|
The state named in honor
of William Penn, founder of its original colony, was
also the site of the first Continental Congress, and is
perhaps best known as the place where that subversive
document, the Declaration of Independence, was drafted
and signed in 1776. In the 19th century, as the
Industrial Revolution replaced America's struggle for
freedom from British rule, Pennsylvania's contributions
to mining, manufacturing, and transportation were
significant. And though the coal and petroleum
industries have been hit hard in recent years, their
production is still central to the state's highly
diversified economy.
Pennsylvania's cities are centers of culture and
learning: the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh symphony
orchestras are highly regarded throughout the country;
the Andrew Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and the
Philadelphia Museum of Art curate major traveling
exhibitions year-round, in addition to housing their own
impressive permanent art collections; and
Carnegie-Mellon, Villanova, and Lehigh Universities are
just a few of the respected names in American higher
education. Add this to the bucolic scenery of
Pennsylvania's green valleys, rich farmland, and
mountain ranges, and it's no wonder that it's the fifth
most populated state in the nation.
|
