History in the Making

Philadelphia boasts one of the richest histories of any city in the United States. The area of Philadelphia County began its first settlement by European settlers in the early 1600s, though Native Americans already resided in the area. The Dutch and the Swedes were the first peoples to begin settling the region. Control of the area changed many times between the Dutch and the Swedes in the mid 1600s. The history of Philadelphia includes a sorted past with the Indians of the area, originally known as the Lenni Lenapi tribe. They were later renamed the Delawares by early settlers. The history with the Delaware tribe is a sad tale of forcing the tribe to move farther and farther away from their original lands and took place over a period of more than 100 years.

 

As is mentioned above, the English Quaker William Penn received a charter in 1681 from the crown to develop a colony in the area. Penn laid out the city like a grid, with many of the streets of his original grid still existing today in old Philadelphia. The type of government that William Penn organized for the city of Philadelphia later became a model for the form of government laid out in the United States Constitution. His early government gave full legislative power to an assembly.

 

In 1723, one of Philadelphia’s most famous residents moved to the city, Benjamin Franklin. He was seventeen years old when he moved to Philadelphia to enter the printing trade. He made significant contributions in the areas of literature, science, music, politics and civil welfare.

 

The first Continental Congress of the fledgling patriot movement convened in 1774 in Philadelphia. Their hope was to resolve differences with England through a trade boycott of British goods. The Second Continental Congress met once again in Philadelphia in 1775, still hoping to resolve differences through diplomacy. They sent the “Olive Branch Petition” to the king, but King George III refused to read their petition. At this point, the members of the Continental Congress and the patriot movement turned their efforts to that of independence from England and a separate nation. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, bringing the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

 

Philadelphia continued to play a major role in the development of the new nation, even though it was overthrown by the British in 1777. George Washington’s irregulars endured the famous harsh winter conditions at nearby Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778, and the patriot army emerged a professional army. Control of Philadelphia was taken back by the Americans in 1778.

 

Philadelphia remained instrumental in the development of the new nation of the United States. It was here in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention met to draft and adopt the U.S. Constitution. Philadelphia became the nation’s capital in 1790 and remained so until 1800.

 

These exciting years of Philadelphia’s history were not without pain and trauma. Philadelphia experienced several yellow fever epidemics. In 1793, a yellow fever epidemic wiped out 5,000 people out of a population of 45,000.

 

After the move of the United States capital to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia remained a viable force in many other avenues. In the 1850s, Philadelphia boasted more textile factories than anywhere else in the world. The city was an early hub for railroads, with lines from all over entering the city. The Pennsylvania Railroad became the largest corporation in the U.S. in the late 1800s. Philadelphia also enjoyed a wide diversity of industries, which served to protect her from economic downturns. Philadelphia was strong in such industries as beer, brooms, candies, cigars, cigarettes, ice cream and pharmaceuticals.