Pennsylvania

=﻿Pennsylvania=

__ Geography __

The state of Pennsylvania is surrounded by many geographic features. It is smack dab in the middle of many plains and plateaus. The Great Lakes Plain and the Appalachian Plateau form the northwestern part of the state. The Appalachian Plateau itself covers a good portion of the state, approximately more than half of it. The Allegheny Mountains line up the eastern edge of the plateau and continue the entire way south west and all the way northeast. In the southeast part of the state, the Piedmont Plateau becomes the Atlantic Costal Plains. There are a couple rivers in the state of Pennsylvania. Toward the east part of the state, the Delaware River system, and the Susquehanna River systems drain the state. Towards the west lie the Allegheny and Monongahela systems. These rivers met up at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. In the central part of the state, the Susquehanna’s west branch crosses the state and empties out into the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania’s farming conditions are great for farming. With an abundance of rivers and fertile soil, farming is the economic backbone of the state. There are over 58,000 farms in Pennsylvania. They are all supported by the thriving land and water systems. __History__  The land now known as Pennsylvania went through many ownerships before becoming an English colony. Originally New Sweden, it was taken by the Dutch as a result of the campaign of the governor of what is now New York, and was soon after taken by the British. The Duke of York gave the land to William Penn to pay off a royal debt, and the land was named Pennsylvania. His document of law named "The Pennsylvania Frame of Government" served to establish a humane penal code and encouraged the emancipation of slaves. Another policy was that of religious freedom to all who believed in god. Because of this policy, Pennsylvania was populated by people of many different religions by the time of Penn's death in 1718. These include Quakers (English and Welsh who dominated commerce in the east), Mennonites, Amish, Lutherans (who settled in the rural areas), and more. Scottish and Irish immigrants eventually made their way over, to push westward for land. In addition to the conflict already created as a result of the displacement of Native Americans from their land, tensions grew during the Pontiac Rebellion (a conflict sparked as the result of the cutting off of supplies from the Native Americans) in 1763-1765, which Pennsylvania was a major battleground for.

Economic

When Pennsylvania’s came to America, they quickly found that the area they settled was very fit for industry and agriculture. Due to the rich soil in the area, farming was a very successful way to survive. Farming was mostly done in the southeast of the state, in counties full of rich soil. The prized farmlands appeared in the Great Appalachian Valley. The Pennsylvania Dutch built a successful culture in this area. The principle products of agriculture in this area were dairy products, cattle, hay, corn, wheat, oats, mushrooms, poultry, potatoes, and fruit. Slavery was very apparent in Pennsylvania. The state faced the same labor shortage as many other colonies, and had found the same solution. Bringing African slaves to the Americas was a very successful solution that started as early as 1639, but died out nearing the end of the French-Indian war.

Terms

1. Triangle Trade Just like most of the colonies, Pennsylvania was involved in the triangle trade. They trade resources for slaves, which were transported from Africa to the colonies.

2. Salutary Neglect The English ignored the thirteen colonies for awhile. Pennsylvania had become self sufficient in the years that England hade left the colonies to govern themselves. When the English came back, the Pennsylvanians joined in the fight for freedom against the British.

3. Mercantilism All the Colonies were affected by the policy of Mercantilism. Since the colonist weren’t allowed to buy goods from anyone but Britain, communications between any other European powers were limited. People still found ways to secretly trade with other nations, but for the most part it wasn’t widely practiced.

4. Great Awakening The Great Awakening was the religious uplifting of many churches into a more radical style of preaching. The religions in Pennsylvania were mostly Quaker or Catholic, and they were swept up into the movement as well.

5. Cash Crops Pennsylvania was a large participant of the cash crop game. They produced many crops such as hay and corn. These were easy crops to mass produce, and were in demand on the market.

6. Indentured Servitude Pennsylvania did practice indentured servitude. The state over all preferred Slavery over this practice, and did not incorporate it as much.

=__﻿French Indian War__=  ﻿ As a result of the westward movement of Scottish and Irish Pennsylvanians, tensions with the Native Americans increased. When war broke out, the French sided with the Native American forces. The major fort Duquesne was located on the Ohio river, and after many defeats during the early stages of the war, the British were able to drive the French out. The bitter taste left in the mouths of the Native Americans would last long after the conclusion of the war, as tensions remained high afterwards, contributing to Pontiac’s Rebellion. All in all, Pennsylvanians saw much violence from the Native American conflicts. =__﻿Revolutionary War__= The major revolutionary leaders to come from Pennsylvania include Ben Franklin, Robert Morris, and John Dickenson. Both Continental Congresses were held in the state, as well as the signing of the declaration of Independence. Major battles that occurred in Pennsylvania include the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, where Washington’s army lost, forcing it and the Continental Congress to flee (the army having to settle in Valley Forge for a harsh winter). Pennsylvania was harmed very little by the war, as the British forces evacuated the state in the summer of 1778. Being that they were the second state to ratify the Constitution. Some of the major protests to the Constitution came from Pennsylvania however, such as the Whiskey Rebellion and Fries Rebellion, which were staged by rural farmers to protest federal taxes.

=__Social__= As mentioned earlier, Pennsylvania had a diversity of cultures because of Penn’s policy of religious freedom. Mennonites, Moravians, Amish, Lutherans, and Reformed Church members all settled in Pennsylvania and took on various roles in the government and economy. Languages spoken consisted of English and German. Women did not have a major role in the function of colonial Pennsylvania, although they were helpful with manufacturing and supporting the militia during the Revolutionary War.