- The seal for the state of Pennsylvania was legally adopted in 1791, though it had been in existence …
Location has played a major role in the history and development of the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's nickname, the Keystone State, refers to its central location among the 13 original states spread along the Atlantic seaboard. The city of Philadelphia served as the nation's seat of government until 1800. Pennsylvania's waterways link its cities with many major markets, making the state a major industrial center. The capital is Harrisburg. GeographyPennsylvania is in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States. It covers an area of 45,308 square miles (117,348 square kilometers). Pennsylvania's eastern boundary is the Delaware River, which separates the state from New Jersey and New York. In the north Pennsylvania borders New York and Lake Erie. Southeast of Pennsylvania is the state of Delaware. West Virginia borders Pennsylvania on both the south and west. Maryland is also south of Pennsylvania, and Ohio is to the west. A rugged plateau covers all of northern and western Pennsylvania except for a lowland plains area along Lake Erie. The Allegheny range of the Appalachian Mountains runs across the state from southwest to northeast. The Pocono Mountains are in the northeast. In the southeast are a hilly farming region and a fertile coastal plain. The eastern part of Pennsylvania is drained by the Delaware River and its branches. The western part is drained by the Ohio River system. The Susquehanna River drains the largest part of the state. Plants and animalsMore than half of Pennsylvania is forested. Hemlock is the state tree. Hickory, locust, maple, cherry, beech, black walnut, elm, chestnut, poplar, ash, sycamore, and willow are also common in the state. Since the late 19th century the state has made an effort to protect its forests and to plant new trees to replace those lost to logging and fires. Pennsylvania is a popular state for hunting. Its animals include deer, foxes, bobcats, and pheasants and other game birds. Yellow perch are plentiful in Lake Erie. People and cultureFour major Indian groups lived in Pennsylvania when Europeans arrived: the Delaware (also known as the Lenni Lenape), the Susquehannock, the Shawnee, and the Iroquois. Most were eventually pushed to the north or west. The Swedes and the Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in Pennsylvania, but English Quakers soon outnumbered them. Germans who settled in the state came to be known as Pennsylvania Dutch (the name does not refer to people from The Netherlands). African Americans are the largest minority group in Pennsylvania. At the start of the 21st century they made up about 10 percent of the state's population. About 3 percent of the people are Hispanic, and about 2 percent are Asian. CitiesMost Pennsylvanians live in cities or towns. The state's largest city is Philadelphia, located where the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers meet. It is a major historical, cultural, educational, and industrial center. The second-largest city is Pittsburgh, which stands at the head of the Ohio River. It is one of the nation's largest inland river ports. Historically known for its steel mills, Pittsburgh is now home to many high-technology companies. Other major cities include Erie and Allentown, which are industrial centers. Harrisburg, the capital, is on the Susquehanna River. RecreationMany tourists come to Pennsylvania to learn about the nation's history. Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia contains the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (the meeting place of the Constitutional Convention). Military sites have been preserved from the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War. Pennsylvania has more than 100 state parks and many state forests. Lake Erie and the Pocono Mountains are popular places for outdoor sports. Pennsylvania has many cultural attractions, especially in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Both cities have professional orchestras. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has one of the world's finest collections of art. Pittsburgh is home to the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. Pennsylvania's professional sports teams include the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates (baseball), the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers (football), the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers (hockey), and the Philadelphia 76ers (men's basketball). EducationReligious groups opened schools in what is now Pennsylvania in the later part of the 17th century. In 1834 the Free School Act set up a system of free public education in the state. In 1895 a law was passed that required all children to attend school. Pennsylvania has more than 100 colleges and universities. The private University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, was founded in 1740. In 1765 it opened the first medical school in North America. State-supported Pennsylvania State University has many campuses, the largest being at University Park. Other large institutions include Temple University, in Philadelphia, and the University of Pittsburgh. EconomyIndustry and miningPennsylvania has long been an industrial leader. The construction of the state's first ironworks in 1716 started its profitable iron and steel industry. Although the industry began to shrink in the 1960s, Pennsylvania still is a leading producer of metals and metal products. The state's factories also make chemicals, food products, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, and transportation equipment. In the late 20th century Pennsylvania came to rely more on high-technology and service industries. The state has been a leader in retail sales. A merchant named John Wanamaker founded the nation's first department store in Philadelphia in the 1870s. Pennsylvania is among the nation's largest producers of coal. Cement, stone, and sand and gravel are also mined. The world's first oil well was drilled near Titusville in August 1859. The state still produces some oil as well as natural gas. AgricultureAlthough much of the land is mountainous, Pennsylvania has many fertile valleys suitable for farming. Livestock, poultry, and their products account for much of the state's farm income. Pennsylvania is a major producer of milk, eggs, corn, mushrooms, and fruit. HistoryBefore the 17th century only Native Americans lived on the land that is now Pennsylvania. Swedes founded the area's first colony in 1638. The Dutch took over the territory in 1655, and nine years later the English seized the land. In 1681 King Charles II of England granted the area to Quaker leader William Penn. Penn wanted the colony to be a safe place for his fellow Quakers, who were punished for their religious beliefs in England. Penn took charge of the colony in 1682. The commonly accepted meaning of the name Pennsylvania is “Penn's Woods.” From colony to stateThe religious freedom of Pennsylvania attracted many people to the colony. Philadelphia, the colonial capital, became the largest city in America. The Native Americans of the region increasingly resisted the expansion of European settlements. Much of the fighting during the French and Indian War (1754–63) took place in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was also a key state during the period of the American Revolution. The first and second Continental Congresses met in Philadelphia, and the Declaration of Independence was signed there. Valley Forge was the site of the Continental Army's winter camp in 1777–78. The United States Constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787. Pennsylvania became the second state to approve the document, on December 12, 1787. The national capital was located in Philadelphia from 1790 to 1800, when it was moved to Washington, D.C. American Civil WarAs a state that opposed slavery, Pennsylvania stayed in the Union during the American Civil War (1861–65). In 1863 one of the key battles of the war took place at Gettysburg. During a service in which the battlefield was dedicated as a national cemetery, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address. Economic developmentMany parts of Pennsylvania became industrial centers in the 19th century. Pittsburgh developed into a leading steel producer beginning in the 1870s. During both world wars Pennsylvania's industries were major suppliers of iron and steel, arms, and machinery. In the decades after World War II, however, the state's steel workers faced problems caused by overseas competition. Coal miners and employees of some other industries also experienced job losses. Efforts were made to bring new jobs and businesses to the state. Recent eventsThe first major nuclear accident in the United States took place at the Three Mile Island plant near Harrisburg in 1979. Cleanup of the radioactive waste cost more than a billion dollars. The disaster cast doubt on the use of nuclear power as an energy source. On September 11, 2001, a hijacked airplane with 45 people aboard crashed in Somerset County, southeast of Pittsburgh. The plane was one of several taken over by terrorists on that day. Population (2000 census), 12,281,054. |