In the colonial period, the Pennsylvania colony, initially called the Province of Pennsylvania, was one of the 13 original colonies of colonial America!The local colonies were divided into three geographical locations: the New England colonies, the middle colonies, and the southern colonies. The Pennsylvania colony was one of the four middle colonies, including the New York colony, the Delaware colony, and the New Jersey colony.Colonial Pennsylvania was one of the two major restoration colonies. The charter of the original Pennsylvania colony remained in the hands of the Penn family until it was overthrown by the American Revolution when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was formed and became one of the original thirteen states. ‘The lower counties of Delaware’, originally a part of provincial Pennsylvania, broke away during the American Revolution and became the state of Delaware, one of the original 13 states.During the European exploration, the land area was conflicted between the English, the French, the Spanish, the Dutch, and the Swedes. Many explorers claimed ownership of the territory, including Christopher Columbus. The Pennsylvania colony attracted Germans, Scotch-Irish frontiersmen, and the Quakers. The Lenape, who are the indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, promoted peace amongst the Quakers. However, Lenape beliefs were demonized even though they had come seeking religious freedom in the first place. Later, Philadelphia became a commercial city and a major port.Once you have finished reading this article, why not head over and discover Pennsylvania facts or learn more of Pennsylvania history facts!Pennsylvania Colony Foundation And NameThe story of the Pennsylvania colony began in London on October 24, 1664, with the birth of William Penn, the Admiral Sir William Penn’s son. Despite being an excellent student and a high school position holder, he shocked his peers by his conversion to the beliefs of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, then a persecuted sect for their views on religious freedom. Despite the disapproval towards his religion, he was socially accepted in the king’s court due to the support of the Duke of York, later King James II.King Charles II owed Penn $ 80,000, which his father, Admiral Sir William Penn, had lent him. As a payment of this debt and searching for refuge in the New World, Penn accepted a land grant in the territory between the provinces of Maryland under Lord Baltimore and New York under the Duke of York. The king signed the Pennsylvania charter on March 4, 1681, and it was officially proclaimed on April 2 in the New World, near the Delaware River.William Penn initially decided to name the English colony New Wales. However, after objection from a Welsh member of England’s privy council, William Penn chose to call Sylvania, the Latin word for ‘woods’. After this, King Charles II later changed the name of the colony to Pennsylvania, the Latin word for ‘Penn’s woods’, in honor of Admiral Sir William Penn.The Founding Of PennsylvaniaBefore the settlement of the Europeans and the formation of the English colonies, Pennsylvania was inhabited by many Native American tribes, namely the Leni Lenape, the Erie, the Huron, and the Iroquois (especially Seneca and Oneida), amongst many others. Pennsylvania was an ethnically diverse community with many different sects of beliefs co-existing in harmony.William Penn sailed to the Pennsylvania colony in 1682. There, he immediately forged a peace treaty with the Lenape tribe of Native Americans, the original proprietors of the land. Even though Penn had an official charter issued for the proprietorship of the land, he bought the land from the chief of the tribe. Thus, ensuring peaceful economic relations.William Penn named the land where the treaty was signed Philadelphia, derived from the Greek words ‘Philos’ (love) and ‘andadelphos’ (brother). The name translates to ‘brotherly love’.Pennsylvania Colony EconomyThe Pennsylvania colony’s landscape is abundant with mountains, coastal plains, plateaus, and fertile soil for farming. Due to the mild climate of the middle colonies, with warm summers and moderate winters, agriculture is one of the significant activities in Pennsylvania. The agriculture industry invests in corn, wheat, dairy, and livestock farming. The farms usually cover about 50-150 acres (20.2-60.7 ha) each, with barns, houses, and fields. Pennsylvania was ranked as one of the leading agricultural exporters and had developed exceptionally prosperous farmlands in southern Pennsylvania by the 1750s.In addition to agriculture, Pennsylvania also has abundant natural resources like timber, iron ore, furs, coal, and forest preserves. The state is also involved in manufacturing commodities from iron ore, textile mills, shipbuilding, and papermaking. Pennsylvania exports iron ore products like kettles, nails, ploughs, and more to different countries. Along with iron manufacturing, shipbuilding is another important industry in Delaware.Using the power from the numerous streams, sawmills and gristmills were among the first industries to emerge in Pennsylvania. Textile products were spun out mainly from home, though textile exports’ factory production was not unknown.By 1700, the Pennsylvania colony became the third richest and biggest colony in the United States, despite being chartered only eight years earlier in 1682. By the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, the Pennsylvania colony was the most industrious in colonial America.Pennsylvania Colony Culture And PeopleThe Pennsylvania colony was among the middle colonies, along with the New York colony, the Delaware Colony, and the New Jersey colony. The territory was predominantly inhabited by Quakers, a Christian sect, and their religious beliefs and values. Since most Quakers had come from Wales, New England, they were mostly called Welsh Quakers. The Quakers established a society of religious freedom. The Pennsylvania colony was called the ‘Athens of America’ due to its religious and cultural diversity.Pennsylvania also had a population of native Americans with whom the Quakers shared cordial, peaceful relations. They had an unsworn peace treaty that was never broken. In addition, the Quakers did not help the New Englanders in the Indian wars. The Pennsylvania colony also attracted immigrants who made Pennsylvania their home. Pennsylvania is home to religious groups and communities such as the Catholics, Amish, Mennonites, Protestants, Jews, Lutherans, Scots, Germans, African Americans, and the Irish. Quakers greatly influenced government policies and decisions as to the most significant religious group.Even though the Quakers opposed slavery, about 4,000 African-Americans had been brought to Pennsylvania as slaves by 1,730, most of them owned by English, Welsh, and Scotch-Irish colonists. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 was the country’s first emancipation law. The colonial government established in 1683 consisted of an appointed governor, the proprietor (William Penn), a 72-membered provincial council, and a much more inclusive general assembly. The general assembly, also known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, was the most representative and inclusive body, though it had very little power.The colonial Pennsylvania government was predominantly Welsh Quakers and was influenced by their ideologies. The government maintained a policy of low taxes and low public debt. The colony also promoted low inflation, which attracted more European colonists to Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania colony did not maintain a state-issued military, which significantly reduced the expenses of the state. The spare money was used for the welfare of the colonists.One of the most notable Pennsylvania colonists was Benjamin Franklin, the founding father of a polymath (a person with knowledge in many fields). In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite-flying experiment to prove lightning is electricity.Other notable colonists include:John Dickinson: He was one of the founding fathers of the United States.Thomas McKean: Thomas McKean was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall and the second Governor of Pennsylvania.James Wilson: He was the lawyer present at the independence hall and was also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.Thomas Paine: He was the first to coin and publicly recognize ‘The United States of America’. His famous work, Common Sense, published in 1776, was arguably the most famous and influential argument explaining the American Revolution.Robert Morris: Robert Morris moved to Philadelphia in around 1749. He was also known as the financier of the revolution because of his securing of financial assistance in the Revolutionary War for the American colonial side.Pennsylvania Colony And The United StatesAt the time of establishing the Pennsylvania colony, only three counties existed, namely Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chester. By the time of the start of the French and Indian War in 1754, the assembly had established the additional counties of York, Lancaster, Berks, Northampton, and Cumberland. By 1773, three counties increased to 11.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the location of the first Continental Congress in 1774 and later the second Continental Congress in 1775. The 1775 Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Independence Hall in Philadelphia.As a result of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, the American Revolutionary War began between the British Army and the Continental Army of the United States. The Continental Army was led by General George Washington and his army from his camp in Valley Forge. During the war, the liberty bell was hidden in Zion’s Reform Church in Allentown. The American Revolutionary War came to an end on September 3, 1783. The Proprietary Pennsylvania colony officially became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on December 12, 1787. The Pennsylvania colony, later the State of Pennsylvania, became the second state of the United States of America and was one of the 13 original states of the United States. December 12, 1787, marks the day of the official ratification of the United States Constitution by the state of Pennsylvania. It marked the official joining of Pennsylvania with the union.Pennsylvania is a state with a rich culture and history and was one of the forefront colonies in terms of economy and development. The story of Pennsylvania speaks volumes about itself. This state of courageous history is an ideal location for visiting with family and friends. Notable landmarks that are a must-visit in Pennsylvania include Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell, Gettysburg, and Valley Forge.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Pennsylvania colonies facts, then why not take a look at historical facts about Florida, or Michigan history facts?
In the colonial period, the Pennsylvania colony, initially called the Province of Pennsylvania, was one of the 13 original colonies of colonial America!
