City of Brotherly Love More than 1 5 million people live in Philadelphia Pennsylvania the fifth largest city in the United States 40 million tourists visit every year Philadelphia is known for many important historic landmarks and moments in American history 4
William Penn 1644 1718 a Quaker called his journey from England to the New World the holy experiment William Penn founded Pennsylvania as a British colony in 1681 and established the city of Philadelphia in 1682 He wanted Philadelphia to be a place where people of different backgrounds and religions could live together peacefully 5
Philadelphia is one of the earliest examples of a planned city Most of it was built with brick or stone to prevent fires Penn’s plan also included large open spaces for residents Philadelphia Notes Philadelphia was Pennsylvania’s first capital Its name means city of brotherly love in Greek 6
The first and second Continental Congresses were held in Philadelphia in 1774 and 1775 These meetings were held to establish independence from Britain and organize the American Revolutionary War effort The second congress produced the Declaration of Independence In 1775 the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army 7
