We are here to introduce you to Pennsylvania, one of the 50 states in the USA.Pennsylvania is named after William Penn’s father, Admiral William Penn. Pennsylvania is the ninth most densely populated state, though small in surface area.It was also a keystone state economically, as it possessed both the north’s industry and the south’s farmland. It also has a baseball hall. It is also known as the chocolate capital. Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates, the National Basketball Association’s Philadelphia 76ers, the National Football League’s Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union are all based in Pennsylvania.Did you know that Pennsylvania is amongst the top states for coal mining!You name a famous artist, a great politician, a wealthy businessman, best-seller novelists, athletes, or activists; Pennsylvania has them all covered. It is, therefore, natural to wonder if the Pennsylvanians are born winners. We are taking you on a ride to Pennsylvania, and we will spill interesting facts and sharpen your knowledge about the state. Let us introduce you to the land of greats, Pennsylvania. Afterward, do check out these facts on New York state major cities and Tennessee facts.Pennsylvania: State HistoryPennsylvania is known for the rich history it is filled with, and the land of this state is filled with historical lore.The state’s boundaries were a matter of dispute in the early 1600s, with other colonies like the Dutch, the Swedes, and the English claiming their rights over it. British took control of the land in 1664. King Charles II of England awarded a large part of Pennsylvanian land to William Penn. William Penn later named the land Pennsylvania after his family name ‘Penn.’ Since the land was rich in forests and vegetation, he used ‘sylvania,’ Latin for forest land, to complete the name.The border dispute did not end with William Penn. It was further exacerbated during the 1700s when New York and Connecticut claimed the northern part of the state, Maryland claimed southern parts, and Virginia disputed southwest borders. The wars were settled by 1800, and Pennsylvania shared borders with Maryland, called the Mason-Dixon line. Today, this is the border between the north and south in the state.Pennsylvania also became a witness to the American War of Independence. Philadelphia, one of the cities in Pennsylvania, was at the center of the revolt. In the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.Still reeling under British control, in 1777, the situation worsened when the English defeated the Americans in the Battle of Brandywine. The British then took control of Philadelphia. It was only in 1778 that they finally left the city, and the war ended.In Philadelphia, a new constitution was adopted in 1787; Pennsylvania thus became the 2nd state to join the union of the United States.In 1861, civil war broke out in the USA, showcasing its loyalty towards the union. Pennsylvania played an instrumental role in ensuring the victory. The Battle of Gettysburg was bravely fought on the lands of Pennsylvania in 1863. Pennsylvanian history and its contribution to American peace are second to none.The Delaware Valley is centered around the state’s main city Philadelphia, and Greater Pittsburgh is Pennsylvania’s two most populous metropolitan areas. The state was founded in 1681. It was due to a royal land gift to William Penn, the son of the state’s namesake, and was one of the thirteen original founding states of the United States. The Colony of New Sweden, which included parts of Pennsylvania and the present-day state of Delaware, had been established earlier. It was the second state to approve the United States Constitution on December 12, 1787.In Philadelphia, the state’s main city, Independence Hall is where the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were drafted. The Battle of Gettysburg took place in the state’s south-central region during the American Civil War. During the harsh winter of 1777–78, General George Washington had his headquarters at Valley Forge, outside Philadelphia. In 1774, when the United States Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia, 12 colonies sent members to the First Continental Congress.The Second Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia, drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. Still, when the city was overrun by the British, the Continental Congress fled west, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on September 27, 1777, and subsequently at York. They and the book’s principal author, John Dickinson, drafted the Articles of Confederation, which brought 13 separate states into a new one.The Constitution was written later, and Philadelphia was once again designated as the cradle of the new American Union. The Commonwealth’s General Assembly gathered in several locations around Philadelphia for half a century before beginning to meet regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years.The General Assembly refused to take up residence in the structure. In response to public outrage, a second competition was held in 1901, this time-limited to Pennsylvania architects. Joseph Miller Huston of Philadelphia was chosen to design the current Pennsylvania State Capitol, incorporating Cobb’s building into a magnificent public work building completed and dedicated in 1907.After the city of Philadelphia was consolidated in 1854, one county, Philadelphia County, became coterminous with the city. Philadelphia is the most populous county in Pennsylvania, while Cameron is the least populated. Pennsylvania is famous for mount Davis, Kennett square, and whitetail deer. Harrisburg is the state capital and the state’s 15th-largest municipality.Great Places To Visit In PennsylvaniaPennsylvania is also nicknamed the Keystone city. The term “keystone” derives from architecture and refers to the central, wedge-shaped stone that holds all the other stones in place in an arch.Suppose you are a keen traveler and intend to witness a beautiful blend of art and architecture, nature and picturesque sites, as well as modernism and historical richness. In that case, Pennsylvania is the place for you. You do not need to wonder what to do; go out there and live every moment.When in Pennsylvania, there is never a dull moment. There is no shortage of places you can visit. A visit to Pennsylvania is never complete without wandering through the corridors of Independence hall or the liberty bell. To consume its historical richness and scenic beauty, you must know which places must top your priority list.Philadelphia: We know the historical significance that this place possesses. All those pages you read in history books come alive at this place. The liberty bell, the independence hall, the declaration of Independence is a sight to behold.Pittsburgh: This place is where modernism has reached its peak, industrial appearance, big headquarters. It is a city where people are on their toes, yet there is vibrancy and wholesomeness.Gettysburg: Remember the Battle of Gettysburg we just talked about? The city has a Gettysburg National military park that brings alive the civil war era, minus the bloodshed and killings, obviously.Lancaster: Looking for peace in a fast-paced world? Lancaster is waiting for you. Amish farms and Dutch communities reside with ease and quiet here. Visit farmlands, orchards, and winding roads of this city.Historic covered bridges: The first covered bridge in the state was built in 1805 over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia; although burnt in fire then, the state now boasts of clusters of covered bridges.The majority of Pennsylvania’s Hispanics are of Puerto Rican heritage, and the state has one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing Puerto Rican populations. Mexicans and Dominicans make up the majority of the remaining Hispanic population. The majority of Hispanics live in Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, and South Central Pennsylvania, and the recorded number of Hispanics in Pennsylvania has risen dramatically in recent years. The Philadelphia Zoo, the country’s first zoo, is located in Pennsylvania. The Erie Zoo and the Pittsburgh Zoo, as well as the PPG Aquarium, are two other AZA-accredited zoos.The Carnegie Museums located in Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and several other museums in the Commonwealth are among the best in the country. The first computer was made here. Religious freedom is very high. Because of its central location among the original Thirteen Colonies that founded the United States and the number of key American documents that were signed there, Pennsylvania has been known as the Keystone State since 1802.Joe Montana, James Buchanan, and Joe Namath are from this state. Pennsylvania also has a presidential mansion. It is the food snack capital of the world. A visit to Pennsylvania is never complete without wandering through the corridors of Independence hall or the liberty bell. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, or PennDOT, owns 39,861 mi (63,777 km) of Pennsylvania’s 121,770 mi (194,832 km) roadway, making it the country’s fifth-largest state highway system.The Flag Of PennsylvaniaEvery state of the USA has a state symbol. The Pennsylvanian flag is a dark blue field in the background, there is a central coat of arms, and two black horses support it.The seal of the coat of arms in the flag was founded way back in 1777, but the seal was authorized to be used on the flag only on April 9, 1799. Coat of arms is a symbol of Pennsylvania’s strengths, and it is composed of sheaves of wheat, corn stalk, and farming plow. The ship represents strong trade in the state, and the olive branch reflects peace and prosperity.However, the flag’s current design is a slight modification of the earlier one, which became official in 1907.Pennsylvania: German LanguagePennsylvania is home to 13, 011,844 Americans as per the US census count in 2020. And almost 250,000 Pennsylvanians speak Pennsylvania German, also called ‘Pennsylvania Dutch.‘Most of these German speakers migrated to the state in the early 17th and 18th centuries from places like South Germany, Switzerland, France and settled here. Those who lived in seclusion and the hinterland away from urbanism have maintained their German dialect. Therefore modern descendants of these migrants now speak a language which is a beautiful blend of High Germans, various other German dialects, and English.Famous People Born In PennsylvaniaWe have learned thus far about the scenic beauty and rich history of Pennsylvania.The state’s legacy does not end here but continues with stars like Taylor Swift, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant, and Joe Biden himself. Noam Chomsky, Gary Becker, Dwayne Johnson, and Will Smith are extremely popular people born in Pennsylvania.Did you know?Pennsylvania is a landlocked state in the United States Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, and Appalachian regions, officially known as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Appalachian Mountains run across the Commonwealth, with Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.The first public zoo was established by George Blanda, where they distributed the polio vaccine. It is also known for mushroom farming. According to author Sharon Hernes Silverman, Pennsylvania is the world’s snack food capital. It manufactures more pretzels and potato chips than any other state. Pennsylvania is the 33rd-largest state in terms of area, and it is the fifth-most populous state in the United States.Along Lake Erie and the Delaware River, Pennsylvania boasts 140 mi (224 km) of waterfront. Summers are hot and humid in general. As one travels deeper into the state’s mountainous interior, the winter climate grows colder, the number of gloomy days increases, and snowfall amounts increase. It was also a keystone state economically, as it possessed both the north’s industry and the south’s farmland.The state’s western regions, particularly those near Lake Erie, can receive over 100 in (254 cm) of snow every year, while the entire state as a whole receives plenty of rain throughout the year.In 1774, when the United States Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia, 12 colonies sent members to the First Continental Congress. The Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Still, when that city was overrun by the British, the Continental Congress fled westward, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and subsequently at York.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for these Pennsylvania facts, then why not take a look at North Carolina facts or Oklahoma geography.
We are here to introduce you to Pennsylvania, one of the 50 states in the USA.
