Pennsylvania State Song

"Pennsylvania"

Lyrics: Eddie Khoury and Ronnie Bonner

Music: Eddie Khoury and Ronnie Bonner

Adoption: 1990

HISTORY

"Pennsylvania," a song written and composed by Eddie Khoury and Ronnie Bonner, is the official state song of Pennsylvania. The song was presented to the General Assembly in 1989 for adoption. "Pennsylvania" portrays the beauty of the state and its contribution to the people of the land, and states that Pennsylvania was "Blessed by God’s own hand." It is widely sung at official functions and public gatherings.  -World Trade Press

LYRICS

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania,
Mighty is your name,
Steeped in glory and tradition,
Object of acclaim.
Where brave men fought the foe of freedom,
Tyranny decried,'Til the bell of independence
Filled the countryside.

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania,
May your future be,
Filled with honor everlasting
As your history.

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania,
Blessed by God's own hand,
Birthplace of a mighty nation,
Keystone of the land.
Where first our country's flag unfolded,
Freedom to proclaim,
May the voices of tomorrow
Glorify your name.

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania,
May your future be,
Filled with honor everlasting
As your history.

The Pennsylvania Quarter
The Pennsylvania quarter, the second coin in the 50 State Quarters® Program, depicts the statue Commonwealth, an outline of the state, the state motto, and a keystone. This design was chosen to further help educate people about the origins of our second state, founded on December 12, 1787. The Keystone State The statue Commonwealth, designed by New York sculptor Roland Hinton Perry, is a bronze-gilded 14' 6" high female form that has topped Pennsylvania's state capitol dome in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, since May 25, 1905. Her right arm extends in kindness and her left arm grasps a ribbon mace to symbolize justice. The image of the keystone honors the states nickname, "The Keystone State." At a Jefferson Republican victory rally in October 1802, Pennsylvania was toasted as "the keystone in the federal union." The modern persistence of this designation is justified in view of the key position of Pennsylvania in the economic, social, and political development of the United States. Choosing The Design Selections for the Pennsylvania circulating quarter began on January 30, 1998. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge issued a proclamation establishing a Commemorative Quarter Committee to review possible designs. The 14-member committee included representatives from major cultural, conservation, travel, and tourism organizations; a teacher; a high school student; the president of the state Numismatic Society; and the state treasurer. The governor invited all Pennsylvanians to submit design concepts to the committee and received more than 5,300 ideas. The committee reached consensus on their recommendations, and the governor forwarded five preferred concepts to the United States Mint.  Four of the designs were recommended by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee and the Fine Arts Commission and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. From these final four candidates, the governor chose the current design to represent Pennsylvania in the 50 State Quarters® Program. The 50 State Quarter ProgramSigned into law in 1997, the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act has become the most successful numismatic program in American history, with roughly half of the U.S. population collecting the coins, either in a casual manner or as a serious pursuit. The program produces five different reverse designs each year for ten years—each representing a different state—the order of which is determined by the order states were admitted to the Union. Design concepts are submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury by state governors for final approval. The obverse of each quarter is a slight redesign of the quarter's previous design. The cost to manufacture a quarter is about 5 cents, providing a profit of approximately 20 cents per coin. So far, the federal government has made a profit of $4.6 billion from collectors taking the coins out of circulation. In 2009, the U.S. Mint launched a separate program issuing quarters commemorating the District of Columbia and various U.S. territories.
	Download a Hi-Res Image: Proof Image Uncirculated Image
	PROFILE
	Release Date:	March 8, 1999
	Design:	Commonwealth Statue State outline Keystone
	Captions:	"Virtue, Liberty, Independence"
	Designer:	William Cousins
	Engraver:	John Mercanti
	Mintage:	Denver Mint   - 358,332,000 Philadelphia Mint   - 349,000,000 Total   - 707,332,000
	SPECIFICATIONS
	Denomination:	Quarter Dollar
	Composition:	Copper Nickel alloy 91.67% Cu 8.33% Ni
	Weight:	2.000 oz (5.670 g)
	Diameter:	0.955 in (24.26 mm)
	Thickness:	0.07 in (1.75 mm)
	Edge:	Reeded
	No. of Reeds:	119
	Data Source: The U.S. Mint.

Pennsylvania State Mineral
Celestine Mineral Representative of Pennsylvania DESCRIPTION Celestine is a strontium sulfate, sometimes containing traces of barium. Also known as celestite, this is by far the most common mineral containing strontium. In addition to its characteristic and most common pale blue color, celestine also occurs as light gray, white, colorless, orange, yellow, pink, greenish-blue, black, and shades of brown. Celestine is a member of the barite group, forming a series with the mineral barite. Since barite and celestine have the same structure and form very similar crystals, the two appear similar, but a flame test can distinguish them. STATE SYMBOL Celestine was first discovered in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century by visiting German mineralogists. They brought a specimen back to Germany for analysis and discovered it to be a previously unknown mineral. The collection site was on Brush Mountain, near what is now Bellwood in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The mineral occurred as plates in shaly limestone in the transition between the Silurian Wills Creek and Tonoloway Formations. It is now known to occur in many counties in the state. The Central Pennsylvania Rock and Mineral Club chose celestine as a candidate for the state mineral, and Pennsylvania schoolchildren initiated a proposal to the state legislature several times. On February 4, 2004, the state house of representatives approved a bill that would make celestine the state mineral. The bill continued to the state senate, but did not get out of committee. Although Pennsylvania does not have an official state mineral, celestine represents the state’s geology and history well. NAME ORIGIN The name for this mineral comes from the Latin and Greek words for "celestial" or "heavenly," referring to celestine’s frequent sky-blue color. FORMATION AND OCCURRENCE Mainly found in sedimentary rocks, celestine occurs most often as prisms, fibers, grains, and masses, and also as plates and nodules. This mineral also forms as fillings in geodes. It occurs in association with halite, calcite, fluorite, barite, gypsum, and other minerals. Although fine deposits have been discovered in many localities throughout the world, 96 percent of the world’s celestine comes from just four countries: China, Mexico, Spain, and Turkey. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Since celestine is widespread, only a few localities for fine and large crystals are listed here. United States: near Bellwood, Blair County, Pennsylvania; Crystal Cave, Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ottawa County, Ohio; Clay Center, Ottawa County, Ohio; Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County, Illinois; Scofield quarry, Maybee, Monroe County, Michigan; Adamsville, Lampasas County, Texas Canada: Dundas, Ontario Mexico: near Matehuela, San Luis Potosi; and Musquiz and Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila Italy: Girgenti, Caltanissetta; and elsewhere in Sicily Germany: Konrad mine, near Salzgitter, Lower Saxony United Kingdom: Yate, near Bristol, England Norway: Bamle Egypt: Jebel Mokattem, near Cairo Madagascar: Sakoany, near Mahajanga (Majunga) USES Celestine is a primary ore of strontium. For many years, the principal use of strontium was for manufacturing glass for cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). Flat-panel displays, which have replaced TV glass, contain little or no strontium. Today, the most important use for strontium is pyrotechnics and ferrite ceramic magnets, which have a range of industrial applications. The colors and luster of this mineral, in addition to its tendency to associate with other colorful minerals, make it a favorite among collectors. A particularly famous combination is pale blue celestine formed with bright yellow sulfur. FAMOUS EXAMPLES The largest known celestine crystal was found at Crystal Cave in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, on Lake Erie. It measures 3 feet (1 m) across. At this same location, the largest known celestine geode was also found. It measures 35 feet (10.7 m) in diameter at its widest point.	Geode of Celestine Celestine Crystals Up Close Celestine Crystals Celestine Specimen CELESTINE FACTS Group: Barite Group Chemical Formula: SrSO4 Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic Hardness (Mohs): 3-3½ Color: Colorless, shades of light blue, white, reddish, greenish, brownish, greyish; colorless or lightly tinted in transmitted light Transparency: Transparent, translucent Luster: Vitreous, pearly Density: 3.96-3.98 g/cm3 Streak: White Cleavage: On {001} perfect; on {210} good; on {010} poor. Also reported on {011} Fracture: Irregular/uneven Tenacity: Brittle
	Some data courtesy of the Mineralogical Society of America Author: World Trade Press

Pennsylvania State Gemstone
Williamsite STATUS Official DESCRIPTION Williamsite is a translucent to nearly transparent variety of serpentine and a synonym of the mineral antigorite. It occurs in association with magnetite, chrysotile, olivine, and chromite. Chromite is the mineral responsible for williamsite’s color. A magnesium silicate mineral, williamsite is light green to emerald green, blue-green, or white with black crystals often included. Chrysotile and lizardite are closely related members of the serpentine group. STATE SYMBOL Williamsite was first discovered at Woods Chrome, Pennsylvania, in 1849. Today, Line Pit, a chromite mine on the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line, is known for the highest quality williamsite. Mining of chromite, an associate of williamsite and the mineral responsible its color, was an important industry in Pennsylvania in the 19th century. Although williamsite is actually named for Lewis Williams, who first described it, the name calls to mind Pennsylvania’s founder, William Penn. So although Pennsylvania does not have an official state gemstone, williamsite is representative of the state’s geology and history. Lewis W. Williams also first described zaratite (emerald nickel) the same year he described williamsite. NAME ORIGIN Lewis Williams first discovered williamsite at Woods Chrome, Pennsylvania. Antigorite was named for the occurrence at Val Antigorio, Piedmont, Italy. FORMATION AND OCCURRENCE Serpentinite is a major rock-forming mineral. It is found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks, and may be responsible for the color of any green rock. Williamsite commonly replaces rocks that contain iron or magnesium but little or no silica. It forms microscopic masses. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Williamsite is fairly widespread. The following is a list of some localities with well-studied material: Italy: Val Antigorio, Piedmont Austria: Prägraten, Tirol Scotland: Glen Urquhart, Inverness-Shire China: Hsiu-Yen Hsien, Liaoning Province Japan: Nishisonnogi area, Nagasaki Prefecture, and the Sasagure area, Fukuoka Prefecture Australia: Woodsreef, New South Wales United States: Chester and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania; Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland; Brewster, Putnam County, New York; and Buck Creek, Clay County, North Carolina Canada: Asbestos, Quebec, and Timmins, Ontario USES Williamsite is cut into cabochons and beads for use in jewelry.	Williamsite (Antigorite) Boulder Antigorite with Veins of Asbestos Close-Up of Antigorite SERPENTINE FACTS Group: Serpentine Chemical Formula: (Mg;Fe2+)3Si2O5(OH)4 + or - nH2O Crystal Structure: Monoclinic Hardness (Mohs): 2.5 Color: Yellow, green, brown, black, cream-white Transparency: Translucent to opaque. Rarely transparent. Luster: Greasy, waxy, or silky Pleochroism: None Refractive Index: 1.560-1.571 Density: 2.4-2.8 Streak: White Cleavage: Usually not discernible because of crystal development. Chrysotile may exhibit basal cleavage. Fracture: Conchoidal, splintery
	Some data courtesy of the Mineralogical Society of America Author: World Trade Press

Pennsylvania State Rock
Anthracite Coal STATUS Unofficial DESCRIPTION Anthracite is a hard, lustrous, high-carbon variety of coal. Coal, a brittle, combustible, black or dark brown sedimentary rock, forms from decomposed plant matter that has been subjected to high temperatures. Coal is composed primarily of carbon, with traces of sulfur, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It is grouped into four ranks according to its carbon content. Anthracite, the highest rank, is over 95 percent carbon and has been partially metamorphosed. In descending rank, the other coals are bituminous (at least 90 percent carbon), sub-bituminous (at least 85 percent), and lignite, which grades into peat. The density of anthracite is 1.3–1.4, higher than other ranks of coal (but only about half as dense as granite or basalt). A STATE SYMBOL While Pennsylvania has never designated an official state rock, anthracite coal is an obvious choice because of its economic and historical importance to the state and the nation. Coal was known to exist in Pennsylvania as early as 1752 near what is now the town of Saltsburg. However, this coal was never mined commercially. By 1761, the phenomenal Pittsburgh coal bed had been discovered. Coal from this bed, underlying large parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Maryland, was a major fuel of the region’s Industrial Revolution and continues to be mined today in 21 counties. The state’s anthracite deposits, in the eastern part of the state, are smaller in extent but larger in significance. Only about 1.5 percent of coal is anthracite, and Pennsylvania has more anthracite than any other place in the world. FORMATION Coal formation began about 350 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period, a time of mild climate and prevalent swamplands. Throughout millions of years, swamp plants that died built up in layers of peat, which was initially about 90 percent water. Aerobic decay in the upper layers of the swamp began the decomposition process, reducing the volume of the organic matter. Beneath these upper layers, where oxygen did not penetrate, anaerobic bacteria further broke down the plant remains. These bacteria gave off acids, which, at still deeper levels, became too concentrated for bacteria to live. The acidic, anaerobic plant matter had by this time been transformed into a black gel known as gytta, and it no longer underwent decomposition. The next step in the development of coal was bituminization, which occurred over millions of years as a sedimentary blanket thousands of feet thick buried the ancient swamps, trapping heat rising from deep in the earth. The high temperatures caused the water content to be cooked out of the peat until it formed lignite. If the process continued long enough, the water and organic matter in the peat continued to be forced out, creating purer coal. Pennsylvania’s anthracite formed in the Pennsylvanian Epoch, which is the term used for the latter half of the Carboniferous Period. Successive generations of swamps in river floodplains and along the coast laid down deposits of peat, which were covered by larger deposits of sediment over many cycles. The sand and silt layers became sandstone, shale, and limestone, while the peat layers evolved into coal. Later mountain-building events would uplift, fold, and deform these sedimentary beds. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Worldwide, recoverable coal exists in about 70 countries. The U.S, Russia, China, and India have by far the largest proven reserves of coal. The two principal anthracite beds of Pennsylvania stretch in northeast-to-southwest oriented bands in the eastern part of the state. The counties with the richest sources are Lackawanda, Luzerne, Carbon, Schuylkill, and Northumberland. In addition, the vast field of bituminous coal underlies Pennsylvania’s southwestern quadrant. In all, 266 mines in 28 counties produce coal. USES Coal has been burned in stoves for centuries as a direct source of heat. In modern times, the greatest demand for coal is industrial. Electricity generation from "steam coal" is the most significant of these uses; worldwide, 41.5 percent of electricity is produced in coal-fired power plants. Coal has other uses besides generating energy. The manufacture of steel requires carbon, most often obtained from metallurgical (hard) coal. Thirteen percent of the world’s hard coal is used to make steel. A surprising array of products is made using coal or its by-products, including paper, creosote, benzene, ammonia, pharmaceuticals, fibers (rayon, nylon), dyes, and solvents. PRODUCTION In 2008, Pennsylvania mined 65.4 million tons of coal, of which 1.7 million tons were anthracite from 66 mines. Pennsylvania was the only U.S. state to produce any anthracite. Total U.S. production of all ranks of coal in 2008 was 1.2 billion tons. World production of all ranks of coal in 2008 was 6.8 billion tons.	Mining for Coal Chunks of Coal Coal Miners in the Tunnel Charcoal Briquettes COAL FACTS Name: Coal Chemical Formula: C Color: Black
	Author: World Trade Press

Pennsylvania State Day, Motto, and Nickname

STATE DAY December 12 STATUS Unofficial DATE OF ADMISSION TO UNITED STATES December 12, 1787 RANKING IN STATE ADMISSION 2nd FORMER DESIGNATION New Sweden Pennsylvania Colony Quaker Province HISTORY The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was at the center of the birth of the United States. It held its first constitutional convention less than two weeks after the young country had declared independence from Britain in 1776. By September of that year, delegates had been elected and a new state constitution and bill of rights had been signed. The new constitution did away with the former frame of government, which had been established by William Penn in 1682, and was represented by a governor and provincial assembly. The document eventually became a model for democratic governance, including the abolition of slavery. MOTTO "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence" Pennsylvania’s motto harkens back to the days of the Revolutionary War and the state’s first tumultuous years. The motto appears on the Pennsylvania coat of arms, which was designed by Caleb Lownes in 1778, barely two years after Pennsylvania reached statehood. NICKNAMES "The Keystone State," "The Liberty Bell State," "The Quaker State" The earliest documented instance of Pennsylvania’s widely accepted nickname "The Keystone State" was at a Republican victory rally in 1802, when the state was referred to as "the keystone in the federal union." Philadelphia is home to the famed Liberty Bell—said to have been rung on July 8, 1776, to call citizens to hear the new Declaration of Independence—hence the nickname "The Liberty Bell State." "The Quaker State" pays homage to the state’s early founders and residents, who were largely Quakers. -World Trade Press

Pennsylvania: A Historical Timeline
PRIOR TO 1608 PRE-EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT Native Americans live in the geographical region now known as Pennsylvania long before Europeans explore the area. The two primary groups are the Algonquin and the Iroquois. Native Americans travel around the area by canoe or on foot. Although some farming is done, most food is acquired through hunting and gathering. 1608-1679 EARLY EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT 1608 Captain John Smith journeys up the Susquehanna River from Virginia, visiting the Susquehannock Native Americans. 1609 Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailing for the Dutch, sails the Half Moon into Delaware Bay, giving the Dutch claim to the area. 1610 Captain Samuel Argall of Virginia visits the bay and names it for Lord de la Warr, governor of Virginia. 1638 The Swedish are the first to make a permanent settlement when the colony of New Sweden is established. 1643 Governor Johan Printz of New Sweden establishes his capital at Tinicum Island within the area that is present-day Pennsylvania. Today the site is a state park named in his honor. 1647 The Dutch and Swedes establish trading posts. 1655 Tension between the Swedes and Dutch erupt, due to their competing trading posts in the area. The governor of New Netherlands seizes New Sweden and makes it part of the Dutch colony. 1664 The English seize the Dutch land in the name of the Duke of York, the king's brother. 1673-74 The Dutch recapture their possessions from the English. 1675 The Susquehannocks are defeated by the Iroquois and driven out of Pennsylvania. The Quakers, members of a nonconformist breakaway movement of Puritanism, hold their first meeting in the New World at Upland (now Chester). 1676 The Duke of York's Laws introduce English laws and government to the region. 1680-1739 PENNSYLVANIA COLONY 1681 (March 4) King Charles II grants Quaker William Penn land between New York and Maryland, a repayment of a debt owed to his father Admiral William Penn, by signing the Charter of Pennsylvania. The land falls between the 39th and 42nd degrees latitude and runs west from the Delaware River for five degrees longitude. (April) Penn draws up his proposed constitution for Pennsylvania, the First Frame of Government. Quakers begin to move to Pennsylvania to flee persecution in England. 1682 Three counties of Delaware Colony are captured from the Dutch and deeded to William Penn by the Duke of York. 1720 The first Catholic congregation is organized in Philadelphia. The first chapel is constructed in 1733. 1727 German immigrants begin to arrive in Pennsylvania. Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch are the descendants of these German immigrants to Pennsylvania, living primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania. By the time of the Revolution, Germans comprised one third of Pennsylvania's population. 1730 About 4,000 slaves now reside in Pennsylvania. Indentured servants (mainly immigrants) begin to replace slaves as the state's principal work force. 1731 The nation's first circulating library, the Library Company of Pennsylvania, is founded. 1736 Benjamin Franklin starts the first country's first volunteer fire department, the Union Fire Company, in Philadelphia. 1737 (September 19) The Walking Purchase. The Lenape agree to honor a deed from the 1680s, held by the descendants of William Penn, for a portion of land beginning near Wrightstown and running west "as far as a man could walk in a day and a half." Provincial Secretary James Logan hires the three fastest runners to run out the purchase on a prepared trail, stopping only to sleep at night. After a day and a half, one runner had managed to run 70 miles, and the Penns acquire an area of land in northeastern Pennsylvania roughly the size of Rhode Island. Today, the land deed is generally believed to be at best an unsigned treaty and at worst a forgery. 1739 French traders enter the region, competing with Pennsylvania settlers for Native American trade. 1740-1773 PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ERA 1740 The Mikveh Israel Congregation, one of the oldest synagogues in the country, is established in Philadelphia. 1750-60 Prosperous farming develops in southeastern Pennsylvania, particularly wheat and corn crops. 1751 The first hospital in the colonies, the Pennsylvania Hospital, opens in Philadelphia. 1752 The Liberty Bell arrives at Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Ironically, it was crafted at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. The bell cracks during initial testing. 1754 The French and Indian War begins, spurred by efforts to establish control over the upper Ohio Valley. 1769 St. George's Church, the oldest Methodist building in the U.S., is built in Philadelphia. 1774-1789 REVOLUTIONARY PENNSYLVANIA 1774 The first Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia with delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies. The delegates organize an economic boycott of Great Britain in protest against the Coercive Acts. 1775 (May 10) The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. The Congress establishes a Continental Army, issues the Declaration of Independence, and designs the Articles of Confederation. Delegates include Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. (April 19) The Revolutionary War begins with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. 1776 (August 2) The Declaration of Independence is signed in Philadelphia. (September 28) Pennsylvania's first state constitution is adopted. Philadelphia becomes the second largest English-speaking city in the world after London. 1777 (September 11) The Battle of Brandywine. A battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, it is fought along the Brandywine River. The battle is a clear victory for the British, leaving Philadelphia undefended. (September 26) The British capture Philadelphia. 1778 (June) Benjamin Franklin helps to negotiate a French alliance, which causes the British to leave Philadelphia. (June) A caravan of 700 wagons escorts the Liberty Bell back to Philadelphia from Allentown. The bell was taken to Allentown to be hidden when British troops threatened Philadelphia the previous year. 1780 Pennsylvania adopts the Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act, calling for the gradual abolition of slavery. 1787 (December 12) Pennsylvania becomes the second state (after Delaware) when it ratifies the U.S. Constitution. 1790-1859 POST-REVOLUTIONARY PENNSYLVANIA 1790 Philadelphia becomes the capital of the United States. 1791 The Pennsylvania General Assembly grants a tract of land on the upper Allegheny to Iroquois Chief Cornplanter in appreciation for his assistance in improving relations between colonists and Native Americans. 1792 (April 3) The Pennsylvania General Assembly passes a land act authorizing the sale of land east and west of the Allegheny River in an attempt to spark development and westward expansion. 1793 The largest yellow fever epidemic in the nation's history claims as many as 5,000 lives, or 10 percent of the city's population. 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion in Pittsburgh. Residents protest the whiskey tax by taking up arms. President Washington invokes martial law and summons a militia from Pennsylvania and Virginia. The army marches to Western Pennsylvania and suppresses the rebellion. The hated tax is finally repealed in 1803.    1799 (February 15) The first U.S. printed ballots are authorized in Pennsylvania. 1800-50 Pennsylvania's iron and steel industries spread across the state. 1816 Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell are purchased from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for $70,000. They now officially belong to the city of Philadelphia. 1834 The Free School Act is adopted, establishing the foundation of Pennsylvania's present system of free public schools. 1838 A new Pennsylvania State Constitution is approved, giving voters a greater voice and providing protection against abuses by officials. 1840-50 Immigration increases, particularly that of the Irish fleeing the potato famine of the late 1840s and the Germans fleeing political turmoil. 1848 Pennsylvania grants married women the right to own property. 1856 (June 17) The Republican Party has its first national convention in Philadelphia. (July 17) The Great Train Wreck occurs between Camp Hill and Fort Washington. Two trains traveling in opposite directions collide, killing 59-67 people. It is the deadliest railroad catastrophe in the world at the time. 1859 Edwin L. Drake drills the world's first oil well in Titusville and launches the modern petroleum industry. The state's oil industry flourishes. Eight oil refineries are built between 1862 and 1868. Pennsylvania oil production peaks in 1891. 1860-1899 THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION ERAS 1860 The state now has over two hundred textile mills, and leather making, shipbuilding, publishing, tobacco, and paper manufacturing industries are also prospering. 1863 The Civil War. Pennsylvania calls up reserves and volunteers for emergency duty to oppose General Lee's 75,000 men marching for a major invasion of Pennsylvania. (June) York, Pennsylvania is the largest Northern city to be occupied by Confederate troops when control of the town is taken. (July) The Battle of Gettysburg is one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and is seen as a turning point. After great losses for the Confederate army, General Lee retreats to Virginia. (November) President Lincoln delivers his now-famous "Gettysburg Address" when asked to give a few remarks at the dedication of the National Cemetery at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg. 1868 The Pennsylvania Women's Suffrage Association is founded in Pennsylvania. 1869 A garment worker in Philadelphia helps start one of the first major national labor unions, the Knights of Labor. 1874 (July 1) The Philadelphia Zoo becomes the first public zoo in the country. 1876 (May 10) The U.S. Centennial Exhibition opens in Philadelphia on May 10 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. The fair draws over 9.9 million people. (July 4) Susan B. Anthony reads her "Declaration of Rights for Women" at the Washington statue in front of Independence Hall on July 4. 1882 The Kinzua Railroad Bridge near Mount Jewett is completed. At 2,100 feet long and 301 feet above the valley floor at the center, it is the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world at the time. 1887 Ella M. Boyce becomes the school superintendent of Bradford. She is the first woman to hold such a position in the U.S. 1889 (May 31) Jamestown Flood. Several days of rainfall and the failure of the South Fork Dam unleash a flood that kills 2,200 people and causes $17 million in damages. It is the first major disaster relief effort handled by the American Red Cross. 1900-1929 EARLY 20TH CENTURY 1905 (June 19) The first motion picture theater in the world is opened on Smithfield Street in Pittsburgh. Milton Hershey builds his now-famous chocolate factory in the town now bearing his name. In 1907, the company begins manufacturing its famous Hershey Kisses. 1909 The first baseball stadium is built in Pittsburgh. 1913 The Pennsylvania General Assembly approves a women's voting amendment, but male voters reject it. 1917-18 World War I. Pennsylvania's shipyards are of great value in maintaining maritime transport, and the state's mills and factories provide a large part of the war's manufacturing base. 1919 Pennsylvania becomes the seventh state to ratify the 19th Amendment on June 14, granting women the right to vote. 1924 The Liberty Tunnel is built in Pittsburgh. It is the longest artificially ventilated automobile tunnel in the world in 1924. 1930-1949 THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND WORLD WAR II 1936 (March 17-18) The Pittsburgh Flood results in 69 people killed, 100,000 buildings destroyed, and $250 million in damages. 1940 Pennsylvania opens the nation's first high-speed, multi-lane highway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This sets the standard for modern super-highways across the country. 1946 Philadelphia becomes home to the world's first computer. 1949 Pennsylvania state law now requires the reading of ten Bible verses each day in public schools, followed by the joint recitation of the Lord's Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the statute in 1963. 1950-PRESENT MODERN PENNSYLVANIA 1953 Dr. Jonas Salk of the University of Pittsburgh announces a vaccine against polio has been successfully tested. The first mass inoculation of children with the Salk vaccine takes place in Pittsburgh in 1954. By April 1955, the vaccine has gained federal approval for public use and by 1961 U.S. polio cases have decreased by 95 percent. 1964 (August 28) Race riots break out in predominantly African-American neighborhoods in Philadelphia in response to building tensions between the residents and the police over well-publicized allegations of police brutality. 1970 A Philadelphia committee organizes the first Earth Day, protesting pollution and expressing concern for the environment. The annual day is one of the first major environmental awareness events in the country. 1971 Voters amend the state constitution to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex. 1977 (July 20) A flash flood in Johnstown kills more than 80 people and causes $350 million in damages. 1979 America's worst nuclear accident occurs inside the Unit Two reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, causing thousands in the area to flee. It costs more than $1 billion and takes more than a decade to clean up. 1989 Pennsylvania becomes the first state to restrict abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court gives states the right to do so. 2001 (September 11) United Airlines Flight 93, carrying 45 people, crashes southeast of Pittsburgh. Passengers mount an assault against the hijackers diverting the plane, and all those on board are killed.
	Click to enlarge an image 1600: A traditional Iroquois longhouse 1608: Statue of Captain John Smith 1610: Lord De La Warr 1675: English dissenter George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) 1681: William Penn 1731: Library Company of Pennsylvania 1736: Benjamin Franklin on the first U.S. postage stamp 1737: Land acquired in the Walking Purchase 1740: Mikveh Israel Synagogue established 1751: Pennsylvania Hospital 1752: The Liberty Bell 1754: The earliest authenticated portrait of George Washington shows him wearing his colonel's uniform from the French and Indian War. 1774: British cartoon depicting the Coercive Acts 1775: Second Continental Congress as depicted in John Trumbull's "Declaration of Independence" 1776: Declaration of Independence at the National Archives 1777: The 7th Pennsylvania Regiment flag has come to be known as the Brandywine Flag. 1794: Painting of George Washington and his troops near Fort Cumberland, Maryland, before their march to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion. 1856: The Great Train Wreck of 1856 1859: Edwin Laurentine Drake 1863: Battle of Gettysburg 1863: The words of the Gettysburg Address carved into the south wall of the Lincoln Memorial 1876: Susan Brownell Anthony, American civil rights leader 1953: Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh 1970: Unofficial Earth Day flag by John McConnell 2001: Flight 93 memorial