History
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is pivotal in the history of the United States. In fact, it is strongly connected to the independence of our country. Philadelphia, known as the City of Brotherly Love, is considered to be our nation’s birthplace. It was founded in 1682 by William Penn. Prior to that; it was inhabited by Native Americans and Swedish settlers. In 1681, King Charles II gave Pennsylvania to Penn in a trade for a debt that was owed Penn’s father. Philadelphia rapidly became a vital city in the United States. Because of its location, it became an agricultural and industrial leader and its shipyards quickly prospered.
Textiles, printing, and papermaking were among Philadelphia’s major industries, and many immigrants arrived to keep the mills going. Because of this, Philadelphia continues to be a cultural melting pot. The city became the financial center of the country. Among Philadelphia’s earliest occupants was Benjamin Franklin, who moved there at age 16 and worked as a printer and eventually signed the Declaration of Independence. During the early 1700s, lots of exceptional private and public buildings were built, such as Independence Hall. Therefore, because of its strategic location, delegates chose Philadelphia as the site of both the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress, which took place in 1774 and 1775. The history of the city was closely linked to the American Revolution and on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved in Philadelphia. In addition, when the war began, Philadelphia became the capital of the Revolutionary Movement. In fact, Philadelphia was the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800 and at one time, it was our largest city. The founding fathers had a dream for a new country and it was in Philadelphia that these visions were formed and discussed. Philadelphia is home to the famous Liberty Bell, which is one of the most important symbols of freedom in the United States.
By the 20th century, however, the city began to deteriorate as crime rates dramatically increased due largely in part because gang and mafia-related violence were rampant. The city was portrayed as corrupt and the population suddenly declined. In 1992, Edward Rendell was elected mayor of Philadelphia and he vowed swift change over the historic city. The rejuvenation of certain neighborhoods started bringing people back into the city. Philadelphia’s image was reborn and the downtown area escalated. Currently, Philadelphia’s downtown area is the 3rd most populous in the United States, only behind New York City and Chicago. Furthermore, in 2000, Rendell’s friend, John Street, replaced him as mayor. Together, they are credited for saving the city from bankruptcy and resurrecting Philadelphia.
Today, Philly is one of the leading tourist destinations in the United States. Many people wish to journey to the famous city to gain an understanding about various aspects of Colonial History and to visit momentous landmarks that are icons of our nation’s independence. People usually fall in love with the city once they leave it. You often see them sporting a “I Love Philadelphia” t shirt shortly after visiting this great city. They want to see the 1st capital of our great country.
Philly is home to America’s leading brick and mortar businesses such as: Lincoln National Corporation , Liberty Property Trust, Monument Online Insurance Quotes, T.H. Builders, Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corp and many more companies that have been in business for 100s of years.