Pennsylvania History and Attractions

By | July 25, 2022

According to answermba.com, the state of Pennsylvania, with a population of 12,763,536 (2012 data) is located in the northeastern region of the United States, between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.

It is bordered to the southeast by Delaware, to the south by Maryland, to the southwest by West Virginia, to the west by Ohio, to the north by New York State, to the east by New Jersey and to the northwest by Canada and Lake Erie.

It is the 33rd largest state, the sixth most populous and the ninth most densely populated of the 50 American states. The 4 most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie. The capital is Harrisburg.

The name Pennsylvania means ” Penn’s Wood “, which means Penn’s Woods. Originally, in fact, Pennsylvania was nothing more than a patch of wooded land donated to Quaker William Penn by King Charles II of England, in payment of a debt, in 1681.

The state of Pennsylvania has also been known since 1802 as the Keystone, for a couple of reasons. First of all because of its position in the 13 central colonies that originally formed the United States, but above all because of the numerous important American documents that have been signed in this state (see the declaration of independence in Philadelphia). It is also an economic keystone, thanks to industry in the north and agriculture in the south.

Background

Prior to European colonization, Pennsylvania, as well as the rest of America, was inhabited by various Native American tribes, much of which were later hunted or relegated to meager tracts of land as a result of European colonization.

It was colonized by the Dutch and the Swedes and the former especially brought slaves to the colony.

In 1664 the British took over the colony and control of New Holland followed. Quaker William Penn established a colony based on religious tolerance and its capital, Philadelphia, was populated by many Quakers.

In the mid-eighteenth century, the colony attracted many German and Irish-Scottish immigrants. Towards the end of the century there was the largest ethnic group from the British Isles before the War of the American Revolution.

Not to be missed

According to answerresume.com, Philadelphia is certainly a stop that must not be missed in the travel itinerary of those visiting the United States. A city rich in history, it is only two hours from New York, so you can easily insert this tour into your trip to discover the places that have made the history of the United States.

Curiosity

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of many famous people, actors, musicians, artists, athletes, scientists, politicians.
Just to give an example, we remember the actors Kevin Bacon, Will Smith, Richard Gere, Bill Cosby, born in Philadelphia and the singer Christina Aguilera of Pittsburgh.
Among the films set in Pennsylvania, precisely in Lancaster County, “interrupted girls” with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder stands out.

NAMED: “The Keystone State”
ORIGIN NAME: “Penn’s Forest”, this is how the wooded territory ceded in 1681 by the English Crown to William Penn was called.
CAPITAL: Harrisburg
OTHER CITIES: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
MEMBER UNION SINCE: 12 December 1787 (2nd state)
POPULATION: 11,994,016
CAPITAL POPULATION: 49,209 residents
COUNTY NUMBER: 67
POOR PEOPLE: 10.9%
MOTTO: “Virtue, liberty and independence”
TREE: Hemlock
BIRD: Ruffed Grouse
FLOWER: Mountain Laurel
SONG: Pennsylvania
THE FLAG: The Pennsylvania State flag is made up of a blue background. An act of the general assembly of June 13, 1907, standardized the flag and required that the blue shield meet the blue of the Old Glory.
ECONOMY
AGRICULTURE: Dairy products, poultry, livestock, mushrooms, pigs, hay.
INDUSTRY: Processing of food products, chemicals, electrical equipment, tourism.

Economy of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has a diverse economy, with industry leading the way among various economic activities. Agriculture, tourism and service businesses also contribute significantly to overall income. In addition to the cultivation of cereals and fodder, agriculture mainly focuses on the breeding of livestock and the production of dairy products. Fruit production is also of great importance.

Most of the forest heritage is exploited to obtain cellulose.

Pennsylvania is among the richest states from the point of view of mineral resources: bituminous coal, anthracite, oil, iron, as well as the limestone on which an important construction activity is based, are found in deposits scattered in the west and north. eastern state. Pennsylvania is one of the most industrialized states in the US, and employs a large number of workers, surpassed only by California and New York. Most of the industries are concentrated in the south-east and south-west areas. Although the first of these areas does not have many raw materials, a highly diversified industry has developed there, based on regional goods, skilled labor and an excellent transport network. The southwestern part of the state is known for heavy industries, born for the presence of coal. Metallurgy, food processing, mechanics are the most important manufacturing sectors; the production of electrical machinery, means of transport and refined petroleum is also significant.

Pennsylvania is rich in natural beauty that attracts millions of tourists annually. Particularly equipped are the ski resorts and the hunting and fishing reserves.

Economy of Pennsylvania