Pennsylvania’s official full name is the “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” making it one of only four states in the United States to call itself a commonwealth rather than a state.
Pennsylvania (U.S. State)
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Facts About Pennsylvania (U.S. State)
Harrisburg has been Pennsylvania’s capital city since 1812, and its beautiful dome-topped capitol building is modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Pennsylvania became the 2nd state to join the United States on December 12, 1787, just five days after Delaware became the first.
Pennsylvania is home to about 13 million people, making it the 5th most populated state in the United States.
Pennsylvania is located in the northeastern United States and shares borders with six other states: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio.
Pennsylvania’s most famous nickname is “The Keystone State” because it was in the middle of the original thirteen colonies, just like a keystone is the middle stone that holds together an arch.
Pennsylvania’s official state motto is “Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,” words that reflect the important role the state played in America’s fight for freedom.
The official state bird of Pennsylvania is the ruffed grouse, a chicken-like bird with fancy feathers that makes a drumming sound with its wings.
Pennsylvania ranks as the 33rd largest state in size in the U.S., covering 46,055 square miles, which is about as big as 22,000 football fields put together.
The Pennsylvania state flag features the state coat of arms on a blue background with two horses standing on their hind legs holding up a shield.
Pennsylvania has 121 state parks where families can hike, swim, fish, and camp, with at least one park within 25 miles (40 kilometers) of every person in the state.
The Appalachian Mountains run right through Pennsylvania, creating beautiful rolling hills and valleys across much of the state.
Pennsylvania is home to Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes, which forms part of the state’s northwestern border and has beaches where you can swim in the summer.
Pennsylvania’s highest point is Mount Davis at 3,213 feet (1 kilometers) tall, which is like stacking about 640 kids on top of each other!
Pennsylvania has more than 83,000 miles (133,576 kilometers) of rivers and streams, which if placed end to end would circle the Earth more than three times.
Pennsylvania gets about 42 inches of rain and 38 inches of snow each year, making it one of the wetter states around!
The eastern part of Pennsylvania is home to the Delaware Water Gap, a stunning gorge where the Delaware River cuts through a mountain ridge, creating cliffs that rise 1,200 feet (366 meters) above the water.
The state tree of Pennsylvania is the eastern hemlock, an evergreen tree that can live for more than 500 years and provides homes for many forest animals.
Pennsylvania was home to many Native American tribes, including the Lenape, Susquehannock, Erie, and Iroquois, who lived there for thousands of years before European settlers arrived.
William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681 after receiving the land from King Charles II of England to pay off a debt the king owed Penn’s father.
The Liberty Bell, famous for its crack, hangs in Philadelphia and was rung to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1776, making the state the birthplace of American independence.
The U.S. Constitution was written and signed in Philadelphia in 1787, establishing the government system we still use today.
The biggest and bloodiest battle of the Civil War happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in July 1863. In just three days, about 51,000 soldiers were hurt, missing, or lost their lives.
Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, lived in Philadelphia and established the first public library, first volunteer fire department, and first hospital in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania was the site of the first commercial oil well in the United States, drilled by Edwin Drake in Titusville in 1859, starting America’s oil industry.
The first commercially successful coal mine in the United States opened in Pennsylvania in 1775, beginning the state’s long history as a coal mining center.
Betsy Ross, who lived in Philadelphia, is famous for being linked to the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes, possibly sewing it around 1776!
Pennsylvania’s state flower is the mountain laurel, a beautiful pink and white flowering shrub that blooms in late spring and early summer throughout the state’s woodlands.
The official state dog of Pennsylvania is the Great Dane, one of the largest dog breeds in the world, which was chosen as a symbol in 1965.
Pennsylvania’s state insect is the firefly, also called a lightning bug, which lights up summer evenings across the state with its glowing tail.
The official state beverage of Pennsylvania is milk, chosen because dairy farming is one of the state’s biggest agricultural industries.
Pennsylvania’s official state fish is the brook trout, a colorful fish with red dots surrounded by blue halos that lives in the state’s clean, cold streams.
The state fossil of Pennsylvania is the Phacops rana, a type of trilobite (an ancient sea creature) that lived 380 million years ago when much of Pennsylvania was covered by a shallow sea.
Pennsylvania’s official state song is called “Pennsylvania,” and begins with the words “Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, mighty is your name.”
The white-tailed deer became Pennsylvania’s state animal in 1959, and these beautiful creatures can be seen throughout the state’s forests and even in suburban backyards.
The Great Seal of Pennsylvania, which appears on important state documents, shows a shield with a ship, plow, and wheat sheaves representing commerce, labor, and agriculture.
Philadelphia is Pennsylvania’s largest city and was once the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800 before Washington, D.C. was built.
Pittsburgh, the ‘Steel City,’ sits where the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers meet, and boasts 446 bridges — more than almost any other city in the world!
Hershey, Pennsylvania, is known as “The Sweetest Place on Earth” because it’s home to the Hershey Chocolate Company, and even the streetlights are shaped like Hershey’s Kisses.
Independence Hall in Philadelphia is where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted, and you can still visit it today.
The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh is the largest museum in North America dedicated to a single artist, with seven floors of artwork by the famous pop artist.
Fallingwater, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is a famous house built partially over a waterfall in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the battlefield where the Union won a crucial victory in the Civil War, and you can see cannons and monuments throughout the park.
The Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1874, was the first true zoo in the United States and today houses more than 1,300 animals.
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is famous for its Groundhog Day celebration on February 2, when Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow to predict whether spring will come early or winter will last six more weeks.
Valley Forge National Historical Park is where George Washington and his Continental Army camped during the difficult winter of 1777-1778 during the Revolutionary War.
Daniel Boone, the famous American frontiersman and explorer, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1734.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the beloved children’s television show, was filmed in Pittsburgh, and Fred Rogers lived in Pennsylvania for most of his life.
