Who founded the state of Pennsylvania and why?
One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers. Pennsylvania's capital, Philadelphia, was the site of the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, the latter of which produced the Declaration of Independence, sparking the American Revolution.
Who was the most famous person in Pennsylvania?
Feb 14, 2022 · One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers. Pennsylvania’s capital, Philadelphia, was the site
Who or what group of people founded Pennsylvania?
After telling the story of William Penn and the founding of Pennsylvania, work together as a class to construct a timeline on the board starting at 1644. This will help students recall what they just learned as well as create a visual for them to understand the progress which was made from 1644 until Penn’s death.
Who found Pennsylvania before William Penn?
The king changed the name to Pennsylvania, in honor of the admiral. The founding of Pennsylvania, about 40,000 square miles, was confirmed to William Penn under the Great Seal on January 5, 1681. Penn induced people to emigrate, the terms being 40 shillings per hundred acres, and "shares" of 5,000 acres for 100 pounds.
Who were the founders and settlers of Pennsylvania?
English Quaker William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681, when King Charles II granted him a charter for over 45,000 square miles of land. Penn had previously helped found Quaker settlements in West New Jersey and was eager to expand his Quaker colony.
Where did the founders of Pennsylvania come from?
The Birth of Pennsylvania depicts William Penn receiving a royal deed from King Charles II of England. Penn founded the colony in 1681 as a refuge for Quakers.
Was William Penn a Founding Father?
William Penn, (born October 14, 1644, London, England—died July 30, 1718, Buckinghamshire), English Quaker leader and advocate of religious freedom, who oversaw the founding of the American Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a refuge for Quakers and other religious minorities of Europe.
Does William Penn have any living descendants?
And over in England, William Penn has descendants born along a prestigious line. Thomas Penn's granddaughter, Mary Juliana, married the second Earl of Ranfurly. The last Earl of Ranfurly to descend from this line was the sixth, and he and his wife died about 20 years ago.Sep 4, 2017
Why was Pennsylvania named after William Penn?
Charles II instead named it “Pennsylvania,” after Penn’s father, causing Penn to worry that settlers would believe he named it after himself.
What is Pennsylvania known for?
One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers. Pennsylvania’s capital, Philadelphia, was the site of the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, the latter of which produced the Declaration of Independence, sparking the American Revolution. After the war, Pennsylvania became the second state, after Delaware, to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In the American Civil War (1861-1865), Pennsylvania was the site of the Battle of Gettysburg,in whichUnion General George Meade defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee, bringing an end to the Confederacy’s Northern invasion, as well as Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. Tourists are drawn to Pennsylvania by its monuments to America’s revolutionary history, includingIndependence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Famous Pennsylvanians include patriot and inventor Benjamin Franklin, frontiersman Daniel Boone, painter Mary Cassatt,inventor Robert Fulton and comedian Bill Cosby.
Which state was the second to ratify the Constitution?
After the war, Pennsylvania became the second state, after Delaware, to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In the American Civil War (1861-1865), Pennsylvania was the site of the Battle of Gettysburg,in whichUnion General George Meade defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee, bringing an end to the Confederacy’s Northern invasion, ...
What is the name of the city in the New World?
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.”
Who was Ben Franklin?
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.
What is Philadelphia known for?
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.”.
What religion did William Penn practice?
William Penn, born in 1644, was the son of a wealthy Admiral in the Royal Navy. As a young man he joined the Quaker religion, which was illegal since any person who was not a part of the Church of England, the official religion of England, was persecuted as a religious dissenter.
What is a colonist?
Colonist: A person who lives in a colony or takes part in founding a colony. Colonization: Establishing or settling a colony. Dissent: To disagree in opinions. English Pound: Basic unit of money in England.
What was the impact of the French and Indian War on Pennsylvania?
The century that followed was a period of great expansion and turmoil for Pennsylvania. Its interior included land that was claimed by the French, and, as time went on, the Indians became increasingly hostile to the expansion of settlements to the west and north. Much of the fighting during the French and Indian War (1754–63) took place in Pennsylvania. There the young George Washington began his journey into the Ohio valley to warn the French to leave; later, it was in Pennsylvania that the English general Edward Braddock suffered defeat at the hands of the French forces and their Native American allies.
When was the first oil well in Pennsylvania?
First oil well in the United States, built in 1859 by Edwin L. Drake, Titusville, Pennsylvania.
Who were the first Europeans to settle in Pennsylvania?
Swedes were the first European settlers in Pennsylvania. Traveling up the Delaware from a settlement at the present site of Wilmington, Del., Gov. Johan Printz of the colony of New Sweden established his capital on Tinicum Island (New Gothenborg) in 1643. Other Europeans, primarily the Dutch, established trading posts within Pennsylvania as early ...
Who was the Quaker colony?
The Quaker colony. In March 1681 Charles II of England signed a charter giving any unoccupied regions to William Penn in payment of a debt owed by the king to Penn’s father, Adm. Sir William Penn. The charter, which was officially proclaimed on April 2, 1681, named the territory for Admiral Penn and included also the term sylvania (“woodlands”), ...
Where was William Penn born?
William Penn was born in the parish of St Catherine on Tower Hill, London, in 1644, the son of Admiral Sir William Penn (who captured Jamaica to make it one of the most important outposts of the Empire) and Margaret Jasper, previously widowed and the daughter of a Rotterdam merchant.
Who was William Penn's first wife?
Penn first married Gulielma Maria Springett (1644–1694), daughter of William S. Springett (the Posthuma in her name indicates that her father had died prior to her birth) and Lady Mary Proude Penington. They had three sons and four daughters, including William Penn (Jr.).
Who was William Penn?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Penn. William Penn (October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder and "absolute proprietor" of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future U. S. State of Pennsylvania.
Who was the first person to settle in America?
In 1682, James Duke of York, the future James II of England, handed over a large piece of his American holdings to William Penn. This land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. Penn immediately sailed to America and his first step on American soil took place in New Castle in 1682.
What was the first county in Pennsylvania?
One of the first counties of Pennsylvania was called Bucks County, named after Buckinghamshire (Bucks) in England, the Penn family seat and original home of many of the first settlers. Penn’s home was easily the stateliest mansion in Pennsylvania (the restored estate is a historic site today). [93] .
What was the first hospital in the British colonies?
Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the British American colonies, and The Academy and College of Philadelphia, the predecessor to the private University of Pennsylvania, both opened. Benjamin Franklin founded both of these institutions and Philadelphia's Union Fire Company fifteen years earlier in 1736.
When was the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania founded?
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, consisting of the Chief Justice and at least one other judge, was founded by statute in 1722 (although dating back to 1684 as the Provincial Court) and sat in Philadelphia twice a year.
Who was the founder of Pennsylvania?
United States. The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to William's father, Admiral Sir William Penn. The Province of Pennsylvania was one of the two ...
What was Benjamin Franklin's most famous accomplishment?
Among his accomplishments was founding in 1751 the Academy and College of Philadelphia, the predecessor to the private University of Pennsylvania. Franklin was also a strong advocate for a state militia, creating his own extra-legal militia when the state assembly would not during King George's War.
Where was George Ross born?
George Ross was born in New Castle, Delaware and moved to Philadelphia to practice law. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signatory to the Continental Association and the United States Declaration of Independence. Arthur St. Clair moved to Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania in 1764.
Who was William Penn?
William Penn (14 October 1644 – 30 July 1718) was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, early Quaker, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony, and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early advocate of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations ...
Who was Thomas Paine?
He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signatory to the Continental Association and the United States Declaration of Independence. Thomas Paine emigrated to Philadelphia in 1774 at Benjamin Franklin's urging.
What was the impact of the railroads on Pennsylvania?
Starting in the 1830s, the development of railroad networks fueled the economic growth of Pennsylvania and shaped the geography of the state as we know it today. Steam locomotives were a significant advancement in transportation technology during the Industrial Revolution that provided a faster, more powerful, and more reliable means ...
How long was the horseshoe curve?
Source #3 depicts the Horseshoe Curve, which was a section of track constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1854 that reduced travel time through the Allegheny Mountains between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from 3.5 days to 13 hours.
When was the Pennsylvania Railroad established?
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company (PRR), established in 1846, was one of the most dominant companies in the nation’s railroad industry and was known as the “Standard Railroad of the World” (Cupper, Hardy, & Brett, n.d.). The PRR’s corporate headquarters were in Philadelphia but conducted most of its research, manufacturing, ...
Where is PRR located?
The PRR’s corporate headquarters were in Philadelphia but conducted most of its research, manufacturing, and repair operations in Altoona, Pennsylvania, a town built for the purpose of supporting the company (McNitt, 2004, p. 14).
Where is the Railroad Museum in Pennsylvania?
The Railroaders Memorial Museum and Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark in Altoona, PA and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA are just a few examples of how the contributions of the railroad industry continues to be commemorated in Pennsylvania.
Overview
Colonial period
On March 4, 1681, Charles II of England granted the Province of Pennsylvania to William Penn to settle a debt of £16,000 (around £2,100,000 in 2008, adjusting for retail inflation) that the king owed to Penn's father. Penn founded a proprietary colony that provided a place of religious freedom for Quakers. Charles named the colony Pennsylvania ("Penn's woods" in Latin), after the elder Penn, which the younger Penn found embarrassing, as he feared people would think he had nam…
Pre-Columbian era
Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends to thousands of years before the foundation of the Province of Pennsylvania. Archaeologists generally believe that the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago during the last glacial period, though it is unclear when humans first entered the area known as Pennsylvania. There is an open debate in the archaeological community regarding when the ancestors of Native Americans expanded across …
Early colonization
Long-term European exploration of the Americas commenced after the 1492 expedition of Christopher Columbus, and the 1497 expedition of John Cabot is credited with discovering continental North America for Europeans. European exploration of North America continued in the 16th century, and the area now known as Pennsylvania was mapped by the French and labeled L'arcadia, or "wooded coast", during Giovanni da Verrazzano's voyage in 1524. Even before large-…
American Revolution and early government
Pennsylvania's residents generally supported the protests common to all 13 colonies after the Proclamation of 1763 and the Stamp Act were passed, and Pennsylvania sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 Philadelphia hosted the first and second Continental Congresses, the latter of which resulted in the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Hall in 1776. Pennsylvania was the site of several battles and military activities during the American Rev…
Westward expansion and land speculation
Pennsylvania's borders took definitive shape in the decades before and after the Revolutionary War. The Mason–Dixon line established the borders between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and was later extended to serve as the border between Pennsylvania and Virginia (except for what is now West Virginia's northern panhandle). Although some settlers proposed the creation of the state of Westsylvania in the area that now contains Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania retained control of the regio…
Early 19th century
Pennsylvania, one of the largest states in the country, always had the second most electoral votes from 1796 to 1960. From 1789 to 1880, the state only voted for two losing presidential candidates: Thomas Jefferson (in 1796) and Andrew Jackson (in the unusual 1824 election). The Democratic-Republicans dominated the state for most of the First Party System, as the Federalists experienced little success in the state after the 1800 election. Pennsylvania generally supported Andrew Jack…
Civil War
Prior to and during the Civil War, Pennsylvania was a divided state. Although Pennsylvania had outlawed slavery, many conservative Pennsylvanians believed that the federal government should not interfere with the institution of slavery. One such individual was Democrat James Buchanan, the last pre-Civil War president. Buchanan's party had generally won presidential and gubernatorial elections in Pennsylvania. However, the nascent Republican Party's first conventiontook place in …