Philadelphia is a large city in Pennsylvania. It is also a very old city. Originally, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. It was colonized in 1609 by the Dutch. The city of Philadelphia was officially founded in 1682 by William Penn, an Englishman. Like any settlement, it started small, but it grew quickly. By 1701, the population was 2,500. The city continued to grow because it was a major trading station and port. Eventually, Philadelphia became one of the largest and most important cities in the colonies. It is also one of the most historic cities. See the list below to see why.
• The city’s nicknames include Philly, The City of Brotherly Love, The Birthplace of America, The Quaker City and The Cradle of Liberty.
• It is home to the first American zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1874.
• Many of the city’s buildings are covered in murals. It is called the mural capital of the United States.
• It was the capital of the United States until Washington, D.C. was built.
• The city is famous for a sandwich called the Philly Cheesesteak.
• The Liberty Bell is in Philadelphia.
• Founded in 1784, the first newspaper in the U.S. was printed in Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Packet and Daily Advertiser.
• The first library in the United States was founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin.
• The city’s motto means, “Let brotherly love endure.”
• The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was the first in America. It was founded in 1790.
Philadelphia was an important city for many reasons, but historically perhaps the most important role it played was that in the founding of the United States of America. It was in this major port city that the Founding Fathers met to discuss what they would do about the taxes that the British imposed. Here, they held the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution was also written in this incredible city. It can be argued that Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States of America.
For more information, visit the following sites: http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/, http://mentalfloss.com/article/55036/25-things-you-didnt-know-about-philadelphia & http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Philadelphia.aspx
