From bustling big cities to quiet rural towns, peaceful farms and churches to exciting tourist destinations and state parks, Pennsylvania is a diverse region of great scenic beauty and plenty of hometown charm. Its natural landscape of mountains and forests bode well for outdoor enthusiasts, as well.
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King Charles II rid himself of a troubling Quaker youth named William Penn in 1681 by giving him a tract of land in the new world. Penn immediately set out to establish his "City of Brotherly Love." This new colony was based in part on religious freedom. Penn’s "Holy Experiment" was soon delineated as his "Great Law of Pennsylvania" which guaranteed freedom of conscience, judicial restraint, voting rights, fair taxation, education and gainful employment. These sound tenets evolved to make Pennsylvania’s government the soundest in the land.
The first Continental Congress convened in Pennsylvania in 1774 and the Second Continental Congress in 1775-76 where the Declaration of Independence was written and approved. When the Articles of Confederation were passed in New York in 1777, the 13 colonies became a nation.
The 19th century brought tremendous growth and development to the state. Roads, bridges, canals and the railroad all assisted in this growth and westward expansion. There were also many mineral finds during this period. Coal, iron and oil deposits made it one of the nation’s richest states.
Pennsylvania suffered great losses in the Civil War. The 3 day battle of Gettysburg resulted in 51,000 casualties, equal to the total in the Vietnam War. When the war was over, Pennsylvania found itself at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. From this, it became the center of the labor movement and its influence is still felt today.
The world’s first oil well was drilled in Titusville in 1859 marking the birth of the petroleum industry. Then Andrew Carnegie founded U.S. Steel. This catapulted Pennsylvania into an industrial giant, out producing not only the nation, but the world too.
In recent years it has diversified its economy so its no longer completely dependent on manufacturing. New market opportunities have blended the old with the new, especially in the biotechnology field.
Tourism is the state’s second largest industry, only surpassed by agriculture. The Poconos, Gettysburg and the Pennsylvania Dutch Country are popular tourist destinations. Chocolate lovers flock to Hershey, while shopper flock to Reading, the "Outlet Capital of the World."
Farming includes corn, buckwheat, potatoes, tobacco and it is the nation’s leading producer of mushrooms. The mountain valleys are very fruitful: apples, cherries, berries, peaches and grapes are grown in abundance.
The statewide sales tax is 6 percent. Pittsburgh levies a 10 percent amusements tax. Local options allow certain lodgings taxes of up to 6 percent.
The natural landscape of mountains and forests bode well for outdoor enthusiasts. Hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing and white water rafting are popular in the Poconos, Allegheny National Forest and Laurel Highlands. The mountains also provide the backdrop for winter activities, such as snow skiing and snowmobiling.
