Pennsylvania - School-Age
Pennsylvania
2nd State (December 12, 1787), the northeast U.S.
State Abbreviation: PA
Capital: Harrisburg
Origin of name: It means Penn's Woodland. Named in honor of Admiral Sir. William Penn, father of William Penn (the founder of Pennsylvania).
Motto: Virtue, Liberty, Independence
Nickname: Keystone State (During colonial times Pennsylvania was the middle colony of the original 13 colonies. There are six states above it and six states below it.)
Pennsylvania State Symbols
Pennsylvania: State Seal
Animal: White-tailed Deer
Beautification and Conservation Plant: Penngift Crownvetch
Beverage: Milk
Dog: Great Dane
Electric Locomotive: GG1 4859
Fish: Brook Trout
Flagship of Pennsylvania: United States Brig Niagara
Flower: Mountain Laurel
Fossil: Phacops rana
Game Bird: Ruffed Grouse
Insect: Firefly
Steam Locomotive: K4s 1361 and K4s 3750
Song: Pennsylvania
Tree: Eastern Hemlock
Video
Things to Know
United States Senators from Pennsylvania.
Four major Indian groups occupied Pennsylvania at the time of European arrival: the Delaware , the Susquehanna, the Shawnee, and various segments of the Iroquois Confederacy. Swedes (1643), Dutch (1647), and others were the first European settlers. The English seized control of the region in 1664, and in 1681 King Charles II of England signed a charter giving the region to William Penn. Under Penn's guidance a Quaker colony was established in 1682, based on government by popular will and religious tolerance.
Philadelphia was the seat of the federal government almost continuously from 1776 to 1800; there the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution drawn up in 1787.
Crayola crayons are made in Easton, PA.
The Amish , the Mennonites, the Brethren, and the other "Plain People" of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Common Trees of Pennsylvania
This site offers information on every type of tree found in Pennsylvania.
Major Rivers: Allegheny River, Susquehanna River, Delaware River, Ohio River.
Famous Pennsylvanians
William Penn (1644-1718), Founder of Pennsylvania
John Harris (1673-1748), owner Harris ferry, renamed Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital city.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and an inventor.
Joseph Priestley (1733-1804). He was called the "Father of Modern Chemistry."
Betsy Ross (1752-1836). She was reported to have made the first American Flag.
James Buchanan (1791-1868), the 15th president of the United States.
Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), novelist. Author, she wrote Little Women.
Milton S. Hershey (1857-1945), Businessman, he founded the Hershey Chocolate Company and the town Hershey, Pennsylvania
Carl E. Stotz (1910–1992), founder of Little League Baseball.
Things to Do
Pennsylvania State Bird and State Flower Printable Color Page.
The Liberty Bell is a symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Make a box book with facts about the Liberty Bell. Liberty Bell color page.
Pennsylvania Flag Map color page
Pennsylvania Flash Cards
Sites to See
The State Symbol Challenge
Take the quiz on the State Symbols of Pennsylvania
The first zoo in the United Stats was the Philadelphia Zoo which opened to the public in 1874.
The Pennsylvania Canal
Learn about Pennsylvania's Canal Era, 1792-1931
Liberty Bell
Learn the history of The Liberty Bell.
The Electric Franklin
A detailed guide to Benjamin Franklin and his life.
The Underground Railroad
The history of the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania.
Gettysburg National Military Park
Information where the famous Civil War battle took place.
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
The famous weather-forecasting groundhog.
