PART 1 – PRE – COLONIAL TO THE REVOLUTION

THE FIRST INHABITANTS  The first inhabitants of Pensynlvania were several Native American tribes including 1. The Delawares (Leni – Lenape or “real men”) 2. The Susquehanocks (lived along the Susquehanna River) 3. The Shawnees (came from the west in 1690s) 4. Iroquois Confederacy (Five Nations – Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas) 5. Other tribes (Eries, Mahicans, Nanticokes) Left - Delaware Indian Right – Susquehannock Warrior

EUROPEAN EXPLORATION  Captain John Smith – travelled up the Susquehanna River from Virginia in 1608  Henry Hudson sailed into Delaware Bay in 1609  Captain Samuel Argall sailed into the bay in 1610 and named it for Lord de la Warr (Delaware), then governor of Virginia Capt. John Smith Henry Hudson Lord de la Warr

FOUNDING OF PENNSYLVANIA  William Penn born October 24, 1644  Religious convert to the Society of Friends (Quakers) Religion founded by George Fox in 1647 Rejected ritual and oaths, opposed war, and believed in simple speech and dress  Religion was unpopular among British subjects, but Penn’s friendship with the Duke of York kept him the king’s court William Penn George Fox Quaker meeting

THE CHARTER  King Charles II owed Penn 16,000 pounds  Penn asked for the land between Lord Baltimore’s province of Maryland and the Duke of York’s province of New York  King signed the charter of Pennsylvania on March 4, 1681 King named colony in honor of William Penn’s father It included the territory that is the state of Delaware today

THE NEW COLONY  April 1681, Penn made his cousin, William Markham, deputy governor of the new province  Oct. 1682, Penn arrives on the ship Welcome Visits new capital city – Philadelphia Created the original three counties Summoned General Assembly to Chester  Great Law Fundamental basis of Pennsylvania law Guaranteed liberty of conscience Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and, therefore government itself is a venerable ordinance of God... [there shall be established] laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God may have his due, and Caesar his due, and the people their due, from tyranny and oppression."best  By time Penn leaves in 1684, the foundations of the new Quaker province were firmly established

POPULATION  Indian tribes William Penn made sure to buy land from Indians before settling it  English English Quakers dominated new province Lived in the southeastern counties  Germans Comprised one-third of population Settled in interior counties (including Berks county) Transformed area into rich farming country  Scotch-Irish Settled in central and western areas  African Americans About 4,000 slaves brought by 1730 Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780 first emancipation law in United States  Others French Huguenots, Jewish settlers, Dutch, Swedes and other groups settled in Pennsylvania Drawn to the provinces’ tolerance of others

EARLY GOVERNMENT  In 1701, William Penn along with the Assembly agreed on a Charter of Privileges which remained in effect until 1776 Gave the Assembly full legislative powers  Ruled by Deputy Governors (called simply governors) who represented the Penn family  Throughout the 18 th century, the Penn heirs abandoned Quakerism which brought them into conflict with the Quaker dominated Assembly John Penn – last Penn governor

PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR  Pennsylvania supplied men and supplies to the British Empire  French established forts in Erie, Waterford, Pittsburgh and Franklin which threatened all the middle colonies  1755 – General Braddock’s colonial army slaughtered on the Monongahela  1758 – General Forbes helps re-capture Pittsburgh General John Forbes

ECONOMICS  Agriculture PA ranked as a leader – surpluses exported Main crops – corn, wheat, rye, and flax  Manufacture PA had abundance of natural resources Sawmills and gristmills utilized water power Iron and pig iron were manufactured Printing and papermaking were leading industries Conestoga wagon developed in Lancaster Co.  Commerce and Transportation Rivers important for transportation Trade with Indians for furs Philadelphia became an important colonial trade center By 1776, PA’s imports and exports worth several millions of dollars

SOCIETY AND CULTURE  Arts and Learning Philadelphia known as “Athens of America” Freedom of expression permitted strong intellectual and educational opportunities 1740 – College of Philadelphia established (now called University of Pennsylvania) Public buildings in Philadelphia were marvel of colonies Men of intellect – Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, Benjamin West achieve international acclaim Center of law and medicine; newspapers and magazines flourished Pennsylvania claims the first hospital, library and insurance company in U.S. history  Religion Quakers continue to influence southeastern part of the colony Pennsylvania Dutch (Germans) were Lutherans, Amish, Mennonites, Brethren, and Moravians First Catholic congregation organized in PA in 1720 and first chapel erected in 1733; PA had second largest population of Catholics in the colonies

PENNSYLVANIA ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION  By 1776… Pennsylvania was third largest colony Philadelphia largest city in the colonies Number of counties increased from 3 to 11  Philadelphia was a center of revolutionary spirit Groups of artisans and mechanics were loyal to Benjamin Franklin and formed grassroots resistance organizations Center of resistance to Stamp Act and Intolerable Act