PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY

PART 1 – PRE – COLONIAL TO THE REVOLUTION

THE FIRST INHABITANTS The first inhabitants of Pensynlvania were several Native American

tribes including 1. The Delawares (Leni – Lenape or “real men”) 2. The Susquehanocks (lived along the Susquehanna River) 3. The Shawnees (came from the west in 1690s) 4. Iroquois Confederacy (Five Nations – Mohawks, Oneidas,

Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas) 5. Other tribes (Eries, Mahicans, Nanticokes)

Left - Delaware Indian

Right – Susquehannock Warrior

EUROPEAN EXPLORATION Captain John Smith – travelled up the

Susquehanna River from Virginia in 1608 Henry Hudson sailed into Delaware Bay in 1609 Captain Samuel Argall sailed into the bay in 1610

and named it for Lord de la Warr (Delaware), then governor of Virginia

Capt. John SmithHenry Hudson

Lord de la Warr

FOUNDING OF PENNSYLVANIA William Penn born October 24, 1644 Religious convert to the Society of Friends (Quakers)

Religion founded by George Fox in 1647 Rejected ritual and oaths, opposed war, and believed in

simple speech and dress Religion was unpopular among British subjects, but Penn’s

friendship with the Duke of York kept him the king’s court

William Penn George

Fox

Quaker meeting

THE CHARTER King Charles II owed Penn 16,000 pounds Penn asked for the land between Lord Baltimore’s province

of Maryland and the Duke of York’s province of New York King signed the charter of Pennsylvania on March 4, 1681

King named colony in honor of William Penn’s father It included the territory that is the state of Delaware today

THE NEW COLONY April 1681, Penn made his cousin, William Markham, deputy governor

of the new province Oct. 1682, Penn arrives on the ship Welcome

Visits new capital city – Philadelphia Created the original three counties Summoned General Assembly to Chester

Great Law - 1682 Fundamental basis of Pennsylvania law Guaranteed liberty of conscience Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the

end of government, and, therefore government itself is a venerable ordinance of God... [there shall be established] laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God may have his due, and Caesar his due, and the people their due, from tyranny and oppression."

By time Penn leaves in 1684, the foundations of the new Quaker province were firmly established

POPULATION Indian tribes

William Penn made sure to buy land from Indians before settling it English

English Quakers dominated new province Lived in the southeastern counties

Germans Comprised one-third of population Settled in interior counties (including Berks county) Transformed area into rich farming country

Scotch-Irish Settled in central and western areas

African Americans About 4,000 slaves brought by 1730 Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 first emancipation law in United States

Others French Huguenots, Jewish settlers, Dutch, Swedes and other groups settled in

Pennsylvania Drawn to the provinces’ tolerance of others

EARLY GOVERNMENT In 1701, William Penn along with the Assembly agreed on a

Charter of Privileges which remained in effect until 1776 Gave the Assembly full legislative powers

Ruled by Deputy Governors (called simply governors) who represented the Penn family

Throughout the 18th century, the Penn heirs abandoned Quakerism which brought them into conflict with the Quaker dominated Assembly

John Penn – last Penn governor

PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR Pennsylvania supplied men and supplies to the British

Empire French established forts in Erie, Waterford, Pittsburgh and

Franklin which threatened all the middle colonies 1755 – General Braddock’s colonial army slaughtered on the

Monongahela 1758 – General Forbes helps re-capture Pittsburgh

General John Forbes

ECONOMICS Agriculture

PA ranked as a leader – surpluses exported Main crops – corn, wheat, rye, and flax

Manufacture PA had abundance of natural resources Sawmills and gristmills utilized water power Iron and pig iron were manufactured Printing and papermaking were leading industries Conestoga wagon developed in Lancaster Co.

Commerce and Transportation Rivers important for transportation Trade with Indians for furs Philadelphia became an important colonial trade center By 1776, PA’s imports and exports worth several millions of dollars

SOCIETY AND CULTURE Arts and Learning

Philadelphia known as “Athens of America” Freedom of expression permitted strong intellectual and educational

opportunities 1740 – College of Philadelphia established (now called University of

Pennsylvania) Public buildings in Philadelphia were marvel of colonies Men of intellect – Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, Benjamin West

achieve international acclaim Center of law and medicine; newspapers and magazines flourished Pennsylvania claims the first hospital, library and insurance company in U.S.

history Religion

Quakers continue to influence southeastern part of the colony Pennsylvania Dutch (Germans) were Lutherans, Amish, Mennonites, Brethren,

and Moravians First Catholic congregation organized in PA in 1720 and first chapel erected in

1733; PA had second largest population of Catholics in the colonies

PENNSYLVANIA ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION By 1776…

Pennsylvania was third largest colony Philadelphia largest city in the colonies Number of counties increased from 3 to 11

Philadelphia was a center of revolutionary spirit Groups of artisans and mechanics were loyal to Benjamin

Franklin and formed grassroots resistance organizations Center of resistance to Stamp Act and Intolerable Act