Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Flag of Pennsylvania Seal Nickname(s): Keystone State, Quaker State, Coal State, Oil State, State of Independence Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence
Demonym	Pennsylvanian
Capital	Harrisburg
Largest city	Philadelphia
Largest metro area	Delaware Valley
Area	Ranked 33rd in the US
- Total	46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)
- Width	280 miles (455 km)
- Length	160 miles (255 km)
- % water	2. The Flag of Pennsylvania consists of a blue field on which the state coat of arms is embroidered The Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the state seal for the U This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The Delaware Valley is a term used widely to refer to the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia in the United States. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 7
- Latitude	39°43′ N to 42°16′ N
- Longitude	74°41′ W to 80°31′ W
Population	Ranked 6th in the US
- Total	12,281,054
- Density	274. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 02/sq mi  105. 80/km² (10th in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Mount Davis[1] 3,213 ft  (979 m)
- Mean	1,099 ft  (335 m)
- Lowest point	Delaware River[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	December 12, 1787 (2nd)
Governor	Ed Rendell (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Catherine Baker Knoll (D)
U.S. Senators	Arlen Specter (R) Bob Casey, Jr. (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	PA Penna. US-PA
Website	www.pa.gov

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (IPA: /ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪnjə/), often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation) by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States of America. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Mount Davis is the highest Mountain in Pennsylvania, located in the 5685 acre (23 The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell (born January 5 1944) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. Catherine Baker Knoll (born September 3 1930, McKees Rocks Pennsylvania) is an American Politician and member of the The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Arlen Specter (born February 12 1930) is the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party Robert Patrick Casey Jr (born April 13, 1960) better known as Bob Casey Jr The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses These are tables of congressional delegations from Pennsylvania to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U The Mid-Atlantic States (also called Middle Atlantic States or simply Mid Atlantic) form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Pennsylvania has been known as the Keystone State since 1802,^[2] based in part upon its central location among the original Thirteen Colonies forming the United States. A keystone is the architectural piece at the crown of a vault or Arch and marks its apex, locking the other pieces into position The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the ^[2] It was also a keystone state economically, having both the industry common to the North, making such wares as Conestoga wagons^[3] and rifles,^[4] and the agriculture common to the South, producing feed, fiber, food, and tobacco. The Northern United States is a large geographic region of the United States of America. The Conestoga wagon is a heavy broad-wheeled covered freight carrier used extensively during the United States in the late 1700s and 1800s The term Long Rifle (or alternately Pennsylvania or "Kentucky" Rifle) refers to a type of Rifle used in early America by both The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ^[5]

Another one of Pennsylvania's nicknames is the Quaker State; in colonial times, it was known officially as the Quaker Province,^[6] in recognition of Quaker^[7] William Penn's First Frame of Government^[8] constitution for Pennsylvania that guaranteed liberty of conscience. The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 William Penn ( October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was founder and "Absolute Proprietor" of the Province of Pennsylvania, The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania was a Constitution for the Province of Pennsylvania, a Proprietary colony granted to William Penn by A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Political freedom is the absence of interference with the sovereignty of an individual by the use of coercion or aggression Conscience is a hypothesized Ability or faculty that distinguishes whether our actions are right or wrong He knew of the hostility^[9] Quakers faced when they opposed religious ritual, taking oaths, violence, war and military service, and what they viewed as ostentatious frippery. ^[10]

Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km)^[11] of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km)^[12] of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest city and is home to a major seaport and shipyards on the Delaware River. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. ^[13]

Geography

Further information: Geography of Pennsylvania

Further information: List of Pennsylvania counties

Map of Pennsylvania, showing major cities and roads

Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. The Geography of Pennsylvania is complex and interesting and has played an important role in the history of the United States The following is a list of the sixty-seven counties of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States of America. ^[14] Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km²), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km²) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km²) are inland waters and 749 square miles (1,940 km²) are waters in Lake Erie. ^[15] It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[15] The highest point of 3,213 feet (979 m) above sea level is at Mount Davis, which was named for its owner, John Davis, a schoolteacher who fought for the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface Mount Davis is the highest Mountain in Pennsylvania, located in the 5685 acre (23 The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. Background and movement to battle See also [[Gettysburg Campaign]] [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] The lowest point is at sea level on the Delaware River, and the approximate mean elevation is 1,100 feet (335 m). Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface In Statistics, mean has two related meanings the Arithmetic mean (and is distinguished from the Geometric mean or Harmonic mean ^[16] Pennsylvania is in the Eastern time zone. The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America ^[17]

Counties of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania borders six other states: New York to the north; New Jersey to the east; Delaware and Maryland southeast; West Virginia southwest, and finally Ohio to the west. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads

The original southern boundary of Pennsylvania was supposed to be at 40° North latitude,^[18] but as a result of a bad faith compromise by Lord Baltimore during Cresap's War, the king's courts moved the boundary 20 miles (32 km) south^[19] to 39° 43' N. Baron Baltimore, of Baltimore in County Cork, is an extinct title in the Peerage of Ireland. For the 1774 conflict also known as "Cresap's War" see Dunmore's War. ^[14] The city of Philadelphia, at 40°0'N 75°8'W,^[20] would have been split in half by the original boundary. While he was a captive, Cresap, a Marylander, was paraded through Philadelphia. Colonel Thomas Cresap (1702–1790 was a pioneer settler in the state of Maryland. He taunted the officers by announcing that Philadelphia was one of the prettiest towns in Maryland. ^[19]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's diverse geography also produces a variety of climates. The climate of Pennsylvania is diverse due to the multitude of geographic features found within the state Straddling two major zones, the southeastern corner of the state has the warmest climate. Greater Philadelphia lies at the southernmost tip of the humid continental climate zone, with some characteristics of the humid subtropical climate that lies in Delaware and Maryland to the south. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the climate becomes markedly colder, the number of cloudy days increases, and winter snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particularly cities near Lake Erie, can receive over 100 inches (250 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful rainfall throughout the year. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally

History

Main article: History of Pennsylvania

Before the Commonwealth was settled, the area was home to the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eries, Shawnee, and other Native American tribes. The History of Pennsylvania is as varied as any in the American experience and reflects the Melting pot vision of the United States. The shannon (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans were in the 17th century organized bands of Native American peoples with shared cultural and linguistic The Susquehannock people were natives of areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its Tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse The Erie (also Erieehronon, Eriechronon, Riquéronon, Erielhonan, Eriez, Nation du Chat) were an Iroquoian pre- The Shawnee, or Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are a people native to North America. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States ^[21]

John Dickinson

In 1681, Charles II granted a land charter^[22] to William Penn, to repay a debt of £20,000 ($20,000,000 in today’s money) owed to William's father, Admiral Penn. John Dickinson ( November 8 1732 – February 14 1808) was an American Lawyer and Politician from Philadelphia Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. William Penn ( October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was founder and "Absolute Proprietor" of the Province of Pennsylvania, Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Sir William Penn ( 23 April 1621 &ndash 16 September 1670) was an English Admiral, and the father of William Penn This was one of the largest land grants to an individual in history. ^[23] It was called Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn's Woods", in honor of Admiral Penn.

Penn established a government with two innovations that were much copied in the New World: the county commission, and freedom of religious conviction. ^[23]

Between 1730 and when it was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act of 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip. Colonial Scrip was a paper Fiat money as opposed to specie issued by the colonies in the pre-revolution era up until 1775 The Colony issued "bills of credit" which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by the government and not a banking institution, it was an interest-free proposition, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted general employment and prosperity since the Government used discretion and did not issue too much to inflate the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, of which he said its utility was never to be disputed, and it also received the high praise of Adam Smith. Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Adam Smith ( baptised 16 June 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneer of Political economy.

After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, Delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting in the building that would become Federal Hall in New York City in October of 1765 consisting of delegates from 9 of the 13 colonies John Dickinson ( November 8 1732 – February 14 1808) was an American Lawyer and Politician from Philadelphia Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Congress was the first meeting of the thirteen colonies, called at the request of the Massachusetts Assembly, but only nine colonies sent delegates. The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. ^[24] Dickinson then wrote Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1767 ( MDCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1768 ( MDCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a ^[25]

When the Founding Fathers of the United States were to convene in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress. The Founding Fathers of the United States are the Political leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence or otherwise participated in the The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen British North American colonies that met on September 5 1774 in ^[26] The First Continental Congress drew up and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia,^[27] but when that city was captured by the British, the Continental Congress escaped westward, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1777 ( MDCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common York, known as the White Rose City (after the Wars of the Roses) is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. There they drew up the Articles of Confederation that formed 13 independent colonies into a new nation. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, also the Articles of Confederation was the governing Constitution of the alliance of thirteen independent and Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia was once again chosen to be cradle to the new American Nation. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[28]

Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787,^[29] five days after Delaware became the first. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

The "Redbrick Capitol", used from 1821 until it burned down in 1897

Dickinson College of Carlisle was the first college founded in the United States. Dickinson College is a private residential liberal arts college in Carlisle Pennsylvania. Carlisle is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 18 miles (29 km west by southwest of Harrisburg, the State capital Established in 1773, the college was ratified five days after the Treaty of Paris on September 9, 1783. The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, and approved by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, formally Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1783 ( MDCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or The school was founded by Benjamin Rush and named after John Dickinson. Benjamin Rush ( December 24 1745 &ndash April 19 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States.

For half a century, the Commonwealth's legislature met at various places in the general Philadelphia area before starting to meet regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years. ^[30] But it needed a more central location, as for example the Paxton Boys massacres of 1763 had made them aware. The Paxton Boys were a group of backcountry Presbyterian Scots-Irish frontiersmen from the area around the central Pennsylvania, near the settlements So, in 1799 the legislature moved to the Lancaster Courthouse,^[30] and finally in 1812 to Harrisburg. Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America ^[30] The legislature met in the old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821,^[30] when the Redbrick Capitol was finished. Dauphin County, Pronounced dä-fən, is a County in the US state of Pennsylvania and is one of the four counties comprising It burned down in 1897, presumably due to a faulty flue. A flue is a duct, Pipe, or Chimney for conveying Exhaust gases from a Fireplace, Furnace, Water heater, ^[30] The legislature met at Grace Methodist Church on State Street (still standing), until the present capitol was finished in 1907. ^[30]

The new state Capitol drew rave reviews. The State Capitol of Pennsylvania, located in downtown Harrisburg Pennsylvania, is the seat of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ^[30] Its dome was inspired by the domes of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the United States Capitol. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 ^[30] President Theodore Roosevelt called it the "the most beautiful state Capitol in the nation", and said "It's the handsomest building I ever saw" at the dedication. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T In 1989, the New York Times praised it as "grand, even awesome at moments, but it is also a working building, accessible to citizens . . . a building that connects with the reality of daily life". ^[30]

Pennsylvania accounts for 9% of all wooded areas in the United States.

James Buchanan, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the only bachelor President of the United States. James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by ^[31] The Battle of Gettysburg — the major turning point of the Civil War — took place near Gettysburg. Background and movement to battle See also [[Gettysburg Campaign]] [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] Gettysburg is a borough 38 miles (68 km south by southwest of Harrisburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA, of which it is the ^[32] An estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army forces along with 8,600 African American military volunteers. The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa A military volunteer is a person who enlists in Military service by free will and is not a Mercenary or a Foreign legionaire. ^[33]

Pennsylvania was also the home of the first commercially drilled oil well. In 1859, near Titusville, Pennsylvania, Edwin L. Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drake successfully drilled the well, which led to the first major oil boom in United States history.

See also: List of Pennsylvania firsts  and List of people from Pennsylvania

Demographics

Further information: List of people from Pennsylvania

The center of population of Pennsylvania is located in Perry County, in the borough of Duncannon [1]. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Perry County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania and is one of four counties comprising the greater Harrisburg metropolitan Duncannon is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States.

As of 2006, Pennsylvania has an estimated population of 12,440,621, which is an increase of 35,273 from the previous year, and an increase of 159,567 since the year 2000. Net migration from other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 126,007. Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or American immigration ( emigration to the United States of America) refers to the movement of non-residents to the United States. Net migration to the Commonwealth was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. In 2006, 5. 00% of Pennsylvanians were foreign born (621,480 people). ^[34] The state has an estimated 2005 poverty rate of 11. 9%. ^[35] The state also has the 3rd highest proportion of elderly (65+) citizens in 2005. Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the Average life span of Human beings and thus the end of the human life cycle. ^[35]

Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36. 0%), Europe (35. 9%), Latin America (30. 6%), 5% coming from Africa, 3. 1% coming from North America, and 0. 4% coming from Oceania.

Pennsylvania Population Distribution

Pennsylvania's reported population of Hispanics, especially among the Asian, Hawaiian and White races, has markedly increased in recent years. ^[36] It is not clear how much of this change reflects a changing population, and how much reflects increased willingness to self-identify minority status.

Pennsylvania's population was reported as 5. 9% under 5 and 23. 8% under 18, with 15. 6% were 65 or older. Females made up 51. 7% of the population. ^[37]

The five largest ancestry groups self-reported in Pennsylvania are: German (27. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 66%), Irish (17. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 66%), Italian (12. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 82%), English (8. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 89%) and Polish (7. A Polish American is an American citizen of Polish descent There are an estimated 10 million Americans of Polish descent 23%). ^[38]

Religion

Of all the colonies, only in Rhode Island was religious freedom as secure as in Pennsylvania - and one result was an incredible religious diversity, one which continues to this day. François-Marie Arouet ( 21 November 1694 30 May 1778) better known by the Pen name Voltaire, was a French William Penn ( October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was founder and "Absolute Proprietor" of the Province of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified ^[40]

Pennsylvania's population in 2000 was 12,281,054. Of these, 8,448,193 were estimated to belong to some sort of organized religion. According to the Association of religion data archives at Pennsylvania State University, reliable data exists for 7,116,348 religious adherents in Pennsylvania in 2000, following 115 different faiths. The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA is a free source of online information related to American and international Religion. The Pennsylvania State University (commonly known as Penn State) is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research University ^[41] Their affiliations, including percentage of all adherents, were:^[42]

• Roman Catholic: 3,802,524 (53. 43%)
• Orthodox: 75,354 (1. The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christian churches of Byzantine 06%)
• Mainline Protestant: 2,140,682 (30%)
  • United Methodist Church: 659,350 (9. for other uses see Mainline (disambiguation The mainline (also sometimes called Mainstream) or mainline Protestant denominations The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. 27%)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 611,913 (8. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. 60%)
  • Presbyterian Church: 324,714 (4. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity 56%)
  • United Church of Christ: 241,844 (3. The United Church of Christ ( UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination principally in the United States, 40%)
  • American Baptist Churches in the USA: 132,858 (1. The American Baptist Churches USA ( ABCUSA) is a group of Baptist Churches within the United States; the denomination maintains headquarters in 87%)
  • Episcopal Church: 116,511 (1. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. 64%)
• Evangelical Protestant: 704,204 (10%)
  • Assemblies of God: 84,153 (1. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations 18%)
  • Church of the Brethren: 52,684 (0. The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren ("Schwarzenauer Neutäufer" organized in 1708 by eight 74%)
  • Mennonite Church USA: 48,215 (0. The Mennonite Church USA represents the largest group of Mennonite Christians in the United States 68%)
  • Christian and Missionary Alliance: 45,926 (0. The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA is an Evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity. 65%)
  • Southern Baptist Convention: 44,432 (0. The Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC) is a United States -based mostly conservative Christian denomination 62%)
  • Independent Non-charismatic churches: 42,992 (0. 60%)
• Other theology: 393,584 (5. 53%)
  • Jewish estimate: 283,000 (3. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut 98%)
  • Muslim estimate: 71,190 (1. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. 00%)
  • Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations: 6,778 (0. Unitarian Universalism ( UUism) is a theologically liberal Religion characterized by its support for a "free and responsible search for truth 10%)
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 31,032 (0. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known 44%)

Pennsylvania is also noted for having the highest concentration of an Amish population in the United States. The Amish (ˈɑːmɪʃ are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination best known for Simple living, Plain dress and resisting modern conveniences ^[43]

While Pennsylvania owes its existence to Quakers and many of the older trappings of the Commonwealth are rooted in the teachings of the Religious Society of Friends (as they are officially known), practicing Quakers are a small minority today.

Economy

Further information: List of people from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's 2006 total gross state product (GSP) of $510. Pennsylvania, the sixth most populous state in the United States, is the birthplace of many famous Americans Gross state product (or gross regional product) is a measurement of the economic output of a state or Province. 31 billion^[44] ranks the state 6^th in the nation. If Pennsylvania were an independent country, its economy would rank as the 17^th largest in the world, ahead of Belgium and behind the Netherlands. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands On a per-capita basis, Pennsylvania's per-capita GSP of $34,619 ranks 26^th among the 50 states. ^[44]

Bethlehem Steel's closed manufacturing facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation (1857–2003 based in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest Steel producer in the United States, after Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the This site will become the site of the new multi-million dollar Sands BethWorks casino in 2007. Sands BethWorks is a proposed Casino in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities

Philadelphia in the southeast corner and Pittsburgh in the southwest corner are urban manufacturing centers, with the "t-shaped" remainder of the Commonwealth being much more rural; this dichotomy affects state politics as well as the state economy. ^[45] Philadelphia is home to eight Fortune 500 companies,^[46] with more located in suburbs like King of Prussia; it's a leader in the financial^[47] and insurance industry. King of Prussia is an Unincorporated community in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. ^[48] Pittsburgh is home to seven Fortune 500 companies, including U.S. Steel, PPG Industries, H.J. Heinz, and Alcoa. The United States Steel Corporation ( is an integrated Steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe PPG Industries ( is an American manufacturer of Glass and Chemical products including automotive safety glass Alcoa Inc ( is the world's third largest producer of Aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. ^[46] In all, Pennsylvania is home to fifty Fortune 500 companies. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content ^[46]

Manufacturing

Pennsylvania's factories and workshops manufacture 16. 1% of the Gross State Product (GSP); only 10 states are more industrialized. ^[49] While Educational Services is only 1. Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency 8% of the Commonwealth's GSP, that's twice the national average; only Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont outrank Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. ^[49] Although Pennsylvania is known as a coal state, mining only amounts to 0. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body 6% of the Commonwealth's economy, compared to 1. 3% for the country as a whole. ^[49]

Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania. Klingerstown is a Census-designated place (CDP in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Agriculture

Pennsylvania ranks 19^th overall in agricultural production,^[50] but 1^st in mushrooms, 3^rd in Christmas trees and layer chickens, 4^th in nursery and sod, milk, corn for silage, grapes grown (including juice grapes),^[51] and horses production. Fungiculture is the process of producing food medicine and other products by the cultivation of Mushrooms and other Fungi. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish A nursery is a place where Plants are propagated and grown to usable size Sod or turf is grass and the part of the Soil beneath it held together by the Roots or a piece of this material Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica For the Christian Alternative band please see Silage (band Silage is fermented, high-moisture Fodder that can For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is Grape juice is a Juice obtained from crushing Grapes The juice is often fermented and made into Wine, Brandy, or Vinegar The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. It is also 8^th in the nation for wine production, has the two highest wineries east of the Rocky Mountains and was home to the nation's first commercial grapevine nursery in Montgomery County. Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine A winery is a building or property that produces Wine, or a business involved in the production of wine such as a wine company. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. A nursery is a place where Plants are propagated and grown to usable size Montgomery County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. ^[51] Only about 9,600 of the Commonwealth's 58,000 farmers have sales of $100,000 or more, and with production expenses equaling 84. 9% of sales, most not only have a net farming income below the $19,806 that marks poverty for a family of four,^[52] but are liable for a 12. 4% self-employment tax as well. ^[53] The average farmer is 53 and getting older,^[54] as young Pennsylvanians find low farming income a tough row to hoe. ^[55]

Many farms in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth have been sold to housing developers in the past years. This is largely due to rising taxes and land prices, reflecting high demand for land in the nation's fifth largest metropolitan area. Bucks and Montgomery counties were the first to suburbanize, but this trend is now extending to Chester, Lancaster, Berks, and Lehigh counties. ^[51]

Tourism

Pennsylvania state welcome sign

Pennsylvania draws 2. 1% of the Gross State Product from Accommodation and Food Services. Only Connecticut, Delaware and Iowa have lower numbers. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Philadelphia draws tourists^[56] to see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while the Poconos^[57] attract honeymooners, golfers, and fishermen, and the Delaware Water Gap^[58] and Allegheny National Forest appeal to boaters, hikers, and nature lovers. The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a bell that has served as one of the most prominent symbols of the American Revolutionary Independence This article is about the science museum in Philadelphia For the Boston school see Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology. The Rocky Steps is the nickname given to the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia 's Fairmount Park, was established in 1876 The Pocono Mountains region is a mountainous region of about 2400 square miles (6200 km² located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Delaware Water Gap is on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River traverses a large ridge of the Appalachian The Allegheny National Another attraction are the many covered bridges in the state, as Pennsylvania has more covered bridges than any other state. A covered bridge is a Bridge, often single-lane with enclosed sides and a roof ^[59] Fourteen slots casinos, the majority of which are either in the process of being awarded licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board or are under construction, are expected to make up a good portion of tourism in the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, founded in 2004 as the state licensing and regulatory agency responsible for ^[60]

The Commonwealth launched an extensive tourism campaign in 2003 under the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. An extensive website^[61] has been established to promote visits to the state and new license plates feature the VisitPA. com website.

Recent PA state tourism campaign logo.

Main article: Pennsylvania Dutch Country

The Pennsylvania Dutch region in south-central Pennsylvania is a favorite for sightseers. Pennsylvania Dutch Country refers to an area of southeastern Pennsylvania that by the American Revolution had a high percentage of Lutheran, German Reformed Plain people are Christian groups characterized by separation from the world and Simple living, including Plain dress. ^[62] The Pennsylvania Dutch, including the Old Order Amish, the Old Order Mennonites and at least 35 other sects,^[63] are common in the rural areas around the cities of Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, and Hershey with smaller numbers extending northeast to the Lehigh Valley and up the Susquehanna River valley. The Amish (ˈɑːmɪʃ are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination best known for Simple living, Plain dress and resisting modern conveniences The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. York, known as the White Rose City (after the Wars of the Roses) is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. The Lehigh Valley, also known as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton PA-NJ metropolitan area, is an official metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton

The term "Dutch," when referring to the Pennsylvania Dutch, means "German" or "Teutonic" rather than "Netherlander. " Germans, in their own language, call themselves "Deutsch," which in English became, misleadingly, "Dutch. "^[64] The Pennsylvania Dutch language is a descendant of German, in the West Central German dialect family. Pennsylvania German (also Pennsylvania Dutch, Deitsch, Pennsylvania Deutsch, Pennsilfaanisch-Deitsch, Pennsilfaani-Deitsch, Pennsilveni-Deitsch The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. West Central German ( Westmitteldeutsch) belongs to the Central, High German dialect family in the German language. The language is only very rarely used as a first language among Pennsylvanians; however, in eastern and south central areas of the state it is a common second language and greatly influences dialect and accent.

Politics

Government of the Commonwealth

Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:^[65] 1776, 1790, 1838, 1874, and 1968. The current Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most recently revised in 1968 forms the law for the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, the province of Pennsylvania was governed for a century by a Frame of Government, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701. The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania was a Constitution for the Province of Pennsylvania, a Proprietary colony granted to William Penn by ^[65] The capital of the Commonwealth is Harrisburg. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America The legislature meets in the State Capitol there.

The current Pennsylvania State Capitol in downtown Harrisburg.

The current Governor is Ed Rendell, a former head of the Democratic National Committee who began as a popular District Attorney and mayor in Philadelphia. The State Capitol of Pennsylvania, located in downtown Harrisburg Pennsylvania, is the seat of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America Governors Pennsylvania was one of the original Thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12 1787 Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell (born January 5 1944) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. The Democratic National Committee (DNC is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis A district attorney (DA is in some US jurisdictions the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of alleged criminals A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government ^[66] The other elected officials composing the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, Attorney General Tom Corbett, Auditor General Jack Wagner, and State Treasurer Robin Weissman. Catherine Baker Knoll (born September 3 1930, McKees Rocks Pennsylvania) is an American Politician and member of the Tom Corbett is the current Attorney General of the state of Pennsylvania, United States, elected in 2004 Jack Wagner may refer to Jack Wagner (screenwriter (1891&ndash1965 Jack Wagner (announcer (1925&ndash1995 an announcer for Disney Robin L Wiessmann is the current Treasurer of Pennsylvania. She was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell in 2007 ^[67]

See also: List of Pennsylvania state agencies

Pennsylvania has a bicameral legislature set up by Commonwealth's constitution in 1790. State related agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Departments and Agencies Pennsylvania Department of Corrections In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The original Frame of Government of William Penn had a unicameral legislature. ^[68] The General Assembly includes 50 Senators^[69] and 203 Representatives. The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Legislative branch of Pennsylvania government The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Legislature of the U ^[70] Joseph B. Scarnati III is currently President Pro Tempore of the State Senate,^[71] Dominic Pileggi the Majority Leader,^[72] and Robert J. Mellow the Minority Leader. Joseph B Scarnati is an American politician from the US State of Pennsylvania. A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer Dominic Pileggi is an American politician from Pennsylvania. He serves as Republican Leader of the Pennsylvania State Senate. In US politics, the majority leader is a partisan position in a legislative body Robert J "Bob" Mellow is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 22nd District since 1971 In US politics, the minority leader is the Floor Leader of the second-largest Caucus in a legislative body ^[73] Dennis M. O'Brien is Speaker of the House of Representatives,^[74] with H. William DeWeese as Majority Leader^[75] and Samuel Smith as Minority Leader. Dennis Michael O'Brien is the 137th and current Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a legislative body H William "Bill" DeWeese, (born April 18 1950) is the Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Samuel H "Sam" Smith (born August 10 1955 is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 66th District and ^[76] The 2006 election resulted in the Democrats regaining control of the House and the balance remaining unchanged in Republicans' favor in the Senate.

Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districts,^[77] most of which (except Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties) have magisterial district judges (formerly called district justices and justices of the peace), who preside mainly over minor criminal offenses and small civil claims. Philadelphia County is a County located in the US State of Pennsylvania. Allegheny County is a County in the southwestern part of the U ^[77] Most criminal and civil cases originate in the Courts of Common Pleas, which also serve as appellate courts to the district judges and for local agency decisions. Court of Appeal, Court of Appeals, and Appellate Division redirect here for a list of specific courts using those titles see Court of Appeal ^[77] The Superior Court hears 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 original jurisdiction of a court is the right to hear a case for the first time as opposed to Appellate jurisdiction when a court has the right to review the decision of Most often the term warrant refers to a specific type of Authorization; a Writ issued by a competent officer usually a Judge or Magistrate Wiretap redirects here For the radio program see WireTap (radio program Telephone tapping (or wire tapping / wiretapping in ^[77] The Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas. ^[77] The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the final appellate court. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the court of last resort for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All judges in Pennsylvania are elected; the chief justice is determined by seniority. The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English ^[77] The state holds 21 electoral votes. An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. ^[35]

Sales tax provides 39% of Commonwealth's revenue; personal income tax 34%; motor vehicle taxes about 12%, and taxes on cigarettes and alcohol beverage 5%. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services ^[78]

Counties, municipalities, and school districts levy taxes on real estate. School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools 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%. Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government Thirty-two of the Commonwealth's sixty-seven counties levy a personal property tax on stocks, bonds, and similar holdings. Property tax, or millage tax, is an Ad valorem tax that an owner pays on the value of the property being taxed

Representation in the 110th Congress

Pennsylvania's two U.S. Senators in the 110th Congress are Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, Jr.

Pennsylvania's U.S. Congressmen for the term beginning January 2007 are Robert Brady (1^st), Chaka Fattah (2^nd), Phil English (3^rd), Jason Altmire (4^th), John E. Peterson (5^th), Jim Gerlach (6^th), Joe Sestak (7^th), Patrick Murphy (8^th), Bill Shuster (9^th), Chris Carney (10^th), Paul E. Kanjorski (11^th), John Murtha (12^th), Allyson Schwartz (13^th), Michael F. Doyle (14^th), Charlie Dent (15^th), Joe Pitts (16^th), Tim Holden (17^th), Tim Murphy (18^th), and Todd Russell Platts (19^th). The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Arlen Specter (born February 12 1930) is the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party Robert Patrick Casey Jr (born April 13, 1960) better known as Bob Casey Jr The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Robert A "Bob" Brady (born April 7 1945) is a Politician from the U Pennsylvania's first congressional district includes primarily central and South Philadelphia, the City of Chester, the Philadelphia International Airport Chaka Fattah (born Arthur Davenport on November 21 1956 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) has served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania's second district includes West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County Philip Sheridan "Phil" English (born June 20, 1956) has served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives Pennsylvania's third district is located in the northwestern part of the state and includes the cities of Erie, Sharon, Butler and Meadville. Jason Altmire (born March 7, 1968) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing Pennsylvania Pennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County John E Peterson (born December 25, 1938) is a Republican Politician from the U Pennsylvania's fifth district is currently the largest of all of Pennsylvania's congressional districts James "Jim" Gerlach (born February 25 1955) is a Politician from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, currently representing Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district was substantially redrawn in the 2002 Redistricting. Joseph A "Joe" Sestak Jr (born December 12 1951) is a retired United States Navy Vice admiral (United Statesand is the Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district is one of Pennsylvania 's voting districts for the United States House of Representatives, incorporating parts of the Also see Patrick Murphy (disambiguation Patrick Joseph Murphy (born October 19 1973) is the Congressman from Pennsylvania's Pennsylvania District 8 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves Bucks County, along with a small portion of William Shuster (born January 10 1961) is a Republican politician from the U Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district is a relatively Safe seat for the Republicans In 2004 their candidate former businessman Bill Christopher P "Chris" Carney (born March 2, 1959) is a Professor and Congressman of the United States House of Representatives Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district is located primarily in the northeast corner of the state Paul E Kanjorski (born April 2, 1937, Nanticoke Pennsylvania) is an American Democratic Politician from the U Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district is in the northeastern part of the state and has been a Safe seat for Democrats for some time John Patrick “Jack” Murtha Jr (born 17 June 1932 is an American politician from the U Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is one of Pennsylvania 's districts of the United States House of Representatives. Allyson Young Schwartz (born October 3, 1948) is an American Politician and Democratic member of the United States House The 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania covering eastern Montgomery County and Northeast Michael F "Mike" Doyle (born August 5, 1953) is a Politician from the state of Pennsylvania currently representing Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district is overwhelmingly Democratic. Charles "Charlie" Dent (born May 24, 1960 in Allentown Pennsylvania) is a Republican Member of Congress, representing Pennsylvania's Congressional Fifteenth District is located in eastern Pennsylvania, comprising all of Northampton County, and parts of Berks, Joseph R "Joe" Pitts (b October 10, 1939) is a Republican Congressman for the state of Pennsylvania, currently representing Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, just west of Philadelphia. Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden (born March 5 1957) is an American politician who has been a member of the United States House of Representatives Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district is located in the central part of the state, including the state capital Harrisburg. Timothy "Tim" F Murphy (born September 11 1952, Cleveland Ohio) is an American Politician who currently serves Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district includes parts of Washington County Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties Todd Russell Platts (b March 5, 1962) is a Politician from the state of Pennsylvania, currently representing the state's Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district includes all of Adams and York Counties and parts of Cumberland County ^[79]

See map of congressional districts

Regional strength

In the past decade, no political party has been clearly dominant in Pennsylvania. This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral This, combined with Pennsylvania's rank of 6th in the country in population, has made it one of the most important swing states. A swing state (also battleground state or purple state) in United States Democrats are strong in urban Philadelphia and the areas of Pittsburgh, Reading, Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ is the county seat of Berks County Pennsylvania and the center of the Greater Reading Area. For the song by Billy Joel, see " Allentown (song." For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, miles east of Pittsburgh Wilkes-Barre (ˈwɪlksbɛrə or /-bɛri/ is the central city of the Wyoming Valley and County seat of Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania Republicans are generally dominant in the vast rural areas that make up the balance of the Commonwealth. Traditionally, Republicans have also fared well in the densely populated and wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in the 1990s and 2000s many of these suburbs began to associate more with the Democratic Party.

Since 1992, Pennsylvania has been trending Democratic in Presidential elections, voting for Bill Clinton twice by large margins, and slightly closer in 2000 for Al Gore. Most recently, in the 2004 Presidential Election, Senator John F. Kerry beat President George W. Bush in Pennsylvania 2,938,095 (50. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. 92%) to 2,793,847 (48. 42%).

Important cities and municipalities

The skyline of Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə

The skyline of Pittsburgh, second largest city in Pennsylvania and 21st largest metropolitan area in the United States.

Municipalities in Pennsylvania are incorporated as cities of several classes, as boroughs, as townships of several classes, or under home rule charters. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status In principle the word Borough designates a self-governing township A township in the US state of Pennsylvania is a unit of local government (see Civil township) subordinate to a county and distinct from cities and A "village," often identified by a roadside sign, is unincorporated, and is merely a locale without distinct boundaries. There are 2,567 municipalities in the state. ^[35]

There is some confusion about the number of "towns" in Pennsylvania. In 1870, Bloomsburg, the county seat of Columbia County was incorporated as a town, and is recognized by state government publications as "the only incorporated town" in Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles (64 km southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Columbia County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. ^[80][81][82] However, in 1975, McCandless Township, in Allegheny County adopted a home rule charter under the name "Town of McCandless". McCandless is a township and Census-designated place in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Allegheny County is a County in the southwestern part of the U ^[83][84]

The ten most populated cities in Pennsylvania, in order are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Altoona, and Harrisburg. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə For the song by Billy Joel, see " Allentown (song." For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ is the county seat of Berks County Pennsylvania and the center of the Greater Reading Area. Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America

Allentown	Altoona	Beaver Falls	Bethlehem
Butler	Easton	Erie	Harrisburg
Hazleton	Johnstown	Lancaster	New Castle
Philadelphia	Pittsburgh	Pottsville	Reading
Scranton	Wilkes-Barre	Williamsport	York

See also: Pennsylvania locations by per capita income

Recreation

Pennsylvania is home to the nation's first zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo. For the song by Billy Joel, see " Allentown (song." For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the Butler is a city in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. Easton is a city in Northampton County, in the eastern region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, miles east of Pittsburgh Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, 50 miles (80 km northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and 18 miles (30 km east Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Pottsville is the largest and only chartered city and County seat of Schuylkill County Pennsylvania, USA. Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ is the county seat of Berks County Pennsylvania and the center of the Greater Reading Area. Wilkes-Barre (ˈwɪlksbɛrə or /-bɛri/ is the central city of the Wyoming Valley and County seat of Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in and the County seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States York, known as the White Rose City (after the Wars of the Roses) is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania locations by per capita income is a list of all incorporated areas and census-designated places in Pennsylvania ranked from highest capita income to lowest per capita The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on the west bank of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, was the first Zoo in the United [2] Other notable zoos include the Allentown Zoo, Claws 'n Paws, Erie Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, and ZOOAMERICA. The Erie Zoological Park and Botanical Garden of Northwestern Pennsylvania, or Erie Zoo, is a zoological park in Erie Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Zoo is one of only six major Zoo and Aquarium combinations in the United States. Hersheypark is an Amusement park located in Hershey Pennsylvania, in close proximity to the Hershey Chocolate Factory The Commonwealth boasts some of the finest museums in the country. One of the unique museums is the Houdini Museum [3] in Scranton, the only building in the world devoted to the legendary magician. It is also home to the National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh. The National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is America's only independent indoor Nonprofit Aviary.

All 121 state parks in Pennsylvania feature free admission. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Overview There are

Pennsylvania offers a number of notable amusement parks, including Camel Beach, Conneaut Lake Park, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Dutch Wonderland, DelGrosso Amusement Park, Hershey Park, Idlewild Park, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park, Sandcastle Waterpark, Sesame Place, Great Wolf Lodge and Waldameer Park. Conneaut Lake Park is a summer amusement resort located in Conneaut Lake Pennsylvania, USA. Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an amusement and Water park located in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, just outside of Allentown Dutch Wonderland is a 48-acre amusement park just east of Lancaster Pennsylvania appealing primarily to families with small children DelGrosso's Amusement Park is an amusement park located in Tipton Pennsylvania, one of the northern suburbs of Altoona Pennsylvania. Hersheypark is an Amusement park located in Hershey Pennsylvania, in close proximity to the Hershey Chocolate Factory Idlewild and Soak Zone is a family Amusement park situated near Ligonier Pennsylvania, along US Route 30. Kennywood is an Amusement park near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, in the borough of West Mifflin. Knoebels Amusement Resort is a family owned and operated Amusement park, Picnic grove and Campground, located in Elysburg Pennsylvania. Lakemont Park, located in Altoona Pennsylvania, houses the world's oldest-surviving Roller coaster, the Leap-The-Dips. Sandcastle is a Water park located in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead. Sesame Place is an American Theme park in Langhorne Pennsylvania, a Bucks County suburb of Philadelphia. Waldameer Park and Water World is an Amusement park in Erie Pennsylvania located at the base of Presque Isle. Pennsylvania also is home to the largest indoor waterpark resort on the East Coast, Splash Lagoon in Erie. Splash Lagoon Indoor Waterpark Resort is a Polynesian-themed large indoor waterpark located in Erie Pennsylvania.

There are also notable music festivals that take place in Pennsylvania. These include Musikfest in Bethlehem (which featured the rock band The Black Crowes in 2007 and routinely draws major music acts), the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Creation Festival, the Great Allentown Fair (which lasts slightly longer than a week in Allentown annually in early September) and Purple Door. Musikfest is a Music festival held each August in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the The Black Crowes are an American, blues -oriented Hard rock Jam band that has sold over 20 million albums The Philadelphia Folk Festival is a three-day festival of Folk music that has been held annually in Schwenksville Pennsylvania in the vicinity of Philadelphia Creation Festival is a series of popular Christian music festivals held in the United States. The Purple Door Christian Music festival is held annually each August

There are nearly one million licensed hunters in Pennsylvania. Whitetail deer, cottontail rabbits, squirrel, turkey, and grouse are common game species. Pennsylvania is considered one of the finest wild turkey hunting states in the Union, alongside Texas and Alabama. Sport hunting in Pennsylvania is a massive boost for the Commonwealth's economy. A report from The Center for Rural Pennsylvania (A Legislative Agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly) reported that hunting, fishing, and furtaking generated a total of $9. 6 billion statewide.

The Boone and Crockett Club shows that five of the ten largest (skull size) black bear entries came from the state. The Boone and Crockett Club is a Conservationist organization founded in the United States in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. ^[85] The state also has a tied record for the largest hunter shot black bear in the Boone & Crockett books at 733 lb (332 kg) and a skull of 23 3/16 tied with a bear shot in California in 1993. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. ^[85] The largest bear ever found dead was in Utah in 1975 and second largest was shot by a poacher in the state in 1987. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. Poaching is the illegal Hunting, Fishing or Harvesting of wild plants or animals ^[85] Pennsylvania holds the second most number of Boone & Crockett recorded record black bears at 183 second only to Wisconsin's 299. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States ^[85]

Transportation

There are 69 railroads in the state and 5,100 miles (8,200 km) of railways which is 5th in the nation. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. ^[35] There is 134 public-use airports and 6 international airports. ^[35] The port of Pittsburgh is the 2nd largest inland port in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[35] There are 120,000 miles (190,000 km) of highways in the state. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve ^[33]

Sports

Main article: Pennsylvania sports

Further information: List of people from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to many professional sports teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. Pennsylvania sports includes numerous professional sporting teams events and venues located in the U Pennsylvania, the sixth most populous state in the United States, is the birthplace of many famous Americans The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The Philadelphia 76ers (also known as the Sixers for short are a professional Basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional Ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America For the American arena football team see Philadelphia Soul. Philadelphia (or Philly soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly The Arena Football League (AFL was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. Among them, these teams have accumulated 6 World Series Championships (Pirates 5, Phillies 1), 14 National League Pennants, 3 pre-Super Bowl era NFL Championships (Eagles), 5 Super Bowl Championships (Steelers), 2 NBA Championships (76ers), and 4 Stanley Cup winners (Flyers 2, Penguins 2). For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League ( NL) is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The Stanley Cup (La Coupe Stanley is an Ice hockey club championship Trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL playoffs champion

In baseball, the Phillies moved their Triple A-level team from Ottawa, Ontario, in Canada, to a newly-constructed stadium, Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, beginning with the 2008 season. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Coca-Cola Park is a baseball stadium in Allentown Pennsylvania, a city in the Lehigh Valley region of the U For the song by Billy Joel, see " Allentown (song." For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh Because the Lehigh Valley is a core fan base for both the Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles (who conduct their pre-season training camp on the practice fields of Lehigh University), there are understandably lofty expectations that the new team, called the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (after pig iron, which is an instrumental part in the construction of steel which has been a large part of the local economy for decades), is likely to prove hugely popular among Allentown and Lehigh Valley Phillies fans. The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lehigh University is a private, co-educational University located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of The Lehigh Valley IronPigs is a Minor League Baseball team serving as the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Pig iron is the intermediate product of Smelting Iron ore with coke, usually with Limestone as a flux Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 The Phillies' AA team is located in Reading, and one of their A-level affiliates is also located in Williamsport. Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ is the county seat of Berks County Pennsylvania and the center of the Greater Reading Area. The Pirates' AA team is located in Altoona, and the Nationals' AA affiliate is in the capital of Harrisburg. Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America The Yankees' AAA team is also located in Scranton, in the northeastern part of the state. Two independent-league teams, the Lancaster Barnstormers and York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, are located in south-central Pennsylvania. The Lancaster Barnstormers are a professional baseball team based in Lancaster Pennsylvania, in the United States The York Revolution is a professional baseball team based in York Pennsylvania, in the United States This article refers to the modern Atlantic League. For the original incarnations of the Atlantic League which operated between 1896 and 1915 see Atlantic League

College football is also very popular in Pennsylvania. The Penn State University Nittany Lions are coached by Joe Paterno who led Penn State to two national championships (1982 & 1986) as well as five undefeated seasons (1968, 1969, 1973, 1986 and 1994). The Pennsylvania State University (commonly known as Penn State) is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research University Joseph Vincent Paterno (born December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn New York) nicknamed JoePa, is the head coach of Pennsylvania State University's Penn State plays its home games in the second largest stadium in the United States, Beaver Stadium, that seats 107,282. In addition, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers have won nine national championships (1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1976) and have played eight undefeated seasons (1904, 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1937 and 1976). The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a non-sectarian coeducational independent state-related, "public" research University The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly referred to as the Pitt Panthers are the athletic teams of University of Pittsburgh. [4] Pitt plays its home games at Heinz Field, a facility it shares with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heinz Field is an American football Stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other Pennsylvania schools that have won national titles in football include Lafayette College (1896) and the University of Pennsylvania (1895, 1897, 1904 and 1908). Lafayette College is a private Coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn) is a private University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. [5]

College basketball is also popular in the state, especially in the Philadelphia area where five universities, collectively termed the Big Five, have a rich tradition in NCAA Division I basketball. For other uses of the term "Big Five" and its variants see Big five (disambiguation. Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States National titles in college basketball have been won by the following Pennsylvania universities: La Salle University (1954), Temple University (1938), University of Pennsylvania (1920 and 1921), University of Pittsburgh (1928 and 1930) and Villanova University (1985). For the university in Manila Philippines see De La Salle University. Temple University is a state-related public research University in Philadelphia. The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn) is a private University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a non-sectarian coeducational independent state-related, "public" research University Villanova University' is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States [6][7]

In motorsports, the Mario Andretti dynasty of race drivers is from Nazareth. Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian American former racecar driver and one of the most successful Americans in the Nazareth is a Borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Notable Racetracks in Pennsylvania include the Jennerstown Speedway in Jennerstown, the Lake Erie Speedway in North East, the Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, the Motordome Speedway in Smithton, the Mountain Speedway in St. Jennerstown Speedway is a racetrack in Jennerstown Pennsylvania, United States. Jennerstown is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. Lake Erie Speedway is a 3/8 Mile (06 km) paved banked oval race track which opened on June 21 2002 in North East Pennsylvania, United States North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, 14 miles (23 km northeast of Erie. Lehighton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, 86 miles (138 km north by west of Philadelphia. Smithton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Johns, the Nazareth Speedway in Nazareth; and the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, which is home both the Pennsylvania 500 and the Pocono 500. Nazareth Speedway was an Auto racing track in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania which operated from the 1910s to 2004 Nazareth is a Borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway) is a Superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond Long Pond Pennsylvania is a unincorporated location in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The Sunoco Presents The American Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 is the second of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway The Pocono 500 is the first of two stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on the NASCAR Sprint

Also, the Little League World Series is held in Williamsport, where it was founded. The Little League World Series is a Baseball Tournament for children aged 11 12 and 13 years old Williamsport is a city in and the County seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States Also the first World Series between the Boston Pilgrims (now Boston Red Sox) and Pittsburgh Pirates was played in Pittsburgh. For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

There are also two motocross race tracks that host a round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships in Pennsylvania. [High Point Raceway]High Point in located in Mt. Morris, PA, and Steel City is located in Delmont, PA.

Race courses for horses in Pennsylvania consist of The Meadows Racetrack, south of Pittsburgh, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, in Wilkes-Barre and Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack in Chester which offer harness racing, and Penn National Race Course in Grantville and Philadelphia Park, in Bensalem which offer thoroughbred racing. Wilkes-Barre (ˈwɪlksbɛrə or /-bɛri/ is the central city of the Wyoming Valley and County seat of Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County Pennsylvania, with a population of 36854 at the 2000 Census. Harness racing is a form of Horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait Penn National Race Course is a Thoroughbred Horse racing track located in Grantville Pennsylvania, 17 miles (27 km) east of Grantville is an unincorporated community in East Hanover Township Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide Sport and Industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred Horses It is governed by different national Smarty Jones, the 2004 Kentucky Derby winner, had Philadelphia Park as his home course. Smarty Jones (born February 28, 2001) is a Thoroughbred Race horse, and winner of the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old thoroughbred horses held annually in Louisville Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May

Arnold Palmer, one of the leading 20th century pro golfers, comes from Latrobe, and Jim Furyk, one of the leading 21-century pro golfers, grew up near in Lancaster. Career outline Palmer was born in Latrobe Pennsylvania. He learned golf from his father Deacon Palmer who was head professional and greens keeper at Latrobe Country Club Latrobe (leɪˈtʃroʊb is a City in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States approximately 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh Biography Furyk was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. His early years were spent in the Pittsburgh suburbs learning the game from his father who Manheim Township is a township in central Lancaster County, which borders the city limits of Lancaster, Pennsylvania to the north PGA tournaments in Pennsylvania include the 84 Lumber Classic, played at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in Farmington and the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic, played at Glenmaura National Golf Club, in Moosic. Farmington is located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. Moosic is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania six miles (nine km south of Scranton PA and 13 miles (21km northeast of Wilkes-Barre

Philadelphia is home to LOVE Park, once a skateboarding mecca, and across from City Hall, host to ESPN's X Games in 2001 and 2002. LOVE Park (official name JFK Plaza) is a plaza located in Center City, Philadelphia Pennsylvania. ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to The X Games is an annual event with a focus on extreme action sports

Food

In his book Yo Mama Cooks Like a Yankee, author Sharon Hernes Silverman calls Pennsylvania the snack food capital of the world. ^[86] It leads all other states in the manufacture of pretzels and potato chips. A pretzel is a bread pastry of German origin that has the shape of a three looped Knot or twisted braid The Sturgis Pretzel House introduced the pretzel to America, and companies like Anderson Bakery Company, Intercourse Pretzel Factory, and Snyder's of Hanover are leading manufacturers in the Commonwealth. The Sturgis Pretzel House of Lititz Pennsylvania is the oldest commercial Pretzel bakery in the United States. The three companies that define the U. S. potato chip industry are Utz Quality Foods, Inc., which started making chips in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1921, Wise Snack Foods which started making chips in Berwick in 1921, and Lay's Potato Chips, a Texas company. Utz Quality Foods Inc (ˈʌts rhyming with "nuts" based in Hanover Pennsylvania, is the largest independent privately held snack brand in the United See also Hanover Township Pennsylvania Hanover is a Borough in York County, Pennsylvania Berwick founded by Evan Owen a Surveyor is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 27 miles which is 43 km southwest of Wilkes Barre. For the chips synonymous with the company see Fritos and Lay's. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Other companies such as Herr Foods, Martin's Potato Chips, and Troyer Farms Potato Products are popular chip manufacturers. The U. S. chocolate industry is centered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with Mars and Wilbur Chocolate Company nearby, and smaller manufacturers such as Asher's near Lansdale and Gertrude Hawk of Dunmore. The Wilbur Chocolate Company is a chocolate manufacturing company located in Lititz Pennsylvania. Lansdale is also the surname of American author Joe R Lansdale, and of Vietnam era Major General Edward Lansdale. Dunmore is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, adjoining Scranton. Other notable companies include Just Born in Bethlehem, PA, makers of Hot Tamales, Mike and Ikes, and the Easter favorite marshmallow Peeps, Benzel's Pretzels and Boyer Candies of Altoona, PA, which is well known for its Mallow Cups. Just Born is a Candy company based in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, in the United States. Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the HOT TAMALES are a Cinnamon Candy manufactured by Just Born. They are shaped like Just Born Inc For the comic strip see Mike and Ike (They Look Alike Mike and Ike are a brand of fruit-flavored Candy. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Peeps (branded as PEEPS) are small Marshmallow candies sold in the US and Canada, that are shaped into chicks bunnies and other animals Boyer Brothers, Inc is a candy company located in Altoona Pennsylvania. Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. Auntie Anne's Pretzels originated in Gap, but their corporate headquarters is now located in Lancaster, PA. Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch foods include chicken potpie, schnitz un knepp (dried apples, hame, and dumplings), fasnachts (raised doughnuts), scrapple, pretzels, bologna, and chochow. Fasnachts, Fastnachts or Faschnachts are a fatty Doughnut treat served traditionally on Fastnacht Day, the day before Lent starts Shoofly is another traditional Pennsylvanian Dutch food. Yuengling Brewery, America's Oldest Brewery, has been brewing beer in Pottsville, PA since 1829.

Among the regional foods associated with Pennsylvania are the pierogies, cheesesteak and the hoagie, the soft pretzel, the lemur on a stick, Italian water ice, scrapple, Tastykake, and the stromboli. Pierogi (also perogi, perogy, pirohi, piroghi, pirogi, pirogen, pierogy, pidahih,--> or The cheesesteak, known outside the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area as the Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, or simply a A hoagie is a style of sandwich popular in Philadelphia and the surrounding region A pretzel is a bread pastry of German origin that has the shape of a three looped Knot or twisted braid Italian ice is a frozen Dessert made from either concentrated syrup flavoring or fruit purees. Scrapple is a savory mush of Pork scraps and trimmings combined with Cornmeal and Flour, often Buckwheat flour Tastykake is the brandname for a line of Snack foods manufactured by the Tasty Baking Company ( of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Stromboli is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses Italian meats or vegetables In Pittsburgh, tomato ketchup was improved by Henry John Heinz from 1876 to the early 1900s. Famous to a lesser extent than Heinz ketchup are the Pittsburgh's Primanti Brothers Restaurant sandwiches. Primanti Brothers, founded in 1934 is a chain of Sandwich shops found throughout Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and its suburbs with an additional two Outside the city of Scranton, in the Borough of Old Forge there are dozens of Italian restaurants specializing in pizza made unique by thick, light crust and American cheese. Old Forge is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. Sauerkraut along with pork and mashed potatoes is a common meal on New Year's Day in Pennsylvania. Sauerkraut ( English:, German:, Yiddish: ˈzɔi̯əʀˌkʀɔi̯t is finely shredded Cabbage that has been fermented by various

Multi-ethnic cuisine is common, especially in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Coal Region areas. The Coal Region is a term used to refer to an area of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the central Appalachian Mountains comprising Lackawanna Amish, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Pakistani, Persian, Polish, Russian, Thai, Turkish cuisine and many others can be found not only in specialty restaurants but at hundreds of community or religious festivals. The Amish (ˈɑːmɪʃ are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination best known for Simple living, Plain dress and resisting modern conveniences Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Italian cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political changes with its roots traced back to 4th century BC The culture of India has been shaped by the long History of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over millenia from the country's prehistoric Jomon culture to its contemporary hybrid culture which combines influences from Asia Korean cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change Mexican food is a style of food that originated in Mexico. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors colorful decoration and variety of spices The Cuisine of Pakistan ( Urdu: طعام پاکستانی) can be described as a fusion of cuisine from three Asian regions Central Asia, Middle East Persian cuisine or the cuisine of Iran is diverse with each province featuring dishes culinary traditions and styles distinct to their regions Polish cuisine (kuchnia polska is a mixture of Slavic culinary traditions Russian cuisine derives its rich and varied character from the vast and Multicultural expanse of Russia. Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and

State symbols

The Ruffed Grouse

US Brig Niagara in Port

See also

• List of Pennsylvania-related topics

References

External links

• Gov. Andrew Curtin's Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, Civil War 1861–1864
• Official state government site
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State Facts
• Official state tourism site
• Biography of William Penn from 1829
• A History of Pennsylvania from 1905
• Free Original Documents Online: Pennsylvania State Archives 1600s to 1800s
• Miller, Randall M. and William Pencak, Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth
• Interactive Pennsylvania for Kids
• Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
• National Association of Counties (information on each Pennsylvania County)