Pennsylvania: A Prominent Place in the United States

Pennsylvania is located in Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. Prior to its exploration and settlement, it was home to a variety of Indian tribes. During the early to mid-1600’s, English and Dutch explorers visited the territory of Pennsylvania and parts of it were claimed by the Dutch, English, and Swedish. In 1681, King Charles II granted a land charter to William Penn as a repayment of a debt to Penn’s father, Admiral Penn, in one of the largest land grants in history. Pennsylvania became a British territory in 1763 and was conceded to the United States in 1783. Pennsylvania played prominently in the events leading up to and during the American Revolutionary War. The city of Philadelphia hosted the First and Second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, and was selected to be the capital of the new nation, a role it played from 1880-1890. Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787. The Gradual Emancipation Act of 1780 started the elimination of slavery in Pennsylvania. For the next several decades, Pennsylvania's industrial base and mining of natural resources grew substantially, and were key assets in the economic strength of the Union in the American Civil War in the 1860’s. Pennsylvania’s railroad system, iron and steel industries, and agricultural wealth were crucial to supporting the north. From the industrial boom that occurred in the mid-1800’s, Pennsylvania continued to grow in terms of population, economy, and influence, such that today it has a substantial and diverse economy.

The Keys to the Keystone State’s Economy

Pennsylvania has the sixth largest economy of U.S. states. From its heritage in agriculture, Pennsylvania’s economy has diversified into banking, energy, financial services, general services, government, insurance, manufacturing, mining, steel, transportation, and trade.

Education: Pennsylvanian Style

Educational attainment among the Pennsylvania populace roughly mirrors that of the U.S. as a whole. As of 2000, roughly 82% of its residents aged 25 and older had completed high school and roughly 22% had completed college. There are 3,267 institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania system is a well-known state public university system with over 87,000 students at twenty-four campuses. Its flagship campus is the College Park campus in Centre County, Pennsylvania, in the center of the state, which serves 45,000 students. Among the elite private institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania are: Bryn Mawr College, Franklin & Marshall College, Lehigh University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Crime Scene in Pennsylvania: Down Slightly

Pennsylvania has seen a slight decrease in crime rates from its historically higher levels of the mid 1990’s. Virtually all major forms of crime in Pennsylvania, including violent crime, forcible rape, aggravated assault, and robbery have seen declines since that time, although other northeastern states, such as New York, have made bigger inroads recently against crime. In 2006, Pennsylvania ranked 21st among U.S. states for violent crimes with 439 per 100,000 population.

The Pennsylvania Population and Politics – Fairly Balanced, More Registered Democrats

Pennsylvania has a population of roughly 12.6 million people. Its population has been growing slowly, at a rate of just 0.3% per year in the past decade. Republicans dominated state politics from 1860 through the 1930’s. Since then, the state political leanings have been more balanced in terms of elected officials and towards Democrats in terms of registered voters. Among the almost 6 million votes cast in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Pennsylvania voters chose Democratic candidate Barack Obama over Republican candidate John McCain by a ratio of 55%-45%.