Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (State)

Area: 45,308 sq. mi.

Capital: Harrisburg

Popular name: Keystone State

The state of Pennsylvania (named after its founder, William Penn) lies in the north-eastern United States, reaching from Lake Erie to the Delaware River, on the border with New Jersey. In the east it extends on to the Piedmont Plateau and into the Appalachians and their longitudinal valley; the main part of the state lies on the Allegheny Plateau, which reaches its highest point in Mount Davius (3212 ft). In the humid continental climate, with warm summers and cool winters, deciduous forest predominates in fully half the area of the state, with conifers at higher levels. Pennsylvania is called the Keystone State because some of the key events in the history of the United States took place here, in particular the signing of the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia in 1776.

History The first white settlement in the territory of Pennsylvania, then occupied by the Iroquois, was established by Swedes in 1643. Thereafter it became a Dutch colony, and in 1664 passed to Britain. In 1681 Charles II granted the territory to the Quaker William Penn, charging him to speed up the process of settlement. In addition to English Quakers and Scottish and Irish groups the early settlers were mainly Germans, who left an enduring imprint on the state. On December 12th 1787 Pennsylvania became the second state to adopt the Constitution of the United States of America.

Economy Thanks to the deposits of anthracite in the Appalachians Pennsylvania is the leading coal-mining state in the United States. This has led to the development of an important iron and steel industry and a high degree of industrialization in the state. Agriculture is concentrated mainly on supplying the needs of the industrial areas. The Appalachians and the Pocono Mountains with their excellent winter sports facilities and scope for other outdoor activities are popular tourist and holiday areas.