The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United States

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appa ...

: The

is the fifth most populous of the

50 states The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, a federal district (Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States), five major territories, and various minor islands. Both the states and the United S ...

of the United States. Pennsylvania lies west of the Delaware River in the Mid-Atlantic United States. King

Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651, and King of England, Scotland and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest surviving child of ...

granted

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

a charter for a

Colony of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to Wi ...

in 1681. Philadelphia, the capital of the colony, soon rose to become the most populous city of

British America British America comprised the colonial territories of the English Empire, which became the British Empire after the 1707 union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, in the Americas from 16 ...

. As

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

attempted to tighten its grip on its American colonies, many prominent Pennsylvanians called for greater independence for British America. The upper and lower counties of Pennsylvania (now known as Delaware) joined eleven other British colonies in declaring their autonomy with signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The newly independent state chose the moniker "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" as a token of its prominence and autonomy in

the Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with ...

. The American states prevailed in the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

which concluded with the

Treaty of Paris of 1783 A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...

. The

Constitution of the United States The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nation ...

was written in convention at Philadelphia in 1787. The

State of Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania became the first two states to ratify the new Constitution, thus Pennsylvania is ranked as the second state to join the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''U ...

General reference

* Names ** Common name: Pennsylvania *** Pronunciation: **

Official name A legal name is the name that identifies a person for legal, administrative and other official purposes. A person's legal birth name generally is the name of the person that was given for the purpose of registration of the birth and which then ap ...

(also known as the State of Pennsylvania) ** Abbreviations and name codes *** Postal symbol: PA *** ISO 3166-2 code: US-PA *** Internet second-level domain: .pa.us ** Nicknames ***

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independenc ...

State *** Independence State ***

Keystone State Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Mary ...

Barry Popik
Smoky City
barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005 *** Quaker State * Adjectival: Pennsylvania *

Demonym A demonym (; ) or gentilic () is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, ...

: Pennsylvanian

Geography of Pennsylvania

Geography of Pennsylvania The geography of Pennsylvania varies from sea level marine estuary to mountainous plateau. The state is known for its natural resources, ports, and the leading role it played in the nation's founding and history. Major features Pennsylvania's n ...

* Pennsylvania is: a

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...

, a federal state of the United States of America * Location ** Northern hemisphere **

Western hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the antimeridian. The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Politically, the term W ...

***

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with t ...

**** North America *****

Anglo America Anglo-America most often refers to a region in the Americas in which English is the main language and British culture and the British Empire have had significant historical, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural impact."Anglo-America", vol. 1, Microp ...

*****

Northern America Northern America is the northernmost subregion of North America. The boundaries may be drawn slightly differently. In one definition, it lies directly north of Middle America (including the Caribbean and Central America).Gonzalez, Joseph. 20 ...

****** United States of America *******

Contiguous United States The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...

******** Eastern United States ********* East Coast of the United States – though Pennsylvania does not include any actual coastline, it is generally considered to be part of the Eastern Seaboard region. ********** Northeastern United States ********* Mid-Atlantic states ********

Great Lakes Region The Great Lakes region of North America is a binational Canadian– American region that includes portions of the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin along with the Canadian ...

* Population of Pennsylvania: 12,702,379 (2010 U.S. Census) * Area of Pennsylvania: * Atlas of Pennsylvania

Places in Pennsylvania

Places in Pennsylvania * Historic places in Pennsylvania ** Abandoned communities in Pennsylvania ***

Ghost towns in Pennsylvania A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

** National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania **

National Register of Historic Places listings in Pennsylvania File:Pennsylvania counties map.png, 320px, Pennsylvania counties (clickable map) poly 453 491 516 491 516 472 522 467 522 465 517 460 521 457 519 452 514 439 506 437 503 432 497 430 491 436 463 443 453 451 454 491 Adams County poly 94 319 154 3 ...

*** Bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania * National Natural Landmarks in Pennsylvania * State parks in Pennsylvania

Environment of Pennsylvania

* Climate of Pennsylvania *

Geology of Pennsylvania The Geology of Pennsylvania consists of six distinct physiographic provinces, three of which are subdivided into different sections. Each province has its own economic advantages and geologic hazards and plays an important role in shaping every ...

* Protected areas in Pennsylvania ** State forests of Pennsylvania *

Superfund sites in Pennsylvania Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency ...

* Wildlife of Pennsylvania ** Fauna of Pennsylvania *** Birds of Pennsylvania *** Mammals of Pennsylvania

Natural geographic features of Pennsylvania

Lakes of Pennsylvania This is a list of lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. state, state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Swimming, fishing, and/or boating are permitted in some of these lakes, but not all. Lakes * Allegheny Reservoir (also known as Kinzua Lake) * ...

Rivers of Pennsylvania This is a list of streams and rivers in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. By drainage basin This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. Delaware Bay Chesapeake Bay *' ...

Regions of Pennsylvania

* Lehigh Valley * Northern Pennsylvania ** Northeastern Pennsylvania **

Northwestern Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...

* Southern Pennsylvania **

Southeastern Pennsylvania The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan region on the East Coast of the United States that comprises and surrounds Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation and 68th largest city in the world as of 2020. The toponym Delaware Vall ...

Southwestern Pennsylvania Greater Pittsburgh is a populous region centered around its largest city and economic hub, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The region encompasses Pittsburgh's urban core county, Allegheny, and six adjacent Pennsylvania counties: Armstrong, Beaver, ...

Western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...

Administrative divisions of Pennsylvania

* The 67 Counties of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ** Municipalities in Pennsylvania ***

Cities in Pennsylvania A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be de ...

**** State capital of Pennsylvania: **** City nicknames in Pennsylvania **** Sister cities in Pennsylvania

Demography of Pennsylvania

* Demographics of Pennsylvania **

List of people from Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, the fifth most populous state in the United States, is the birthplace or childhood home of many famous Americans. People from Pennsylvania are called "Pennsylvanians". The following is a list of notable Americans who were bo ...

Government and politics of Pennsylvania

Politics of Pennsylvania * Form of government: U. S. state government * United States congressional delegations from Pennsylvania * Pennsylvania State Capitol * Elections in Pennsylvania ** Electoral reform in Pennsylvania * Political party strength in Pennsylvania

Branches of the government of Pennsylvania

Government of Pennsylvania

Executive branch of the government of Pennsylvania

Governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

** Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania ** Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ** State Treasurer of Pennsylvania * State departments ** Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Legislative branch of the government of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvani ...

( bicameral) ** Upper house: Pennsylvania Senate ** Lower house: Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Judicial branch of the government of Pennsylvania

Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania is the unified state court system of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Courts The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the state supreme court and court of last resort."Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,Rydal-M ...

* Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Law and order in Pennsylvania

Law of Pennsylvania The law of Pennsylvania consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, regulatory and case law. The '' Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes'' form the general statutory law. Sources The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the fore ...

Cannabis in Pennsylvania Cannabis in Pennsylvania is illegal for Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States, recreational use, but possession of small amounts is decriminalized in several of the state's largest cities. Medical cannabis in the United State ...

* Capital punishment in Pennsylvania ** Individuals executed in Pennsylvania *

Constitution of Pennsylvania The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All acts of the General Assembly, the governor, and each governmental agency are subordinate to it. Since 1776, Pennsylvania's Constitution has undergone ...

* Crime in Pennsylvania * Gun laws in Pennsylvania * Law enforcement in Pennsylvania ** Law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania *** Pennsylvania State Police * Same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania

Military in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Air National Guard The Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. As commonwe ...

* Pennsylvania Army National Guard

Local government in Pennsylvania

History of Pennsylvania

History of Pennsylvania The history of Pennsylvania stems back thousands of years when the first indigenous peoples occupied the area of what is now Pennsylvania. In 1681, Pennsylvania became an English colony when William Penn received a royal deed from King Charles II ...

History of Pennsylvania, by period

* Indigenous peoples *

Indentured servitude in Pennsylvania Indentured servitude in Pennsylvania (1682-1820s): The institution of indentured servitude has a significant place in the history of labor in Pennsylvania. From the founding of the colony (1681/2) to the early post-revolution period (1820s), inde ...

* Netherlands colony of Nieuw-Nederland, 1624–1652 **

History of slavery in Pennsylvania When the Dutch and Swedes established colonies in the Delaware Valley of what is now Pennsylvania, in North America, they quickly imported enslaved Africans for labor; the Dutch also transported them south from their colony of New Netherland. En ...

, 1639–1847 * Swedish colony of Nya Sverige, 1638–1655 * Netherlands province of Nieuw-Nederland, 1652–1664 * English Province of New-York, (1664–1681)–1688 * English Province of Pennsylvania, 1681–1707 *

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

, 1707–1776 * French colony of la Louisiane, 1699–(1754–1763) * French and Indian War, 1754–1763 **

Treaty of Fontainebleau of 1762 The Treaty of Fontainebleau was a secret agreement of 1762 in which the Kingdom of France ceded Louisiana to Spain. The treaty followed the last battle in the French and Indian War in North America, the Battle of Signal Hill in September 1762, whic ...

Indian Reserve In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the ''Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." Ind ...

in western Pennsylvania, 1763–1783 ** Royal Proclamation of 1763 *

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783 ** United States Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 **

Philadelphia campaign The Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) was a British effort in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress. British General William Howe, after failing to draw ...

, 1777–1778 ***

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Co ...

, October 4, 1777 ***

Siege of Fort Mifflin The siege of Fort Mifflin or siege of Mud Island Fort from September 26 to November 16, 1777 saw British land batteries commanded by Captain John Montresor and a British naval squadron under Vice Admiral Lord Richard Howe attempt to capture an ...

, September 26 to November 16, 1777 *

since 1776 ** Whiskey Rebellion, 1790s ***Eighth state to ratify the

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 Colonies of the United States of America that served as its first frame of government. It was approved after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777) by t ...

, signed July 9, 1778 ** Second State to ratify the

Constitution of the United States of America The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nationa ...

on December 11, 1787 **

Erie Triangle The Erie Triangle is a roughly 300-square-mile (780-square-kilometre) tract of American land that was the subject of several competing colonial-era claims. It was eventually acquired by the U.S. federal government and sold to Pennsylvania so tha ...

purchased 1792 ** War of 1812, June 18, 1812 – March 23, 1815 *** Treaty of Ghent, December 24, 1814 ** Mexican–American War, April 25, 1846 – February 2, 1848 ** James Buchanan becomes 15th President of the United States on March 4, 1857 ** American Civil War, April 12, 1861 – May 13, 1865 *** Pennsylvania in the American Civil War, 1861–1865 ****

47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment The 47th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Formed by adults and teenagers from small towns and larger metropolitan areas of Pennsylvania, this regimen ...

**** Gettysburg Campaign, June 9 – July 14, 1863 *****

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union Army, Union and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In t ...

, July 1–3, 1863 *****

Gettysburg Address The Gettysburg Address is a speech that U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery, now known as Gettysburg National Cemetery, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on the ...

, November 19, 1863

History of Pennsylvania, by region

By county

* History of Allegheny County * History of Lycoming County * History of Philadelphia County

By municipality

* History of Erie * History of Harrisburg * History of the Townships of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania * History of Philadelphia * History of Pittsburgh * History of Williamsport

History of Pennsylvania, by subject

* History of the Pennsylvania State University * History of rail transport in Philadelphia *

* History of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania * Jewish history in Pennsylvania

Culture of Pennsylvania

Culture of Pennsylvania * Cuisine of Pennsylvania * Museums in Pennsylvania * Religion in Pennsylvania ** Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania *

Scouting in Pennsylvania Scouting in Pennsylvania has a long and rich tradition, from 1908 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. History Early history (1908–1950) One of the earliest Scouting groups in ...

* State symbols of Pennsylvania ** Flag of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ** Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania state seal

The Arts in Pennsylvania

Music of Pennsylvania The Philly sound in 1970s soul music, notable performers including Gamble and Huff, The O'Jays, The Stylistics, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin and The Delfonics, is well-known, as are jazz legends like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and John C ...

Sports in Pennsylvania

Sports in Pennsylvania Sports in Pennsylvania includes numerous professional sporting teams, events, and venues located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Major league professional teams Pennsylvania is home to eight teams from the five major American professional spo ...

Sports in Allentown, Pennsylvania Sports in Allentown, Pennsylvania has a rich tradition at all levels, including professional sports, the Olympics, and high school levels. While most Allentown residents support professional sports teams in New York City or Philadelphia, Allen ...

** Sports in Philadelphia **

Sports in Pittsburgh Sports in Pittsburgh have been played dating back to the American Civil War. Baseball, hockey, and the first professional American football game had been played in the city by 1892. Pittsburgh was first known as the "City of Champions" when th ...

Economy and infrastructure of Pennsylvania

Economy of Pennsylvania * Communications in Pennsylvania * Allentown economy ** Newspapers in Pennsylvania **

Radio stations in Pennsylvania The following is a list of FCC-licensed radio stations in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, which can be sorted by their call signs, frequencies, cities of license, licensees, and programming formats. List of radio stations Defunct * KYW-FM ...

** Television stations in Pennsylvania * Energy in Pennsylvania ** Coal mining in Pennsylvania ** Oil rush in Pennsylvania ** Power stations in Pennsylvania ** Solar power in Pennsylvania **

Wind power in Pennsylvania Wind Power in Pennsylvania, one of the major source of renewable energy, it accounts for over one third of the renewable energy production of Pennsylvania. There are more than 27 Wind farm, wind farms currently installed in the commonwealth of Pen ...

* Health care in Pennsylvania **

Hospitals in Pennsylvania A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergen ...

* Transportation in Pennsylvania **

Airports in Pennsylvania An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

** Roads in Pennsylvania ***

Interstate Highways in Pennsylvania The list of Interstate Highways in Pennsylvania encompasses 23 Interstate Highways—12 primary routes and 11 auxiliary routes—which exist entirely or partially in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, most of the Interstate ...

Education in Pennsylvania

Education in Pennsylvania * Schools in Pennsylvania ** School districts in Pennsylvania *** High schools in Pennsylvania ** Colleges and universities in Pennsylvania ***

Cedar Crest College Cedar Crest College is a private liberal arts women's college in Allentown, Pennsylvania. At the start of the 2015-2016 academic year, the college had 1,301 undergraduates (628 traditional age, 673 adult) and 203 graduate students. Men may ...

(1867) *** DeSales University (1964) *** Lafayette College (1826) *** Lehigh University (1865) *** Moravian College (1742) *** Muhlenberg College (1848) *** University of Pennsylvania (1740) *** University of Pittsburgh (1787) ***

Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) Lincoln University (LU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university (HBCU) near Oxford, Pennsylvania. Founded as the private ...

(1854) *** Pennsylvania State University (1855) *** Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (1857) ***

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called ...

(1884)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 1 Pennsylvania