Quick Facts: Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Pennsylvania is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth and is the birthplace of our 15th President, James Buchanan.

ABBREVIATION: PA
NICKNAME: The Keystone State
POPULATION: 13,078,751 (2024 est.)
CAPITAL: Harrisburg
STATE BIRD: Ruffed Grouse
STATE FLOWER: Mountain Laurel
AREA: 46,055 sq. mi.
TIME ZONE: Eastern
ENTERED UNION: Dec. 12, 1787
ALTITUDE: High, 3,213 ft. Mount Davis
CLIMATE: Warm summers, cold winters; moderate rainfall, heavy snow in the mountains.

Founder William Penn’s “good and fruitful land” was in ancient times almost blanketed with vast stretches of forests and immense fields of ferns and shrubs. Some 250 million years ago the forests and fields were flooded with sea water. Later, the folding of the Appalachian Mountains compressed the trees and shrubs into coal-hard, smokeless anthracite in the northeastern part of the state, soft bituminous in the west.

Pennsylvania’s coal has been mined since the late 18th Century. The state still has almost all of the nation’s anthracite reserves as well as extensive veins of bituminous coal in its rocky hills. Coal is burned to generate electricity that is used to make iron and steel, it helped make Pennsylvania “the steel capital of the world”.

In addition to coal, Pennsylvania once contained great deposits of iron ore, so industrialization came early to the state. Pennsylvania’s ore is low grade (low percentage) and is costly to mine, thus, today ore is brought in from the Great Lakes region and other areas to be processed in the remaining mills located throughout the state.

To move raw materials and finished products efficiently in the previous Century, Pennsylvanians had built spectacular highways and an elaborate railroad system. With the near death of the steel industry in America over the past two decades, many major cities in Pennsylvania no longer focus on steel production, instead, they have modernized their cities, and in the process cleaned their air and beautified their landscape.

Chocolate Factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania

It was in Philadelphia in 1751 that the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania ordered a bell from England emblazoned with these words from Leviticus: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All The Land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof”.

On July 8, 1776, from the tower atop Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, the bell proclaimed the news that the Declaration of Independence had been signed four days earlier in the same building.

Fun Facts:

Hershey is known as the Chocolate Capital of the World. Among its most popular candies are Hershey’s Kisses. Between its factory in Hershey and the on in Oakdale, California, the company can turn over 70 million of these candies each day.
Edwin Drake launched the petroleum industry when he drilled the first oil well in 1859 at Titusville.
During the American Revolution, the Liberty Bell was removed from Philadelphia to Allentown. It was returned after the British evacuated Philadelphia.
The first federal building whose construction was specifically authorized by the Constitution was the U.S. Mint. Philadelphia was selected for the site because, when construction began in 1792, it was the nation’s capital. It is believed that some of the silver used in making the first silver coins was donated by President George Washington, who lived a few blocks from the mint at the time.
Philadelphia is home to Betsy Ross who created the first American Flag.
Philadelphia was home to the first computer in 1946.

History:

Pennsylvania, known as the “Keystone State,” holds a central place in American history. From its founding as a haven of religious freedom to its role in the birth of the United States and its transformation into an industrial powerhouse, Pennsylvania’s story is foundational to the nation’s development.

Long before European colonists arrived, the area that is now Pennsylvania was inhabited by Native American tribes such as the Lenape (Delaware), Susquehannock, Shawnee, and Erie. These tribes had well-established communities and economies based on farming, hunting, and trade.

In 1681, King Charles II of England granted a large land charter to William Penn to settle a debt owed to Penn’s father. Penn, a Quaker who sought religious freedom and peace, established the colony of Pennsylvania as a “holy experiment.”

He welcomed people of all religious backgrounds and ethnicities, promoting tolerance and democratic governance. Philadelphia, the colony’s capital, was carefully planned and quickly became one of the largest and most important cities in colonial America.

Pennsylvania flourished as a diverse and prosperous colony. It became a center of culture, trade, and ideas. By the 18th century, it was home to German, Irish, Scottish, Dutch, and English settlers, as well as free and enslaved African Americans. Quaker values and a strong work ethic helped shape its early government and economy.

During the American Revolution, Pennsylvania played a pivotal role. The First and Second Continental Congresses met in Philadelphia, where delegates debated and eventually signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Later, the U.S. Constitution was drafted and signed at Independence Hall in 1787. These events cemented Pennsylvania’s place as the cradle of American democracy.

The state also saw important military action during the Revolution, including Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River and the bitter winter encampment at Valley Forge, where the Continental Army endured great hardship but emerged stronger.

In the 19th century, Pennsylvania became a leader in the Industrial Revolution. Its rich coal and iron resources powered factories, railroads, and steel mills. Cities like Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Bethlehem became industrial centers, producing steel, coal, and rail-cars that fueled national growth. The Pennsylvania Railroad became one of the largest in the world.

The Civil War brought more significance to Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a turning point in the war, and President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address remains one of the most famous speeches in U.S. history. Pennsylvania contributed thousands of troops and supplies to the Union cause.

In the 20th century, Pennsylvania continued to grow and modernize, though it faced economic shifts as heavy industry declined. The state adapted by diversifying into healthcare, education, and technology, with cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh evolving into cultural and economic hubs.

Today, Pennsylvania remains vital to the American identity. Its legacy as a birthplace of liberty, its rich cultural history, and its tradition of innovation and resilience continue to shape the nation. As the “keystone” that helped hold the original colonies together, Pennsylvania’s influence endures across the centuries.