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This article is about the U.S. State. For other uses, see Pennsylvania (disambiguation).
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (IPA: /ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪnjə/) is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States of America.
One of Pennsylvania\'s nicknames is the Quaker State; in colonial times, it was known officially as the Quaker Province,The Quaker Province in recognition of QuakerWilliam Penn, Quaker William Penn\'s First Frame of GovernmentFrame of Government constitution for Pennsylvania that guaranteed liberty of conscience. Penn knew of the hostility Pennsylvania translates to "Penn\'s woods." Digital History: Persecution of the Quakers Quakers faced when they opposed rituals, oaths, violence, and what they viewed as ostentatious frippery.The Quaker Province 1681–1776
Pennsylvania has also been known as the Keystone State since 1802,PHMC: State Symbols based in part upon its central location among the original Thirteen Colonies forming the United States. It was also a keystone state economically, having both the industry common to the North, making such wares as Conestoga wagonsLowell Tribune, March 26, 2002 and rifles,Lancaster rifle and the agriculture common to the South, producing feed, fiber, food, and tobacco.PHMC: Agriculture in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km)National Parks Service: Our Fourth Shore of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km)NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary. Philadelphia is Pennsylvania\'s largest city and is home to a major seaport and shipyards on the Delaware River.Philadelphia Regional Port Authority: History. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
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Map of Pennsylvania, showing major cities and roads
Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west.Pennsylvania geography Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km²), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km²) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km²) are inland waters and 749 square miles (1,940 km²) are waters in Lake Erie.2006 Statistical Abstract: Geography & Environment: Land and Land Use It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. The highest point of 3,213 feet (979 m) above sea level is at Mount Davis, which was named for its owner, John Davis, a schoolteacher who fought for the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. The lowest point is at sea level on the Delaware River, and the approximate mean elevation is 1,100 feet (335 m).2006 Statistical Abstract: Geography & Environment:Extreme and Mean Elevations Pennsylvania is in the Eastern time zone.Pennsylvania Time Zone
Counties of Pennsylvania
The original southern boundary of Pennsylvania was supposed to be at 40° North latitude,Penn\'s Charter but as a result of a bad faith compromise by Lord Baltimore during Cresap\'s War, the king\'s courts moved the boundary 20 miles (32 km) southCecil County, Maryland to 39° 43\' N. The city of Philadelphia, at 40°0\'N 75°8\'W,Places Named: Philadelphia would have been split in half by the original boundary. While he was a captive, Cresap, a Marylander, was paraded through Philadelphia. He taunted the officers by announcing that Philadelphia was one of the prettiest towns in Maryland.
Pennsylvania\'s diverse geography also produces a variety of climates. Straddling two major zones, the southeastern corner of the state posses the warmest climate. Greater Philadelphia lies at the southernmost tip of the Humid continental climate zone, with some characteristics of the Humid subtropical climate that lies in Delaware and Maryland to the south. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the climate becomes markedly colder, the number of cloudy days increases, and winter snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particular cities near Lake Erie can receive over 100 inches (250 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful rainfall throughout the year.
| Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Pennsylvania Cities | ||||||||||||
| City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton | 34/18 | 37/20 | 47/28 | 59/38 | 71/48 | 78/57 | 83/61 | 81/60 | 72/53 | 61/42 | 49/34 | 39/24 |
| Erie | 33/20 | 36/21 | 45/28 | 56/38 | 67/49 | 76/59 | 80/64 | 79/63 | 72/56 | 61/46 | 49/36 | 39/27 |
| Pittsburgh | 37/20 | 39/21 | 50/29 | 62/38 | 71/48 | 80/56 | 85/62 | 83/60 | 76/53 | 64/41 | 53/33 | 42/25 |
| Harrisburg | 38/23 | 41/25 | 51/33 | 63/42 | 73/51 | 81/61 | 86/66 | 84/64 | 76/57 | 64/45 | 53/36 | 42/28 |
| Philadelphia | 39/25 | 42/28 | 51/35 | 62/44 | 72/55 | 81/64 | 86/70 | 84/69 | 77/61 | 66/49 | 55/40 | 44/31 |
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Before the Commonwealth was settled, the area was home to the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eries, Shawnee, and other Native American tribes.Pennsylvania Indian tribes
In 1681, Charles II granted a land charterCharter for the Province of Pennsylvania to William Penn, to repay a debt of £20,000 ($20,000,000 in today’s money) owed to William\'s father, Admiral Penn. This was one of the largest land grants to an individual in history.Quakers and the political process It was called Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn\'s Woods", in honor of Admiral Penn.
Penn established a government with two innovations that were much copied in the New World: the county commission, and freedom of religious conviction. Writer Murray Rothbard in his four-volume history of the U.S., Conceived in Liberty, refers to the years of 1681–90 as "Pennsylvania\'s Anarchist Experiment."Pennsylvania\'s Anarchist Experiment
Between 1730 and when it was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act of 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip. The Colony issued "bills of credit" which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by the government and not a banking institution, it was an interest-free proposition, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted generally employment and prosperity since the Government used discretion and did not issue too much to inflate the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, of which he said its utility was never to be disputed, and it also received the high praise of Adam Smith.[citation needed]
After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, Delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Congress was the first meeting of the thirteen colonies, called at the request of the Massachusetts Assembly, but only nine colonies sent delegates.Library of Congress timeline 1764–1765 Dickinson then wrote Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768.Dickinson Letters
When the Founding Fathers of the United States were to convene in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress.Library of Congress timeline 1773–1774 The First Continental Congress drew up and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia,Library of Congress: Primary documents — The Declaration of Independence but when that city was captured by the British, the Continental Congress escaped westward, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York. There they drew up the Articles of Confederation that formed 13 independent colonies into a new nation. Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia was once again chosen to be cradle to the new American Nation.Nine Capitals of the United States
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787,Pennsylvania ratifies the Constitution of 1787 five days after Delaware became the first.
The "Redbrick Capitol", used from 1821 until it burned in 1897
Dickinson College of Carlisle was the first college founded in the United States. Established in 1773, the college was ratified five days after the Treaty of Paris on September 9th, 1783. The school was founded by Benjamin Rush and named after John Dickinson, President of Pennsylvania and a signer of the Constitution.
For half a century, the Commonwealth\'s legislature met at various places in the general Philadelphia area before starting to meet regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years.Pennsylvania\'s Capitals But it needed a more central location, as for example the Paxton Boys massacres of 1763 had made them aware. So, in 1799 the legislature moved to the Lancaster Courthouse, and finally in 1812 to Harrisburg. The legislature met in the old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821, when the Redbrick Capitol was finished. It burned down in 1897, presumably due to a faulty flue. The legislature met at Grace Methodist Church on State Street (still standing), until the present capitol was finished in 1907.
The new state Capitol drew rave reviews. Its dome was inspired by the domes of St. Peter\'s Basilica in Rome and the United States Capitol. President Theodore Roosevelt called it the "the most beautiful state Capitol in the nation", and said "It\'s the handsomest building I ever saw" at the dedication. In 1989, the New York Times praised it as "grand, even awesome at moments, but it is also a working building, accessible to citizens ... a building that connects with the reality of daily life."
Pennsylvania accounts for 9% of all wooded areas in the United States
James Buchanan, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the only bachelor President of the United States.James Buchanan White House biography The Battle of Gettysburg — the major turning point of the Civil War — took place near Gettysburg.Battle of Gettysburg An estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army forces along with 8,600 African American military volunteers.
Pennsylvania was also the home of the first Commercially drilled oil well. In 1859, near Titusville, Pennsylvania, Edwin L. Drake successfully drilled the well. It led to the first major oil boom in United States History.
| Demographics of Pennsylvania (csv) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By race | White | Black | AIAN | Asian | NHPI |
| AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native — NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | |||||
| 2000 (total population) | 87.60% | 10.71% | 0.43% | 2.04% | 0.07% |
| 2000 (Hispanic only) | 2.74% | 0.44% | 0.06% | 0.03% | 0.02% |
| 2005 (total population) | 86.83% | 11.20% | 0.45% | 2.46% | 0.09% |
| 2005 (Hispanic only) | 3.52% | 0.53% | 0.07% | 0.05% | 0.02% |
| Growth 2000–2005 (total population) | 0.32% | 5.83% | 5.64% | 22.23% | 18.99% |
| Growth 2000–2005 (non-Hispanic only) | -0.64% | 5.21% | 2.77% | 21.86% | 14.13% |
| Growth 2000–2005 (Hispanic only) | 29.86% | 20.24% | 23.61% | 45.64% | 35.44% |
The center of population of Pennsylvania is located in Perry County, in the borough of Duncannon [1].
As of 2006, Pennsylvania has an estimated population of 12,440,621, which is an increase of 35,273 from the previous year, and an increase of 159,567 since the year 2000. Net migration from other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 126,007. Net migration to the Commonwealth was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. In 2006, 5.00% of Pennsylvanians were foreign born (621,480 people).Components of Population Change The state has an estimated 2005 poverty rate of 11.9%. The state also has the 3rd highest proportion of elderly (65+) citizens in 2005.
Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36.0%), Europe (35.9%), Latin America (30.6%), 5% coming from Africa, 3.1% coming from North America, and 0.4% coming from Oceania.
Pennsylvania\'s reported population of Hispanics, especially among the Asian, Hawaiian and White races, has markedly increased in the last years.Annual Estimates of the Population It is not clear how much of this change reflects a changing population, and how much reflects increased willingness to self-identify minority status.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 434,373 | ||
| 1800 | 602,365 | 38.7% | |
| 1810 | 810,091 | 34.5% | |
| 1820 | 1,049,458 | 29.5% | |
| 1830 | 1,348,233 | 28.5% | |
| 1840 | 1,724,033 | 27.9% | |
| 1850 | 2,311,786 | 34.1% | |
| 1860 | 2,906,215 | 25.7% | |
| 1870 | 3,521,951 | 21.2% | |
| 1880 | 4,282,891 | 21.6% | |
| 1890 | 5,258,113 | 22.8% | |
| 1900 | 6,302,115 | 19.9% | |
| 1910 | 7,665,111 | 21.6% | |
| 1920 | 8,720,017 | 13.8% | |
| 1930 | 9,631,350 | 10.5% | |
| 1940 | 9,900,180 | 2.8% | |
| 1950 | 10,498,012 | 6.0% | |
| 1960 | 11,319,366 | 7.8% | |
| 1970 | 11,793,909 | 4.2% | |
| 1980 | 11,863,895 | 0.6% | |
| 1990 | 11,881,643 | 0.1% | |
| 2000 | 12,281,054 | 3.4% | |
Pennsylvania\'s population was reported as 5.9% under 5 and 23.8% under 18, with 15.6% were 65 or older. Females made up 51.7% of the population.FactFinder: Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights
The five largest ancestry groups self-reported in Pennsylvania are: German (27.66%), Irish (17.66%), Italian (12.82%), English (8.89%) and Polish (7.23%).American Community Survey 2003 Multi-Year Survey for Pennsylvania
| “ | The new sovereign also enacted several wise and wholesome laws for his colony, which have remained invariably the same to this day. The chief is, to ill–treat no person on account of religion, and to consider as brethren all those who believe in one God. - Voltaire, speaking of William PennThe Works of Voltaire, volume 19 | ” |
Of all the colonies, only in Rhode Island was religious freedom as secure as in Pennsylvania - and one result was an incredible religious diversity, one which continues to this day.Religious diversity in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania\'s population in 2000 was 12,281,054. Of these, 8,448,193 were estimated to belong to some sort of organized religion. According to the Association of religion data archives at Pennsylvania State University, reliable data exists for 7,116,348 religious adherents in Pennsylvania in 2000, following 115 different faiths.The ARDA Their affiliations, including percentage of all adherents, were:These statistics are based on 7,116,348 of the estimated 8,448,193 religious adherents in Pennsylvania, and only the largest of 115 different faiths are reported here. Data excludes most of the historically African-American denominations. Public Law 94-521 prevents the Census Bureau from collecting better data, so this information comes from the Association of religion data archives at Penn State.) Terms used to describe organizations are ARDA\'s, and may not be the group\'s own preferred name.
Pennsylvania is also noted for having the highest concentration of an Amish population in the United States.The Amish and the Plain People of Lancaster County, PA
While Pennsylvania owes its existence to Quakers and many of the older trappings of the Commonwealth are rooted in the teachings of the Religious Society of Friends (as they are officially known), practicing Quakers are a small minority today.
Pennsylvania\'s 2005 total gross state product (GSP) of $430.31 billionBureau of Economic Analysis ranks the state 6th in the nation. If Pennsylvania were an independent country, its economy would rank as the 17th largest in the world, ahead of Belgium, but behind the Netherlands. On a per-capita basis, though, Pennsylvania\'s per-capita GSP of $34,619 ranks 26th among the 50 states.
Bethlehem Steel\'s closed manufacturing facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This site will become the site of a new multi-million dollar casino in 2007.
Philadelphia in the southeast corner and Pittsburgh in the southwest corner are urban manufacturing centers, with the "t-shaped" remainder of the Commonwealth being much more rural; this dichotomy affects state politics as well as the state economy.Appeals court races wrap up with focus on voter mobilization Philadelphia is home to eight Fortune 500 companies,Fortune 500 with more located in suburbs like King of Prussia; it\'s a leader in the financialPhiladelphia stock exchange and insurance industry.Tragedy of 9/11 pummels insurance industry Pittsburgh is home to seven Fortune 500 companies, including U.S. Steel, PPG Industries, H.J. Heinz, and Alcoa. In all, Pennsylvania is home to fifty Fortune 500 companies.
As in the US as a whole and in most states, largest private employer in the Commonwealth is Wal-Mart, followed by the University of Pennsylvania, United Parcel Service and Giant Food (called Stop and Shop in other states). The largest manufacturing employer is Merck.Largest Employers in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania\'s factories and workshops manufacture 16.1% of the Gross State Product (GSP); only 10 states are more industrialized.Northeast-Midwest Institute calculations based on data from the BEA While Educational Services is only 1.8% of the Commonwealth\'s GSP, that\'s twice the national average; only Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont outrank Pennsylvania. Although Pennsylvania is known as a coal state, mining only amounts to 0.6% of the Commonwealth\'s economy, compared to 1.3% for the country as a whole.
Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania ranks 19th overall in agricultural production,Agricultural Census 2002 but 1st in Mushrooms, 3rd in Christmas trees and layer chickens, 4th in nursery and sod, milk, corn for silage, grapes grown (including juice grapes),PA Wine facts. Pennsylvania Wine & Wineries (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-06. and horses production. It is also 8th in the nation for wine production, has the two highest wineries east of the Rocky Mountains and was home to the nation\'s first commercial grapevine nursery in Montgomery County. Only about 9,600 of the Commonwealth\'s 58,000 farmers have sales of $100,000 or more, and with production expenses equaling 84.9% of sales, most not only have a net farming income below the $19,806 that marks poverty for a family of four,Poverty levels but are liable for a 12.4% self-employment tax as well.IRS: Tax Guide for farmers The average farmer is 53 and getting older,Center for Rural Pennsylvania as young Pennsylvanians find low farming income a tough row to hoe.Mid-Atlantic Farm Policy Leadership Forum
Many farms in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth have been sold to housing developers in the past years. This is largely due to rising taxes and land prices, reflecting high demand for land in the nation\'s fifth largest metropolitan area. Bucks and Montgomery counties were the first to suburbanize, but this trend is now extending to Chester, Lancaster, Berks, and Lehigh counties.PA Wine facts. Pennsylvania Wine & Wineries (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
Pennsylvania state welcome sign
Pennsylvania draws 2.1% of the Gross State Product from Accommodation and Food Services. Only Connecticut, Delaware and Iowa have lower numbers. Nevada generates 14.2% of its\' GSP that way. Philadelphia draws touristsPhiladelphia tourism to see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while The PoconosPoconos tourism attract honeymooners, golfers, and fishermen, and the Delaware Water GapDelaware Water Gap and Allegheny National Forest appeal to boaters, hikers, and nature lovers. Another attraction are the many covered bridges in the state, as Pennsylvania has more covered bridges than any other state.FHWA Covered Bridge Manual Fourteen slots casinos, the majority of which are either in the process of being awarded licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board or are under construction, are expected to make up a good portion of tourism in the Commonwealth.[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/mostread/s_485061.html Pa. gaming board awards 5 slots licenses - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Commonwealth launched an extensive tourism campaign in 2003 under the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. An extensive websiteVisitPA has been established to promote visits to the state and new license plates feature the VistPA.com website.
The Pennsylvania Dutch region in south-central Pennsylvania is a favorite for sightseers.AAA: Favorite vacation spots The Pennsylvania Dutch, including the Old Order Amish, the Old Order Mennonites and at least 35 other sects,Page 10, The Riddle of Amish Culture, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-6772-X are common in the rural areas around the cities of Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, and Hershey with smaller numbers extending northeast to the Lehigh Valley and up the Susquehanna River valley.
The term "Dutch," when referring to the Pennsylvania Dutch, means "German" or "Teutonic" rather than "Netherlander." Germans, in their own language, call themselves "Deutsch," which in English became, misleadingly, "Dutch."Definition of "dutch" The Pennsylvania Dutch language is a descendant of German, in the West Central German dialect family. The language is only very rarely used as a first language among Pennsylvanians; however, in eastern and south central areas of the state it is a common second language and greatly influences dialect and accent.
Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:23 Pennsylvania Law Weekly 324 (March 27, 2000) 1776, 1790, 1838, 1874, and 1968. Prior to that, the province of Pennsylvania was governed for a century by a Frame of Government, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701. The capital of the Commonwealth is Harrisburg. The legislature meets in the new State Capitol there.
The current Governor is Ed Rendell, a former head of the Democratic National Committee who began as a popular District Attorney and mayor in Philadelphia.bio of Ed Rendell The other elected officials composing the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, Attorney General Tom Corbett, Auditor General Jack Wagner, and State Treasurer Robin Weissman.State Elected Officials
Pennsylvania has a bicameral legislature set up by Commonwealth\'s constitution in 1790. The original Frame of Government of William Penn had a unicameral legislature.Pennsylvania State Archives The General Assembly includes 50 SenatorsPennsylvania Senators and 203 Representatives.Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joseph B. Scarnati III is currently President Pro Tempore of the State Senate,Pennsylvania Senate Dominic Pileggi the Majority Leader,David Brightbill and Robert J. Mellow the Minority Leader.Robert Mellow Dennis M. O\'Brien is Speaker of the House of Representatives,John Perzel with H. William DeWeese as Majority LeaderSamuel Smith and Samuel Smith as Minority Leader.William DeWeese The 2006 election resulted in the Democrats regaining control of the House and the balance remaining unchanged in Republicans\' favor in the Senate.
Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districts,Judicial districts most of which (except Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties) have magisterial district judges (formerly called district justices and justices of the peace), who preside mainly over minor criminal offenses and small civil claims. Most criminal and civil cases originate in the Courts of Common Pleas, which also serve as appellate courts to the district judges and for local agency decisions. The Superior Court hears all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas not expressly designated to the Commonwealth Court or Supreme Court. It also has original jurisdiction to review warrants for wiretap surveillance. The Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the final appellate court. All judges in Pennsylvania are elected; the chief justice is determined by seniority. The state holds 21 electoral votes.Pennsylvania Facts 2007. Pennsylvania State Data Center Penn State Harrisburg (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
Sales tax provides 39% of Commonwealth\'s revenue; personal income tax 34%; motor vehicle taxes about 12%, and taxes on cigarettes and alcohol beverage 5%.Revenue Department Releases August Collections (09/01/2006) http://www.revenue.state.pa.us/revenue/CWP/view.asp?Q=261929&A=208 Retrieved 25 September 2006.
Counties, municipalities, and school districts levy taxes on real estate. In addition, some local bodies assess a wage tax on personal income. Generally, the total wage tax rate is capped at 1% of income but some municipalities with home rule charters may charge more than 1%. Thirty-two of the Commonwealth\'s sixty-seven counties levy a personal property tax on stocks, bonds, and similar holdings.
Pennsylvania\'s two U.S. Senators in the 110th Congress are Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, Jr..
Pennsylvania\'s U.S. Congressmen for the term beginning January 2007 are Robert Brady (1st), Chaka Fattah (2nd), Phil English (3rd), Jason Altmire (4th), John E. Peterson (5th), Jim Gerlach (6th), Joe Sestak (7th), Patrick Murphy (8th), Bill Shuster (9th), Chris Carney (10th), Paul E. Kanjorski (11th), John Murtha (12th), Allyson Schwartz (13th), Michael F. Doyle (14th), Charlie Dent (15th), Joe Pitts (16th), Tim Holden (17th), Tim Murphy (18th), and Todd Russell Platts (19th).Congressional Directory Online
See map of congressional districts
In the past decade, no political party has been clearly dominant in Pennsylvania. This, combined with Pennsylvania\'s rank of 6th in the country in population, has made it one of the most important swing states. Democrats are strong in urban Philadelphia and the areas of Pittsburgh, Reading, Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Republicans are generally dominant in the vast rural areas that make up the balance of the Commonwealth. Traditionally, Republicans have also fared well in the densely populated and wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in the 1990s and 2000s many of these suburbs began to associate more with the Democratic Party.
In the 2004 Presidential Election, Senator John F. Kerry beat President George W. Bush in Pennsylvania 2,938,095 (50.92%) to 2,793,847 (48.42%).
The skyline of Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States.
The skyline of Pittsburgh, second largest city in Pennsylvania and 21st largest metropolitan area in the United States.
Municipalities in Pennsylvania are incorporated as cities of several classes, as boroughs, as townships of several classes, or under home rule charters. A "Village", often identified by a roadside sign, is unincorporated, and is merely a locale without distinct boundaries. There are 2,567 municipalities in the state.
There is some confusion about the number of "towns" in Pennsylvania. In 1870, Bloomsburg, the county seat of Columbia County was incorporated as a town, and is recognized by state government publications as "the only incorporated town" in Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania Manual 117Pennsylvania Local Government Fact Sheet, 2005"Local Government Entities in Pennsylvania" and "Municipal Statistics" in Legislator’s Municipal Deskbook for Pennsylvania However, in 1975, McCandless Township, in Allegheny County adopted a home rule charter under the name "Town of McCandless".BloomsburgMcCandless
The ten most populated cities in Pennsylvania, in order are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Altoona, and Harrisburg.
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