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a Mid-Atlantic state one of the original 13 colonies one of the British colonies that formed the United States a university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Wikipedia
Otheruses1 the U.S. State US state
Name = Pennsylvania
Fullname = Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Flag = Pennsylvania state flag.png
Flaglink = Flag of Pennsylvania
Seal = Pennsylvania state seal.png
Map = Map of USA highlighting Pennsylvania.png
Nickname = The Keystone State
Capital = Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg
LargestCity = Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia
Governor = Ed Rendell (D)
Senators = Arlen Specter (R)
Rick Santorum (R)
PostalAbbreviation = PA
OfficialLang = ''None''
AreaRank = 33rd
TotalArea = 119,283
LandArea = 116,074
WaterArea = 3,208
PCWater = 2.7
PopRank = 6th
2000Pop = 12,281,054
DensityRank = 10th
2000Density = 105.80
AdmittanceOrder = 2nd
AdmittanceDate = December 12 1787
TimeZone = Eastern Standard Time ZoneEastern: UTC-5/Daylight saving time-4
Longitude = 74°43'W to 80°31'W
Latitude = 39°43'N to 42°N
Width = 255
Length = 455
HighestElev = 979
MeanElev = 335
LowestElev = 0
ISOCode = US-PA
Website = www.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania (the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) is one of four U.S. statestates of the United States of America that is called a commonwealth. It has given its name to the Pennsylvanian time period in geology. Pennsylvania is called the keystone (architecture)Keystone State.Although SwedenSwedes and NetherlandsDutch were the first European settlers, the Religious Society of FriendsQuaker William Penn named Pennsylvania for the Latin phrase meaning "Penn's Woods", in honour of his father. Today, two major cities dominate the state—Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and a thriving metropolitan area, and Pittsburgh, a busy inland river port and major center for educational and technological advances. The The PoconosPocono Mountains and the Delaware Water Gap provide popular recreational activities.Pennsylvania is one of the U.S.'s most historic states. Philadelphia is often called the cradle of the American Nation. It was here that the United States Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence and the United States ConstitutionConstitution were drawn up by the Founding Fathers of the United StatesFounding Fathers.The so-called "Pennsylvania Dutch" region in south-central Pennsylvania is another favorite of sightseers. Pennsylvania Germans, including the Amish and the Mennonites, dominate the area around the cities of Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, with smaller numbers extending northeast to the Lehigh Valley and up the Susquehanna River valley. Some of the Old Order Amish have left the area, but many Mennonites remain, particularly in Lancaster County. Some adherents eschew modern conveniences and use horse-drawn farming equipment and carriages, while others are virtually indistinguishable from non-Amish or Mennonites.(The term "Dutch" is a misnomer, since there were much fewer of Dutch origin; the llGerman adjective for "German", ''Deutsch'', was misheard as "Dutch" and the name stuck.)The battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)USS ''Pennsylvania'', damaged at Pearl Harbor, was named in honor of this state, as were several other USS Pennsylvanianaval vessels. It was repaired at the former Sun Ship Yard & Dry Dock in Chester, PennsylvaniaChester City.
History - mainHistory of Pennsylvania Before the state existed, the area was home to the LenapeDelaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehanna, Iroquois, Eriez, Shawnee, and other Native Americans in the United StatesNative American tribes.In 1643, the southeastern portion of the state, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, was settled by Sweden, but control later passed to the Netherlands, and then to England (later Great Britain).On March 4 1681, Charles II of England granted a land charter to William Penn for the area that now includes Pennsylvania. Penn then founded a colony there as a place of religious freedom for the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and named it for the Latin phrase meaning "Penn's woods".A large tract of land north and west of Philadelphia, in Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties, was settled by WalesWelsh Quakers and called the "Welsh Tract". Even today many cities and towns in that area bear the names of Welsh municipalities.The western portions of Pennsylvania were among disputed territory between the colonial United KingdomBritish and FranceFrench during the French and Indian War. The French established numerous fortifications in the area, including the pivotal Fort Duquesne on top of which the city of Pittsburgh was built.The colony's reputation of religious freedom also attracted significant populations of GermanyGerman and Scots-Irish settlers who helped to shape colonial Pennsylvania and later went on to populate the neighboring states further west.In 1704 the "three lower counties" of 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 13 coloniesthirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution of 1776. Pennsylvania became the second state on 12 December, 1787 (five days after Delaware became the first).Pennsylvania also saw the Battle of Gettysburg, near Gettysburg, PennsylvaniaGettysburg. Many historians consider this battle the major turning point of the American Civil War. Dead from this battle rest at Gettysburg National Cemetery, site of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.In the latter half of the 19th century, the U.S. oil (kerosene) industry was born in western Pennsylvania, which supplied the vast majority of U.S. kerosene for years thereafter, and saw the rise and fall of oil boom towns.During the 20th century Pennsylvania's existing iron industries expanded into a major center of steel production. Shipbuilding and numerous other forms of manufacturing flourished in the eastern part of the state, and coal mining was also extremely important in many regions. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Pennsylvania received very large numbers of immigrants from Europe seeking work; dramatic, sometimes violent confrontations took place between organized labor and the state's industrial concerns.Pennsylvania was hard-hit by the decline of the steel industry and other heavy U.S. industries during the late 20th century.
Law and government - Like all American states, Pennsylvania has a government which is separation of powersseparated into an executive (government)executive, a legislature, and a judiciary, the powers and duties of which are established by the Pennsylvania Constitution. The capital of Pennsylvania is in Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg.
Executive branch - The head of the executive branch is the list of Pennsylvania GovernorsGovernor, who is as of 2005currently Democrat Ed RendellEdward G Rendell, a former mayor of Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia. The other elected officials composing the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor General, and State Treasurer. The Governor's cabinet consists of the eighteen appointed heads of Pennsylvania state agencies: the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Adjutant General, Secretary of Education, Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of Banking, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Health, State Police Commissioner, Secretary of Labor and Industry, Secretary of Public Welfare, Secretary of Revenue, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Community Affairs, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Environmental Resources, Secretary of General Services, Secretary of Aging, and the Secretary of Corrections.
Legislative branch - Pennsylvania has had a bicameral legislature since 1790. The Pennsylvania General Assembly consists of a Pennsylvania SenateSenate with 50 members and a Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives with 203. Notable General Assembly members include Senate President Pro Tempore Robert C. Jubelirer (Republican Party (United States)R), Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill (Republican Party (United States)R), Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Mellow (D), Speaker (politics)Speaker of the House of Representatives John M. Perzel (Republican Party (United States)R), House Majority Leader Samuel H. Smith (Republican Party (United States)R), House Minority Leader H. William DeWeese (D), and Senate Minority Appropriations Chairman Vincent Fumo (D).
Judicial branch - Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districtscourts.state.pa.us, most of which (save Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties) have district justices (formerly called justices of the peace), who preside mainly over minor criminal offenses and small civil claims. The Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Pittsburgh police magistrate court have similar jurisdiction, but are limited to those locations. As Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County, the Pittsburgh police magistrate court is the only true city-level court in the state.The general trial courts in which most criminal and civil cases originate are the Courts of Common Pleas. They also serve as appellate courts to the district justices and for local agency decisions. The Courts of Common Pleas serving the larger Pennsylvania counties are divided into specialized divisions.The state has two intermediate-level appellate courts: the Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court. The fifteen judges of the Superior Court hear all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas not expressly designated to the Commonwealth Court or Supreme Court. It also has original jurisdiction to review warrants for wiretap surveillance. The jurisdiction of the nine-judge Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas. The Commonwealth Court also functions as a trial court in some civil suits, including cases that involve the state or its officers as parties, and cases regarding statewide elections.Pennsylvania's entire judicial system is under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which is also the final appellate court for both the Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court. It also hears appeals directly from the Courts of Common Pleas in certain cases, including from murder convictions in which the death penalty has been imposed, the right to public office, criminal contempt, and any case in which the Court of Common Pleas ruled that a state law was unconstitutional. Like all judges in Pennsylvania, the seven justices of the Supreme Court are chosen by public election; the chief justice is the justice with the most seniority.
Representation in the federal government - Pennsylvania' s? two U.S. United States Senatesenators are Rick Santorum (Republican) and Arlen Specter (Republican). Pennsylvania's 19 representatives in the United States House of RepresentativesHouse are Bob BradyRobert Brady (D, 1st District); Chaka Fattah (D, 2nd District); Phil English (R, 3rd District); Melissa Hart (R, 4th District); John E. Peterson (R, 5th District); Jim Gerlach (R, 6th District); Curt Weldon (R, 7th District); Mike FitzpatrickMichael Fitzpatrick (R, 8th District); Bill Shuster (R, 9th District); Don Sherwood (R, 10th District); Paul E. Kanjorski (D, 11th District); John Murtha (D, 12th District); Allyson Schwartz (D, 13th District); Mike Doyle (D, 14th District); Charlie Dent (R, 15th District); Joe Pitts (R, 16th District); Tim Holden (D, 17th District); Tim Murphy (congressman)Tim Murphy (R, 18th District); and Todd Russell Platts (R, 19th District).
Politics in Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania is considered a swing state as its politics are not dominated by any single party. As of 2005, the Republican Party (United States)Republican Party holds both houses of the state legislature, both United States Senate seats and a majority of the state's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, but the Democratic Party (United States)Democratic Party holds the governor's seat and their candidate has won the state in the past four presidential elections. Bill Clinton carried the state twice, Al Gore won here in 2000 as did John Kerry in 2004 with a slim 50.9% of the vote. The state is divided into heavily left leaning areas along the sides. Democrats are the majority in the Philadelphia area, as well as around Lehigh ValleyAllentown, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre in the east, and in the southwestern part of the state, the Pittsburgh area in the west and Erie, PennsylvaniaErie in the northwest. The northern and central part of the state, nicknamed the ''Republican 'T''', is more rural and tends to be very conservative. James Carville, the outspoken Democratic strategist, summed up Pennsylvania politics as "Philadelphia on one end, Pittsburgh on the other, with Alabama in the middle."U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Pennsylvania
Geography - ''See: List of Pennsylvania counties'' Pennsylvania's nickname "The Keystone State" is quite apt, as the state forms a geographic bridge both between the U.S. NortheastNortheastern states and the U.S. SouthSouthern states, and between the Atlantic seaboard and the Midwest. It 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 RiverDelaware, Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna, Monongahela RiverMonongahela, Allegheny RiverAllegheny, and Ohio RiverOhio Rivers are the major rivers of the state. The Youghiogheny River and Oil Creek are smaller rivers which have played an important role in the development of the state. The capital is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania is 180 miles (290 km) north to south and 310 miles (500 km) east to west. The total land area is 1 E11 m²44,817 square miles (119,283 km²), 739,200 acres (2,990 km²) of which are bodies of water. It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. The highest point of 3,213 feet (979 m) above sea level is at Mount Davis. Its lowest point is at sea level on the Delaware River. Pennsylvania is in the Eastern Standard Time ZoneEastern time zone.It sometimes helps to consider the western third of the state a separate large geophysical unit, which is so distinctive that it can often best be described on its own. Several important, complex factors set Western Pennsylvania apart in many respects from the east, such as the initial difficulty of access across the mountains, an orientation to the Mississippi drainage system of rivers, and above all, the complex economics involved in the rise and decline of the American steel industry centered around Pittsburgh. Other factors, such as a markedly different style of agriculture, the rise of the oil industry, timber exploitation and the old wood chemical industry, and even, in linguistics, the Pittsburgh Englishlocal dialect, all make this large area sometimes seem a virtual "state within a state".Pennsylvania is bisected diagonally by ridges of the Appalachian Mountains from southwest to northeast. To the northwest of the folded mountains is the Allegheny Plateau, which continues into southwestern and south central New York. This plateau is so dissected by valleys that it also seems mountainous. The Plateau is underlain by sedimentary rocks of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian age, which bear abundant fossils, as well as natural gas and petroleum. In 1859 near Titusville Edwin L. Drake drilled the first oil well in the USA into these sediments. Similar rock layers also contain coal to the south and east of the oil and gas deposits. In the metamorphic (folded) belt, anthracite (hard coal) is mined near Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton. These fossil fuels have been an important resource to Pennsylvania. Timber and dairy farming are also sources of livelihood for midstate and western Pennsylvania. Along the shore of Lake Erie in the far northwest are orchards and vineyards. .]]Pennsylvania has 89 miles of shoreline along the Delaware River estuary but is a landlocked state with no coastline bordering the Atlantic Ocean. (The difference between the coast (the shore of an ocean) and the shore (a protected bay, bayou, estuary, or sound) and how these concepts are measured is explained at length in an extended footnote under "Miscellaneous" in the article on New Hampshire.) Pennsylvania is the only truly landlocked state of the original thirteen states, although Connecticut, located on the Long Island Sound, also has no actual coastline.Pennsylvania has one of the largest seaports in the U.S. on its narrow shore, the Port of Philadelphia. In the west the Port of Pittsburgh is also very large and even exceeds Philadelphia in rank by annual tonnage, due to the large volume of bulk coal shipped by barge down the Ohio River. Chester, downstream from Philadelphia, and Erie, the Great Lakes outlet on Lake Erie in the Erie Triangle, are smaller but still important ports.Pennsylvania has been the site of some of the most horrendous ecological disasters experienced in the USA. In 1889 the South Fork Dam, impounding a recreational mountain lake for sportsmen, burst after a heavy rain and destroyed the downstream factory town of Johnstown, PennsylvaniaJohnstown, killing over 2,200 inhabitants in the notorious Johnstown Flood (the town was later rebuilt and is a reasonably large community today in the central mountains). In 1961 an exposed seam of coal at Centralia, Pennsylvania caught fire and forced eventually almost the entire community to abandon their settlement; the coal fire is still burning today and is estimated to last 100 years more. Finally, in 1979 the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Incident near the state capital of Harrisburg, while not as destructive to the community, nevertheless cost close to $1 billion to clean up and changed the national public perception of nuclear power to a much less favorable viewpoint.
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.Pennsylvania has a large, diverse group of manufacturing companies and within this group are some whose products have come to be household words, symbolic of ordinary American life. Among these products are Hershey bars from the Hershey Chocolate Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania; Heinz ketchup and Heinz-57 sauce from the H. J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh; Crayola products from Binney & Smith, Inc., in Easton; and Zippo lighters from Zippo Manufacturing in Bradford. Other corporations based in Pennsylvania are : Comcast, Sunoco, Pep Boys, Utz/ Herr's/ Wise Potato Chips, and many others, especially insurance, pharmaceutical, and steel corporations. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is well know for its quality wood products such as furniture, sheds, gazebos and play sets. Such items are shipped all over the country (and the world) out of Lancaster County. Most of these are produced by Amish and Mennonite craftsmen.On Lake Erie some freshwater commercial fishing exists, the principal catch being yellow perch.
Taxation - The two largest sources of state revenue are income taxes on individuals and businesses and the state sales tax. In addition, the state imposes other taxes and fees on businesses and collects fees for various licenses and permits. There is also an inheritance tax, taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and taxes and fees on certain other goods and services. There is also a tax on the transfer of real property.Pennsylvania is one of only five American states to employ a flat tax on personal income. Unlike the others, Pennsylvania's is a ''pure flat tax'' with no personal exemptions. As of 2005, the income tax rate for individuals is 3.07% of earned income. The state assesses a 6% sales tax on taxable goods and services. Counties may add additional sales tax charges, but as of 2005, only Philadelphia and Allegheny counties charge an additional sales tax rates. Items such as unprepared food (not ready-to-eat), most clothing, shoes, drugs, textbooks, and residential heating fuels are exempt from sales tax.The state government does not levy or collect taxes on real estate or personal property. Most counties, municipalities, and school districts do levy taxes on real estate. In addition, some local bodies assess a wage tax on personal income. Generally, the total wage tax rate is capped at 1% of income but some municipalities with home rule charters may charge more than 1%. Thirty-two of the state's sixty-seven counties levy a personal property tax on stocks, bonds, and similar holdings. In addition to taxes collected on liquor, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is the sole retail distributor of liquor in the state through its government owned ''Wine and Spirits Stores''. Profits from these retail operations are used to fund a number of programs including the Pennsylvania State Police. (Source PA Dept. of Revenue)
Demographics - According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Pennsylvania's population was 12,406,292 placing it 6th in population in the country. The Commonwealth has one of the fastest growing Asian and Hispanic populations in the nation with percentage increases well over a 100%. Most of the Asian immigrants are Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Arab. The Hispanic immigration mostly consists of people from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central and South America. During the 1970s and 1980s, Pennsylvania grew sluggishly. In the 1990s and into 2000, more people from other states (migrants) started moving to Pennsylvania. Foreign immigration has also picked up for the first time since World War II.Pennsylvania is mainly white in certain areas such as the far northeast, north central, and some areas around Pittsburgh. The Philadelphia Metro and the surrounding counties and the state as a whole are a true melting pot with large numbers of Blacks, Hispanics, South Asians, East Asians, and Arabs.Race and Ancestry
The racial makeup of the state is:84.1% WhitesWhite10.0% BlacksBlack3.2% HispanicsHispanic1.8% Asian AmericanAsian0.1% Native Americans in the United StatesNative American1.2% Mixed race Population estimates predict Pennsylvania's population to be around 77.2% White in 2010, or lower. This rapid decrease of the state's white population is due to huge growth in the state's non-white population. Most of this diversity growth is concentrated in the Philadelphia Metro, and the Lehigh Valley, but large non-white growth is statewide. The five largest ancestry groups in Pennsylvania are: German-AmericanGerman (25.4%), IrelandIrish (16.1%), Italian-AmericanItalian (11.5%), African American (10%), British-AmericanEnglish (7.9%).Pennsylvanians of German ancestry live in most areas of the state outside of Philadelphia. Northeastern Pennsylvania has residents of British ancestry on the New York border and there are many Polish-Americans in the Scranton area. Philadelphia has a black plurality and smaller black populations are located in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. Irish-Americans are the single largest ancestry group in Delaware county and the overall Philadelphia metropolitan area. Pennsylvania has more Slovaks and Welsh than any other state. Pennsylvania also has among the largest populations of Germans, Irish, Italians, and Russians of any state, and the most Ukrainians of any state besides New York.5.9% of Pennsylvania's population were reported as under 5, 23.8% under 18, and 15.6% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.7% of the population.
Religion - Historically, the Religious Society of FriendsQuakers pursued a policy of religious toleration at the founding of Penn's colony (Pennsylvania), which benefited other older groups, such as Lutherans from the New Sweden settlement, and which also attracted religious refugees from the European continent, such as Amish and Mennonites. Other groups also settled, including the Moravian Bretheren, who founded and named today's large city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who settled on the frontier. This was a fairly diverse group of denominations by Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century standards, and testifies to the benign administration of Penn.Later, after industrialization, immigrants from the Catholic countries of Europe started coming in large numbers to Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia today stands a shrine to and the burial place of Saint John Neumann, himself a Czech immigrant, who worked for the betterment of the new arrivals and who founded the American parochial school system. Pennsylvania has one of the largest Jewish populations in the country, with about 440,000. Immigration to Pennsylvania in the past 20 years has brought large numbers of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs to the state. The current religious affiliations of the people of Pennsylvania are:ChristianityChristian – 83%*ProtestantismProtestant – 55%**MethodismMethodist – 10%**Baptist – 10%**LutheranismLutheran – 9%**PresbyterianismPresbyterian – 5%**United Church of Christ – 2%**Amish/PietismPietist – 1%**Other Protestant or general Protestant – 18%*Roman Catholicism in the United StatesRoman Catholic – 27%*Other Christian – 1%JudaismJewish (religious only) – 2%Other Religions – 2%Non-Religious – 13%
Important cities and municipalities - Pennsylvania has only one incorporated town, Bloomsburg, PennsylvaniaBloomsburg, the county seat of Columbia County. All other municipalities are incorporated as citycities, boroughboroughs or townshiptownships. It is technically incorrect to refer to any municipality in Pennsylvania other than Bloomsburg as a town.Major cities and boroughs: The area including Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton is sometimes referred to as the "ABE tri-town area", from which derives the IATA airport code for Lehigh Valley International Airport.Top and bottom 10 locations by per capita income: seealsoPennsylvania locations by per capita income
Education -
Colleges and universities - seeList of colleges and universities in Pennsylvania
State symbols - State animal: Whitetail DeerState beverage: MilkState cookie: Chocolate ChipState bird: Ruffed GrouseState capital: Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburgState dog: Great DaneState fish: Brook TroutState flower: Mountain LaurelState fossil: the trilobite ''Phacops rana''State insect: FireflyState song: PennsylvaniaState tree: TsugaHemlockState ship: United States Brig NiagaraState electric locomotive: Pennsylvania Railroad PRR GG1GG1 #4849 LocomotiveState steam locomotive: Pennsylvania Railroad PRR K4sK4s LocomotiveState beautification plant: Crown vetch
Notable Pennsylvanians - Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) was one of the most important figures in Pennsylvania's history, although he was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He founded the University of Pennsylvania in 1742. He had the distinction of signing both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He is buried with his wife Deborah in Christ Church Cemetery in Philadelphia.Stephen Foster was born in Pittsburgh on July 4, 1826. He was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of his era. Many of his songs, such as "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", and "Beautiful Dreamer", are still popular over 150 years after their composition.James Buchanan (1791–1868) was born and lived in Pennsylvania until his death. He was the 15th President of the United States and the only President from that state.George M. Dallas (1792–1864) of Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia served as the 11th Vice President of the United States under James K. Polk and is the only Pennsylvanian to hold the office. He also served as U.S. Minister to Great Britain and Russia, as Mayor of Philadelphia and in the United States SenateSenate.Thaddeus Stevens (1792–1868) was a key Pennsylvania state legislator in establishing and maintaining Pennsylvania's early system of public education. As a U.S. Congressman and leading "Radical Republican", he helped draft the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing "equal protection of the laws" to all Americans.Rachel Carson (1907–1964) born near Springdale, PennsylvaniaSpringdale, was a pioneer environmentalist and author of ''Silent Spring'' Winfield Scott Hancock (1824–1886) was born in Montgomery Square. He commanded Union troops during the American Civil War, most notably during the Battle of Gettysburg.Ida Tarbell (1857–1944) was born in Erie and was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris. She was a pioneering "muckraker" journalist and one of the few female journalists in the country during her time. In 1906, she joined with Lincoln Steffens and Ray Stannard Baker to establish the radical American Magazine. She also wrote several books on the role of women including The Business of Being a Woman (1912) and The Ways of Women (1915).Pop artist Andy Warhol (1928–1987) was born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh. The Andy Warhol Museum is located in Pittsburgh's North Side, and he is buried in nearby Bethel Park, PennsylvaniaBethel Park.Kurt Angle (1968—) was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Angle won the Gold Medal in freestyle Roman/Greco wrestling at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, before signing with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment, where he has won the WWE Championship on four different occasions. Angle is one of only two wrestlers in the WWE to have participated in the Olympics, and is the only one to have won gold medals.K. Leroy Irvis (1918—) was born near Albany, New York, but came to Pennsylvania to head Pittsburgh's Urban League in the 1940s. Fired under pressure after leading a successful boycott of Pittsburgh's department stores for discriminating against African-Americans, Irvis enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh law school, graduated with honors, became Pittsburgh's first black judicial law clerk, then an assistant district attorney, then a state legislator. Serving 30 years in the Pennsylvania House (1958–1988), 26 of them as an elected Democratic leader, Irvis became the first 20th Century African-American Speaker in 1977. He was a major force behind numerous successful efforts to expand educational opportunities in Pennsylvania. General of the Army George C. Marshall (1880–1959) of Uniontown, Pennsylvania Uniontown, lead the United States Army as Army Chief of StaffChief of Staff during the Second World War. He later served as United States Secretary of StateSecretary of State and authored the Marshall Plan. Demetrius Augustine GallitzinPrince Demetrius Gallitzin (1770–1840) A Russian prince turned Roman Catholic missionarymissionary priest known as ''Apostle of the Alleghenies''. He emigrated to the United States in 1792 and studied theology under Bishop John Carroll. In 1795, he became the first Catholic to receive all the orders of Priest#Catholic .26 Orthodoxpriesthood in the United States. In 1799 he used his own fortune to purchase 20,000 acres in Cambria County, PennsylvaniaCambria County to form a Catholic community, the nucleus of the modern Roman Catholic Church west of the Allegheny Mountains. A prolific writer and apologist, he was declared a Servant of God in 2005, the first step on the road toward possible canonization. Tom Ridge, The former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (1945-), was Governor of Pennsylvania between 1995 and 2003. Prior to that, he was a US Representative from Erie between 1982 and 1995.Eugene W. Hickok, The former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education from 2004–2005, and prior to that, Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education from 1995–2001.Marian Anderson, of Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, world-reknowned contralto, who, after the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to let her sing at Constitution Hall because she was African-American, was famously invited to sing at the Lincoln Memorial by Eleanor Roosevelt.James J. Davis, U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1921 to 1932 and U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1946
Pennsylvania in popular music - Pennsylvania has given birth to some of the nation's leading popular and rock music groups, including Anti-Flag, Christina Aguilera, Bloodhound Gang, Boyz II Men, Vanessa Carlton, Coolio, Fuel (band)Fuel, Hall & Oates, Live (band)Live, Joan Jett, Patti LaBelle, Pink (musician)Pink, Poison (band)Poison, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, The Roots, Rusted Root, Jill Scott, Shanice, Will Smith, The Dead Milkmen, Flag of Democracy, The Juliana Theory, The Clarks, and Bret Michaels of Poison (band)Poison, to name a few.
Pennsylvanians in Film, Television, and Theater - Many Pennsylvanians have found success in film, television, and the theater including: F. Murray Abraham - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Kevin Bacon - Philadelphia John Barrymore - Philadelphia Lionel Barrymore - Philadelphia Peter Boyle - Philadelphia Charles Bronson - Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania Bill Cosby - Philadelphia Scott Glenn - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Russell Johnson - Ashley, Pennsylvania Shirley Jones - Charleroi, Pennsylvania Gene Kelly - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Grace Kelly - Philadelphia Jayne Mansfield - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Henry Mancini - Aliquippa, Pennsylvania Dennis Miller - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Bam Margera - West Chester, Pennsylvania Jack Palance - Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania M. Night Shyamalan - Philadelphia (immigrated from India as a child) James Stewart (actor)Jimmy Stewart - Indiana, Pennsylvania Fred RogersMr. Rogers - Latrobe, Pennsylvania David O. Selznick - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Fritz Weaver - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Michael Keaton - Coraopolis, Pennsylvania Sharon Stone - Meadville, Pennsylvania Will Smith - Philadelphia
See also - List of Pennsylvania-related topics List of people from Pennsylvania List of Pennsylvania counties List of hospitals in Pennsylvania
External links - commonsPennsylvania state.pa.us - Official state government sitedot.state.pa.us - Penna. Dept. of Transportationpittsburgh.about.com - Pennsylvania Visitor's Guideobit.obitlinkspage.com - Pennsylvania Obituary Links Pagegenealogybuff.com - GenealogyBuff.com - Pennsylvania Library FilesHavenWorks.com - Pennsylvania News, Searches, Sources, and Reference.atlasworld.info - Road Atlases of Pennsylvaniamapsofpa.com - Historical Maps of Pennsylvaniaquickfacts.census.gov - U.S. Census BureauPennsylvania United_States Category:Pennsylvania*Category:States of the United !Statesbg:Пенсилвани ca:Pennsilvàniacs:Pensylván iecy:Pennsylvaniada:Pennsylvan iade:Pennsylvaniaes:Pensilvani aeo:Pensilvaniofr:Pennsylvanie gl:Pennsylvaniako:펜실베이 니아? !주id:Pennsylvaniait:Pennsylva niahe:פנסילבניהka:პ ენსილვანია lv:Pensilvānijalt:Pensilvanij ahu:Pennsylvanianl:Pennsylvani aja:ペンシルバニア州no :Pennsylvaniann:Pennsylvaniapl :Pensylwania? (stan w !USA)pt:Pensilvâniaru:Пенс ильванияsimple:Pennsyl vaniask:Pensylvániasr:Пен илванијаfi:Pennsylvan iasv:Pennsylvaniauk:Пенсі льваніяzh:宾夕法尼 州
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Websites
Washington Fire Company No. 1
Volunteer Fire Company
http://www.washies1.org/
Wildfilm
Filmmakers/Photographers specializing in outdoor/adventure sports and the natural environment,with emphasis on Pennsylvania's wild places
http://www.wildfilmproductions.com/
Dietary Managers Association Pennsylvania State Chapter
Pennsylvania State Chapter of the Dietary Managers Association
http://www.dmapa.org/
All States - Local Wedding Officiants
Locator and referral service for wedding officiants, ministers, pastors, cantors, priests, rabbis, celebrants, and judges throughout the United States.
http://www.localweddingofficiants.com
Cherry Lane United Methodist Church
A United Methodist Church established at the corner of Cherry Lane Road and Cherry Lane Church Road since 1866. Serving Tannersville, PA.
http://www.cherrylanechurch.org/
Penn Alps Restaurant & Craft Shop
Penn Alps Restaurant & Craft Shop in Grantsville, MD, offering Breakfast, lunch & dinner, plus buffets and group menus. Crafts by local artisans in the craft store.
http://www.pennalps.com/
Pennsylvania Vacation Travel
Information on Travel and Vacations in Pennsylvania.
http://www.pavacationrental.com
Insiders Guides
Travel Guides for every destination.
http://www.insidersguides.com/
Playground Contractors Association
The International Playground Contractors Association IS: A worldwide partnership formed to contribute to the advancement of the playground building industry by promoting playground installation as a legitimate contracting profession within the playground industry. The International Playground Contractors Association LENDS SUPPORT: To all playground safety programs, guidelines, and standards that promote playground safety by assisting the public in identifying the need for a professional playground installation. The International Playground Contractors Association SEEKS: Active participation in, and contributions from its membership and corporate sponsors for the development and growth of individual members, their contracting business, and the playground construction professional worldwide.
http://www.playground-contractors.org/
Aerial Photography Directory Aerial Photographers
Aerial Photography directory Aerial Photographers Directory Telephone listings of aerial photographers available for photography assignments. Stock aerial photos sources of pictures throughout the United States and Canada
http://www.aerial-photography-america.com/
www.bisga.org
Free information related to brain injury and starting or strengthening a peer-to-peer support group. Free tools and assistance world wide!
http://www.pabia.org/
TDI Productions - Video - Corporate - Training - Documentary
TDI Production's mission is to bring affordable excellence to the largely overlooked $2,500 to $45,000 video and digital media market. We are dedicated to producing visually stunning, engaging and 12 time award-winning productions for the small and medium sized organizations which are often under-served by the larger corporate media companies.
http://www.tdiproductions.com/
Oscar's Amusements
We are a family owned and operated carnival that works with-in 40 miles of our home base so we commute to our locations rather than live on the lot. We work strictly for non-profit organizations helping them raise much needed funds in a fun enviornment. The income generated for our sponsors are limitless if the community becomes involved and pitches in with activities of their own. We not only help make money, we help to create family fun :-)
http://www.oscarsamusements.com/
All States Marine Surveyors
New Jersey based: Pre-Purchase, Condition & Valuation, Insurance and Damage Surveys. NJ NY PA DE MD. Certified and Accredited ABYC NFPA USSA ACMS SBYD
http://www.allstatesmarinesurveyors.com/
Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's Recycling & Composting Organization
http://www.proprecycles.org/
Ceiba Nature Tours
Personally planned and guided small group travel.
http://www.ceibanaturetours.com/
[DJE DESIGN]
DJE DESIGN, your source for affordable web design, graphic design, flash integration, promotion, consulting, site redesign, domain registration, hosting, e-commerce, and IT solutions.
http://www.djedesign.com/
U.S. Inspector Guide
Find a Certified Home Inspector (Nationwide) FREE. Home Inspectors JOIN TODAY !!!
http://www.usinspectorguide.com/
Becky's Drive-In Theater
The official website of Becky's Drive-In Theatre - located in Berlinsville Pennsylvania (approx. 11 miles North of Allentown, PA, 20 miles West of Easton, PA and 15 miles from Bethlehem, PA). This website includes movie show times, pictures, history, souvenirs, directions, weather, and much more!
http://www.beckysdi.com/
Blue Ridge Gazette Magazine
The Blue Ridge Mountains, from Pennsylvania to Georgia, is a culturally diverse region filled with a colorful history and rich with natural beauty and people of extreme artistic qualities. Here at The Blue Ridge Gazette our mission is to celebrate, educate, and raise awareness of all that the region and its people have to offer.
http://blueridgegazette.net
Merritt & Harris, Inc.
Construction consultants to the real estate lending and investment community since 1973. Providing construction reviews, project monitoring, and property condition assessment for lending institutions, equity investors, pension funds, REITS, and private investors. Commissioning services and construction-related litigation support. Offices in New York, South Florida, and California. Serving in US, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean with affiliate in London.
http://www.merrittandharris.com/
Kneppy's Fireworks Inc.
Central Pennsylvania's only wholesale and retail outlet where you can buy all kinds of fireworks. Come check us out. LOW PRICES TOO! NOTE: FEDERAL & STATE LAWS DO APPLY!
http://www.kneppysfireworks.com/
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Official site provides state-related news and information for citizens, visitors, and businesses about and available from state executive, judicial and legislative divisions.
http://www.state.pa.us/
University of Pennsylvania
Official web site.
http://www.upenn.edu/
Pennsylvania.com
Activities, business listings, information on travel, the state and government, maps, city guides, general interest articles, classifieds and personals.
http://www.pennsylvania.com/
Pennsylvania State University
Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1855. The only land-grant University in the state. Currently, home to over 80,000 students in more than 160 baccalaureate programs at 24 locations. Also, home to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
http://www.psu.edu/
OncoLink
Extensive information including news, prevention, clinical trials, conferences and psychosocial support from the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center.
http://www.oncolink.com/
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue provides state income and business tax forms and information.
http://www.revenue.state.pa.us/
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