The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the fifth most populous of the 50 states of the United States. Pennsylvania lies west of the Delaware River in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
King Charles II of England granted William Penn a charter for a Colony of Pennsylvania in 1681. Philadelphia, the capital of the colony, soon rose to become the most populous city of British America. As Britain attempted to tighten its grip on its American colonies, many prominent Pennsylvanians called for greater independence for British America. The upper and lower counties of Pennsylvania (now known as Delaware) joined eleven other British colonies in declaring their autonomy with signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.
The newly independent state chose the moniker "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" as a token of its prominence and autonomy in the Americas. The American states prevailed in the American War of Independence which concluded with the Treaty of Paris of 1783. The Constitution of the United States was written in convention at Philadelphia in 1787. The State of Delaware and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania became the first two states to ratify the new Constitution, thus Pennsylvania is ranked as the second state to join the Union.
General reference
Geography of Pennsylvania
Geography of Pennsylvania
Places in Pennsylvania
Places in Pennsylvania
Environment of Pennsylvania
Natural geographic features of Pennsylvania
Regions of Pennsylvania
Administrative divisions of Pennsylvania
Demography of Pennsylvania
Government and politics of Pennsylvania
Politics of Pennsylvania
Branches of the government of Pennsylvania
Government of Pennsylvania
Executive branch of the government of Pennsylvania
Legislative branch of the government of Pennsylvania
Judicial branch of the government of Pennsylvania
Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania
Law and order in Pennsylvania
Law of Pennsylvania
Military in Pennsylvania
Local government in Pennsylvania
Local government in Pennsylvania
History of Pennsylvania
History of Pennsylvania
History of Pennsylvania, by period
- Indigenous peoples
- Indentured servitude in Pennsylvania
- Netherlands colony of Nieuw-Nederland, 1624âÂÂ1652
- History of slavery in Pennsylvania, 1639âÂÂ1847
- Swedish colony of Nya Sverige, 1638âÂÂ1655
- Netherlands province of Nieuw-Nederland, 1652âÂÂ1664
- English Province of New-York, (1664âÂÂ1681)âÂÂ1688
- English Province of Pennsylvania, 1681âÂÂ1707
- British Colony of Pennsylvania, 1707âÂÂ1776
- French colony of la Louisiane, 1699âÂÂ(1754âÂÂ1763)
- French and Indian War, 1754âÂÂ1763
- Treaty of Fontainebleau of 1762
- British Indian Reserve in western Pennsylvania, 1763âÂÂ1783
- Royal Proclamation of 1763
- American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775 â September 3, 1783
- United States Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
- Philadelphia campaign, 1777âÂÂ1778
- Battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777
- Siege of Fort Mifflin, September 26 to November 16, 1777
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1776
- Whiskey Rebellion, 1790s
- Eighth state to ratify the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, signed July 9, 1778
- Second State to ratify the Constitution of the United States of America on December 11, 1787
- Erie Triangle purchased 1792
- War of 1812, June 18, 1812 â March 23, 1815
- Treaty of Ghent, December 24, 1814
- MexicanâÂÂAmerican War, April 25, 1846 â February 2, 1848
- James Buchanan becomes 15th President of the United States on March 4, 1857
- American Civil War, April 12, 1861 â May 13, 1865
- Pennsylvania in the American Civil War, 1861âÂÂ1865
- 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
- Gettysburg campaign, June 9 â July 14, 1863
- Battle of Gettysburg, July 1âÂÂ3, 1863
- Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863
History of Pennsylvania, by region
By county
By municipality
History of Pennsylvania, by subject
Culture of Pennsylvania
Culture of Pennsylvania
The Arts in Pennsylvania
Sports in Pennsylvania
Economy and infrastructure of Pennsylvania
Economy of Pennsylvania
Education in Pennsylvania
Education in Pennsylvania
See also
References
External links