Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Pennsylvania

A Field Guide to State History

This extensive, encyclopaedic guide is beautifully illustrated with past and present-day photographs, showing the people and places that make up the fascinating history of the "keystone state." Its concise, informative entries cover well-known events, such as the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as facts that may not be so familiar. Pennsylvania is the home of many firsts, from the banana split to commercial radio broadcasts. William Penn founded the state after receiving a land grant from King Charles II as a repayment of the king's debt to his father Admiral Penn. Nicknamed the "keystone state," Pennsylvania served as the birthplace of the United States and the U.S. Constitution. The state played a dominant role in the early development of the national government, acting as a meeting place for the men dedicated to building an independent nation. Philadelphia was the nation's capital during the American Revolution, except when the British occupied the city, which caused the capital to be moved to Lancaster and then on to York. While Congress was in session in York from October 1777 to June 1778, it approved the Articles of Confederation, which was the first step toward a national government. In 1787, the U.S. Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia. The movement for independence developed in the meetings of the Continental Congress at Carpenters' Hall and the State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. The spirit of independence spread quickly, resulting in the American War of Independence. Pennsylvania is also home to Gettysburg, where a decisive battle determined the future of the United States during the Civil War. In June 1863, Confederate General Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania. On July 1, 1863, his Southern forces met the Federal army in Gettysburg. Under command of General George Meade, the Union army fought the Confederates for three days. Lee finally retreated, and the Southern army was never able again to mount a significant battle on northern soil. Following the Civil War, Pennsylvania led the nation in industrialization. There are around 40 different beds of coal in the state and in the last half of the 19th century, Pennsylvania's vast supply of coal fueled the great blast furnaces of emerging industries. Pennsylvania's coal industry would remain dominant for more than a century. The massive and ever-growing railroad provided the necessary transport of coal from the mines deep in the Pennsylvania mountains to the industrial centers. Industry developed throughout the state, including locations in Philadelphia, along the Susquehanna, the Northeast, and in and around Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania's railroads and coal mines have helped build America and its industries continue to do so today.

Category - Fiction / Historical Fiction

Format - Hardcover

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Listed - A year ago

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Pennsylvania: A Field Guide to State History

ISBN: 9781856487290

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By: George G. Sheldon

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Category - Fiction / Historical Fiction

Format - Hardcover

Condition - New

Listed - A year ago

Views - 4

Ships From - Pennsylvania

Additional Information

Pennsylvania: A Field Guide to State History

ISBN: 9781856487290

Publisher Description

Tags

Pennsylvania

By:

$10.00

Meet the seller

Discover more

Pennsylvania

By: George G. Sheldon

More from this seller

Additional titles by George G. Sheldon

'Pennsylvania' readers also enjoyed:

Recently Viewed