Pennsylvania stretches from the Delaware River to the Ohio border, encompassing historic Philadelphia, dynamic Pittsburgh, the scenic Pocono Mountains, the rolling Amish farmlands of Lancaster County, and some of the most important Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields in the United States. It is one of the original 13 colonies, home to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Gettysburg National Military Park.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Pennsylvania.
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1
King Charles II grants William Penn the land charter for Pennsylvania as a Quaker colony
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2
William Penn arrives in Pennsylvania; founds Philadelphia ('City of Brotherly Love')
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3
French and Indian War; Fort Pitt built at the Forks of the Ohio (now Pittsburgh)
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4
First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia at Carpenters' Hall
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5
Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia; Pennsylvania militia formed
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6
Declaration of Independence signed in Philadelphia's State House (Independence Hall)
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7
Washington's army winters at Valley Forge; British occupy Philadelphia
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8
Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia; US Constitution drafted
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9
Philadelphia serves as the capital of the United States
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10
Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania; first major challenge to federal authority
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11
Edwin Drake drills the world's first commercial oil well in Titusville, PA
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12
Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3) — turning point of the Civil War; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (November 19)
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13
Johnstown Flood kills 2,209 people — deadliest disaster in US history at the time
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14
Homestead Strike — pivotal labor battle at Carnegie's Homestead Steel Works
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15
KDKA in Pittsburgh broadcasts first commercial radio program in US history
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16
United Airlines Flight 93 crashes near Shanksville, PA on September 11
Historical sites
Places where Pennsylvania's past comes alive.
Independence Hall
Where: Philadelphia, Old City
Admission: Free; timed-entry passes required July–August at recreation.gov
Gettysburg National Military Park
Where: Gettysburg, Adams County
Admission: Museum: $15 USD adults; Battlefield: free
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Where: King of Prussia, Chester County
Admission: Free
Drake Well Museum and Park
Where: Titusville, Crawford County
Admission: $10 USD adults
Carpenters' Hall
Where: Philadelphia, Old City
Admission: Free
Flight 93 National Memorial
Where: Shanksville, Somerset County
Admission: Free
Betsy Ross House
Where: Philadelphia, Old City
Admission: $7 USD adults, $4 USD children (6–12)
Eastern State Penitentiary
Where: Philadelphia, Fairmount
Admission: $19 USD adults
Ephrata Cloister
Where: Ephrata, Lancaster County
Admission: $9 USD adults, $8 USD seniors, $5 USD youth (6–12)