and confused it with "blackfly," a pest that plagued the Commonwealth in 1988.

To clarify the identity of the State Insect, the General Assembly rewrote the law later that year singling out the firefly by its Latin name; Poturis Pensylvanica De Geer. Designated April 10,1974 State Beverage: Milk This designation is a fitting tribute to one of the Commonwealth's leading farm products. It also salutes the state's gentle dairy cows who each produce a generous 22 quarts of milk a day. Designated April 29,1982 State Beautification Plant: Crownvetch Since the late 1950s, a profusion of white and lavender blossoms has trimmed the edges of Pennsylvania highways. Scientists at Penn State University developed the hearty Crownvetch to use as a groundcover for erosion control. The versatile plant is also of value to agribusiness as a feed for livestock. Designated June 17, 1982 State Steam Locomotive: K4s Steam The K4s Steam Locomotive is everyone's idea of a typical train engine. The boxy, black cylinder with the short stack on top was the main passenger locomotive of the Pennsylvania railroad for 30 years.

At one time, 425 of these powerful coal-burners steamed across the state -- every one built in Pennsylvania.The State Steam Locomotive is on display in railroad museums in Altoona and Strasburg. Designated December 18, 1987 State Electric Locomotive: GCI4849 Electric The GGI 4859 Electric Locomotive is one of 138 sleek and shiny bullets that smoked the rails at speeds above 100 miles per hour. Built in 1937, the GGI 4859 pulled troop trains to military destinations during World War II and continued powering coal and passenger cars until retirement in 1979. The State Electric Locomotive is displayed in Harrisburg. Designated December 18, 1987 State Ship: United States Brig Niagara The Niagara, under Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, was decisive in the War of 1812. On September 10, 1813, it defeated a British squadron in the Battle of Lake Eric. The Niagara is displayed in Erie.

Designated May 26, 1988 State Fossil: Phacops Rana A water animal measuring just one to four inches, the Phacops Rana lived and left its mark Pennsylvania more than 250 million years ago. A science class of elementary school students brought this tiny invertebrate to the attention of the House of Representatives. Designated December 5, 1988 State Song "Pennsylvania" The official state song of the Commonwealth was written and composed by Eddie Khoury and Ronnie Bonner and is the official song for all public purposes. Designated November 29, 1990 Verse 1

Question: Which state, the second to join the union, is known as the Keystone State?
Answer: Pennsylvania