Information about Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a commonwealth and one of the states of the United States of America. It has given its name to the Pennsylvanian time period in geology. Pennsylvania is called the Keystone State. State nickname: "The Keystone State" Although Swedes and Dutch were Other U.S. States the first European settlers, th e Quaker William Penn named Capital Harrisburg Pennsylvania for the latin Area Ranked 33rd phrase meaning "Penn's Ê- Total 119,283 km2 woodlands", in honor of his Ê- Land 116,074 km2 father. Today, two major cities Ê- Water 3,208 km2 dominate the state -- Ê- % water 2.7% Philadelphia, home of the Population Ranked 6th Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, Ê- Total (2000) 12,281,054 and a thriving metropolitan Ê- Density 106/km2 area, and Pittsburgh, a busy inland river port. Pennsylvania Admittance into is one of the nation's most Union Revolutionary War historic states. Philadelphia is Ê- Order 2nd often called the cradle of the Ê- Date December 12, 1787 American Nation. It was here Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4 that the Declaration of Independence and the Latitude 39¡43'N to 42¡N Constitution were drawn up by Longitude 74¡43'W to 80¡31'W the founding fathers. The Pocono Width 255 km Mountains and the Delaware Water Length 455 km Gap provide popular recreational Elevation Ê activities. The Pennsylvania Ê -Highest 979 meters Dutch region in south-central Ê -Mean 335 meters Pennsylvania is another favorite Ê -Lowest 0 meters of sightseers. Some Pennsylvania ISO 3166-2: US-PA German and Dutch groups, including the Amish and the Mennonites, are called the Plain People; they live and dress as their ancestors did, with no modern conveniences. USS Pennsylvania was named in honor of this state. History Before the state existed, the area was home to the Delaware, Susquehanna, Shawnee and other native american tribes. In 1643, it was settled by Sweden, but control later passed to Netherlands, and then to Britain. On March 4, 1681, Charles II of England granted a land charter to William Penn for the area that now includes Pennsylvannia. Penn then founded a colony there as a place of religious freedom for Quakers, and named it for the Latin phrase meaning "Penn's woods". In 1704 the "three lower counties" New Castle, Kent, and Sussex gained a separate legislature, and in 1710 a separate executive council, to form the new colony Delaware. Pennsylvania and Delaware were two of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution of 1776. Pennsylvania became the second state on December 12, 1787 (five days after Delaware became the first). Benjamin Franklin was one of the most important figures in Pennsylvania's history, although he was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Law and Government The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg and its current governor is Ed Rendell (Democrat). Pennsylvania's two U.S. senators are Rick Santorum (Republican) and Arlen Specter (Republican). List of Pennsylvania Governors. The origin of Pennsylvania's government is unique as it was based on consensus (as with Quakers) rather than voting. Geography See: List of Pennsylvania counties Pennsylvania is bordered on the north and northeast by New York, on the east, across the Delaware River by New Jersey, on the south by Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia, on the west by Ohio, and on the northwest by Lake Erie. The Delaware, Susquehanna, Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers are the major rivers of the state. The capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania is 180 miles north to south and 310 miles east to west. The total land area is 44,817 square miles, 739,200 acres (1,239 square miles) of which are bodies of water. It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. The highest point of 2,213 feet above sea level is at Mt. Davis. The lowest point is 0 feet above sea level on the Delaware River. Pennsylvania is in the Eastern time zone. Economy Pennsylvania's 1999 total gross state product was $383 billion, placing it 6th in the nation and its 2000 Per Capita Personal Income was $29,539, 18th in the nation. Its agricultural outputs are dairy products, poultry, cattle, nursery stock, mushrooms, hogs, and hay. Its industrial outputs are food processing, chemical products, machinery, electric equipment, and tourism. Demographics As of 2000, the population was 12,281,054. When Pennsylvania became a state in 1787, it had a population of about 300,000. Important Cities and Towns * Philadelphia * Wilkes-Barre * Pittsburgh * Scranton * Lancaster * Erie * York * State College Pennsylvania is also the site of Gettysburg, the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, the major battle of the American Civil War, and of the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Education Colleges and Universities The Keystone State State Animal: Whitetail Deer * Albright College State Beverage: Milk * Allegheny College State Bird: Ruffed Grouse * Alvernia College * American College State Capital: Harrisburg * Arcadia University State Dog: Great Dane * Baptist Bible College State Fish: Brook Trout * Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania State Flower: Mountain Laurel * Bryn Athyn College of the State Insect: Firefly New Church * Bryn Mawr College State Song: Pennsylvania * Bucknell University State Tree: Hemlock * Cabrini College * California University of Pennsylvania * Carlow College * Carnegie Mellon University * Cedar Crest College * Chatham College * Chestnut Hill College * Cheyney University * Clarion University * College Misericordia * Curtis Institute of Music * Delaware Valley College * DeSales University * Dickinson College * Drexel University * Duquesne University * East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania * Eastern College * Edinboro University of Pennsylvania * Elizabethtown College * Franklin and Marshall College * Gannon University * Geneva College * Gettysburg College * Gratz College * Grove City College * Gwynedd Mercy College * Harrisburg Area Community College * Haverford College * Holy Family College * Immaculata College * Indiana University of Pennsylvania * Juniata College * Keystone College * Kings College * Kutztown University of Pennsylvania * La Roche College * Lafayette College * Lancaster Bible College * Lancaster Theological Seminary * LaSalle University * Lebanon Valley College * Lehigh University * Lincoln University * Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania * Lycoming College * Mansfield University of Pennsylvania * Marywood University * Mercyhurst College * Messiah College * Millersville University * Moore College of Art and Design * Moravian College * Mount Aloysius College * Muhlenberg College * Neumann College * Peirce College * Pennsylvania College of Optometry * Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine * Pennsylvania School of Art and Design * Pennsylvania State University System o Pennsylvania State University Abington o Pennsylvania State University Altoona o Pennsylvania State University Beaver * Pennsylvania State University System Continued o Pennsylvania State University Erie, the Behrend College o Pennsylvania State University Berks - Lehigh Valley o Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine o Pennsylvania State University Commonwealth College o Pennsylvania State University Delaware County o Pennsylvania State University DuBois o Pennsylvania State University Fayette o Pennsylvania State University Great Valley o Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg o Pennsylvania State University Hazleton o Pennsylvania State University McKeesport o Pennsylvania State University New Kensington o Pennsylvania State University Mont Alto o Pennsylvania College of Technology o Pennsylvania State University Schuylkill o Pennsylvania State University Shenango o Pennsylvania State University University Park o Pennsylvania State University Wilkes-Barre o Pennsylvania State University Worthington Scranton o Pennsylvania State University York * Philadelphia Biblical University * Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science * Philadelphia University * Point Park Morris College * Robert Morris College * Rosemont College * Saint Francis College * Saint Joseph's University * Saint Vincent College * Seton Hill College * Shippensburg University * Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania * Susquehanna University * Swarthmore College * Temple University * Thiel College * Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology * Thomas Jefferson University * University of Pennsylvania * University of Pittsburgh o University of Pittsburgh at Bradford o University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg o University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown * University of Scranton * University of the Arts * University of the Sciences in Philadelphia * Ursinus College * Valley Forge Christian College * Villanova University * Washington and Jefferson College * Waynesburg College * West Chester University of Pennsylvania * Westminster College * Westminster Theological Seminary * Widener University * Wilkes University * Wilson College * York College of Pennsylvania Professional Sports Teams * National Football League * Women's United Soccer Association o Philadelphia Eagles o Philadelphia Charge o Pittsburgh Steelers * Minor League Baseball Teams * Major League Baseball o Erie SeaWolves o Philadelphia Phillies o Altoona Curve o Pittsburgh Pirates o Harrisburg Senators * National Basketball o Williamsport Crosscutters Association o Reading Phillies o Philadelphia 76ers o Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red * National Hockey League Barons o Philadelphia Flyers o Pittsburgh Penguins
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