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One of the original thirteen colonies
Pennsylvania was one of the thirteen British colonies that would eventually form the United States. It was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn. -
The Library Company of Philadelphia
Founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin as a library, the Library Company of Philadelphia has many of the most historically valuable manuscripts and printed material in the United States. Some of the collections include the Mayflower Compact, first editions of Moby-Dick and 17th century major collections. -
The Mason-Dixon Line
The Mason–Dixon line, also called Mason's and Dixon's line, originally determined the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. It was surveyed and marked in 1767. The line was so accurate it is still considered a marvel. GPS measurements show the line to be off by an inch or less in places and no more than 800 feet (240 m) in others. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a group of fifty-six men from twelve of the thirteen colonies that would eventually become the United States of America.
The settlers of the colonies were not happy with how Great Britain was treating them. They thought that Great Britain kept too much power over them. -
The Continental Army
On May 10, 1775, George Washington was established as the General of the Continental Army. The colonies needed organized soldiers if they were going to fight the British. -
The Declaration of Independence
King George proclaimed that the colonies were rebelling against Great Britain. The king’s proclamation forced the colonies further into war. The delegates began writing the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, which was issued on July 4, 1776. The thirteen colonies were on their way to becoming an independent nation. -
Slavery Abolished
An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery, passed on March 1, 1780, ended slavery in Pennsylvania. It was the first act abolishing slavery in the course of human history to be adopted by a democracy. The Act established that all children born in Pennsylvania were free persons regardless of the condition or race of their parents. Those enslaved in Pennsylvania before the 1780 law came into effect remained enslaved for life. This became a model for freeing slaves in other Northern states. -
U.S. Constitution
The United States Constitution is the highest law of the United States of America. It was signed on September 17, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest federal constitution now in use. When it was signed in 1787, the Constitution had a preamble. -
The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an important and famous symbol of American independence (freedom). It used to be in the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). It had the letters "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." This was a part of Leviticus 25:10. It cracked when it was first rung in Philadelphia. When it was first made, the Liberty Bell was used to make lawmakers come to legislative meetings. It was also used to call people to public meetings. -
The Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. It was delivered on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863. The address is one of the greatest speeches in the history of the United States. Lincoln spoke of how humans were equal as it said in the Declaration of Independence. He also said the Civil War was a fight not simply for the Union, but "a new birth of freedom" that would make everyone truly equal in one united nation.