Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

was the site of many key events associated with the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

and

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. The city of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, then capital of the

Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America. The Thirteen C ...

and the largest city in the colonies, was a gathering place for the

Founding Fathers The Founding Fathers of the United States, often simply referred to as the Founding Fathers or the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence ...

who discussed, debated, developed, and ultimately implemented many of the acts, including signing the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

, that inspired and launched the revolution and the quest for independence from the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. Founding Father Robert Morris said, "You will consider Philadelphia, from its centrical situation, the extent of its commerce, the number of its artificers, manufactures and other circumstances, to be to the United States what the heart is to the human body in circulating the blood." The American Revolution included both the political and social development of the Thirteen Colonies of

British America British America collectively refers to various British colonization of the Americas, colonies of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and its predecessors states in the Americas prior to the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War in 1 ...

, and the Revolutionary War.

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...

wrote to

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

in 1815: "What do we mean by the

revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

? The war? That was no part of the revolution. It was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected, from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington. The records of thirteen legislatures, the pamphlets, newspapers in all the colonies ought be consulted, during that period, to ascertain the steps by which the public opinion was enlightened and informed concerning the authority of parliament over the colonies."

Military

* First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry - The oldest continuously serving unit in the United States military * Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army * Pennsylvania Militia Units * Pennsylvania Navy

Government

Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 (ratified September 28, 1776) was the state's first constitution following its declaration of independence and has been described as the most democratic in America. It was drafted by Robert Whitehill, Timot ...

* Pennsylvania Provincial Conference *

Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was the collective directorial system, directorial executive branch of the Pennsylvanian state government between 1777 and 1790. It was headed by a president and a vice president ...

Key events

* Philadelphia Tea Party (December 25, 1773) *

First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates of twelve of the Thirteen Colonies held from September 5 to October 26, 1774, at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia at the beginning of the American Revolution. The meeting was organized b ...

(September 5 to October 26, 1774) *

Continental Association The Continental Association, also known as the Articles of Association or simply the Association, was an agreement among the Thirteen Colonies, American colonies, adopted by the First Continental Congress, which met inside Carpenters' Hall in Phi ...

created (October 20, 1774) *

Petition to the King The Petition to the King was a petition sent to King George III by the First Continental Congress in 1774, calling for the repeal of the Intolerable Acts. The King's rejection of the petition was one of the causes of the later United States Dec ...

ratified (October 25, 1774) *

Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress (1775–1781) was the meetings of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War, which established American independence ...

(convened on May 10, 1775) * Hanna's town resolves (May 16, 1775) *

Olive Branch Petition The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, and signed on July 8, 1775, in a final attempt to avoid war between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in America. The Congress had already authoriz ...

(July 1775) * Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (July 1775) *

Continental Marines The Continental Marines were the Amphibious warfare, amphibious infantry of the Thirteen Colonies, American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The Corps was formed by the Continental Congress on Novem ...

formed by act of Congress (November 10, 1775) with the following decree: * Pennsylvania Provincial Conference (June 18–25, 1776) * The

Lee Resolution The Lee Resolution, also known as "The Resolution for Independence", was the formal assertion passed by the Second Continental Congress on July 2, 1776, resolving that the Thirteen Colonies (then referred to as the United Colonies) were "free a ...

(also known as "The Resolution for Independence") (July 2, 1776) *

(1776) *

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a complex and surprise military maneuver organized by George Washington, t ...

(December 25, 1776) to attack the Crown Forces' German auxiliaries at Trenton. The decisive American victory was a significant morale boost to the demoralized, shrinking American army that was teetering on collapse due to impending enlistment expirations. The American victory at Trenton, together with American victories at the

Battle of the Assunpink Creek The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between Thirteen Colonies, American and Kingdom of Great Britain, British troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey, on January 2, 1 ...

and the Battle of Princeton helped inspire the Patriots and keep the Continental Army intact. *

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

adopts the 13-star US flag: "''Resolved,'' That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." (June 14, 1777) * Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) *

Conway Cabal The Conway Cabal were a group of senior Continental Army officers in late 1777 and early 1778 who aimed to have George Washington replaced as commander-in-chief of the Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was named after Brigadier-Ge ...

(1777–1778) * Battle of Brandywine (September 11, 1777) - the largest battle of the American Revolution by number of troops engaged, and the longest single-day battle of the war, with continuous fighting for 11 hours ** During the battle, British Army officer Major Patrick Ferguson, leading the Experimental Rifle Corps equipped with fast breech-loading

Ferguson rifle The Ferguson rifle was one of the first breech-loading rifles to be put into service by the British military. It was designed by Major Patrick Ferguson (1744–1780). It fired a standard British carbine ball of .615" calibre and was used by the B ...

s, had the chance to shoot a prominent American officer, accompanied by another in distinctive

hussar A hussar, ; ; ; ; . was a member of a class of light cavalry, originally from the Kingdom of Hungary during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry ...

dress, but decided not to do so, as the man had his back to him (Ferguson) and was unaware of his presence. A surgeon told Ferguson in the hospital that some American casualties had said that General Washington had been in the area at the time. Ferguson wrote that, even if the officer were the general, he did not regret his decision. The officer's identity remains uncertain; historians suggest that the aide in hussar dress might indicate the senior officer was Count

Casimir Pulaski Kazimierz Michał Władysław Wiktor Pułaski (; March 4 or 6, 1745 October 11, 1779), anglicised as Casimir Pulaski ( ), was a Polish nobleman, soldier, and military commander who has been called "The Father of American cavalry" or "The So ...

. ** Brandywine was the first battlefield command of

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

. The American retreat was well-organized, largely due to his efforts. Although wounded, he created a rally point that allowed for a more orderly retreat before being treated for his wound. Lafayette returned to visit Brandywine during his Grand tour of the United States in 1824–25, after which he was returned to France aboard the '' USS Brandywine''.Leepson, p. 164 ** In addition to Lafayette, Polish Count

was another foreign officer present at Brandywine — his first military engagement against the British. Szczygielski, 1986, p. 392 When the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

troops began to yield, he reconnoitered with Washington's bodyguard of about 30 men, and reported that the enemy were endeavoring to cut off the line of retreat. Storozynski, 2010, p. 56 Washington ordered him to collect, as many as possible, the scattered troops who came his way, and employ them according to his discretion to secure the retreat of the army. Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Pickering-Sumter, 1898, p. 133 His subsequent charge averted a disastrous defeat of the Continental Army cavalry, Kazimierz Pulaski Granted U.S. Citizenship Posthumously, 2009 earning him fame in AmericaStorozynsky 2010
p. 57
and saved the life of George Washington. As a result, on September 15, 1777, on the orders of Congress, Washington made Pulaski a brigadier general in the Continental Army cavalry. U.S. Government Printing Office At that point, the cavalry was only a few hundred men strong organized into four regiments. These men were scattered among numerous infantry formations, and used primarily for scouting duties. Pulaski immediately began work on reforming the cavalry, and wrote the first regulations for the formation. * Battle of the Clouds (September 16, 1777) - an aborted engagement in the area surrounding present day Malvern, Pennsylvania. After the American defeat at the Battle of Brandywine, the British Army remained encamped near Chadds Ford. When British commander William Howe was informed that the weakened American force was less than away, he decided to press for another decisive victory. George Washington learned of Howe's plans, and prepared for battle. Before the two armies could fully engage, a torrential downpour ensued. Significantly outnumbered, and with tens of thousands of cartridges ruined by the rain, Washington opted to retreat. Bogged down by rain and mud, the British allowed Washington and his army to withdraw. The storm, which historian Thomas McGuire describes as "a classic

nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below) is a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. Typically, such storms originate as a low ...

," raged well into the next day. * Battle of Paoli (Also known as the Paoli Massacre) (September 20, 1777) * Siege of Fort Mifflin (September 26 to November 16, 1777) ** Explosion and destruction of HMS Augusta - an explosion that smashed windows in Philadelphia and was heard away (October 22, 1777) *

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American ...

(October 4, 1777) *

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first frame of government during the American Revolutio ...

created (November 15, 1777) *

Battle of White Marsh The Battle of White Marsh or Battle of Edge Hill was a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought December 5–8, 1777, in the area surrounding Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania. The battle, which took the for ...

(December 5–8, 1777) * Battle of Matson's Ford (December 11, 1777) * Valley Forge winter encampment of the Continental Army (December 1777 to June 1778) *

Battle of Crooked Billet The Battle of Crooked Billet was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on May 1, 1778 near the Crooked Billet Tavern (present-day Hatboro, Pennsylvania). In the skirmish action, British forces under the ...

(May 1, 1778) * The Meschianza (May 18, 1778) - an elaborate fête given in honor of British General Sir William Howe in Philadelphia on May 18, 1778 * Battle of Barren Hill (May 20, 1778) *

Carlisle Peace Commission The Carlisle Peace Commission was a group of British peace commissioners who were sent to North America in 1778 to negotiate terms with the rebellious Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. The commission carried an offer of ...

(1778) * The Big Runaway (June and July 1778) * Wyoming Valley battle and massacre (July 3, 1778) *

Treaty of Fort Pitt The Treaty of Fort Pitt, also known as the Treaty With the Delawares, the Delaware Treaty, or the Fourth Treaty of Pittsburgh, was signed on September 17, 1778, and was the first formal treaty between the new United States of America and any Na ...

(September 17, 1778) - the first written treaty between the new United States of America and any American Indians—the Lenape (Delaware Indians) in this case * An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery (March 1, 1780) passed by the Pennsylvania legislature - one of the first attempts by a government in the Western Hemisphere to begin an abolition of slavery * Sugarloaf Massacre (September 11, 1780) * Pennsylvania Line Mutiny (January 1, 1781) *

Convention Army The Convention Army (1777–1783) was an army of British and allied troops captured after the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War. Convention of Saratoga On 17 October 1777, British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army ...

moved to Pennsylvania in 1781 (1781 to 1783) - an army of British and allied troops captured after the Battles of Saratoga. They were held prisoner a
Camp Security
in York County, PA. Located in present-day Springettsbury Township. *

Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 The Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 (also known as the Philadelphia Mutiny) was an anti-government protest by nearly 400 soldiers of the Continental Army in June 1783. The mutiny, and the refusal of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania to stop i ...

(June 20, 1783)

Key historical sites, museums, and institutions

Battlefields

* Battle of Brandywine, parts of the vast battlefield, largely on private property, are preserved as municipal parks, trail easements, and preservation easements: ** Birmingham Hill ( Chadds Township), established in 2010, the footpath at Birmingham Hill allows public access to a portion of the Brandywine Battlefield. The Footpath follows a 1.1 mile trail. ** Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse, across the street from the Birmingham Hill trail. During the Battle of Brandywine, British forces attempted to flank the

under General George Washington. The Continental forces rushed north to meet the British in the area of the meetinghouse. It was used as a hospital first for the Americans, and after the battle for British officers. The stone wall around the cemetery was used as a defensive position by the Americans. After the battle, dead British and American soldiers shared a common grave in the cemetery, which is now marked by a memorial stone. ** Sandy Hollow Heritage Park (Birmingham Township), 42 acres of preserved open space, much as it was in 1777, allows public access for passive recreation to a portion of the Brandywine Battlefield National Historic Landmark. Established in 2002, the park has a 1.1 mile asphalt path for pedestrians. ** John Chads House, historic house on the battlefield - near the beginning of the battle. Artillery fire was exchanged by both sides around the house. ** Dilworthtown, site of the end of the battle ** William Brinton 1704 House, fighting and troop movements at the end of battle occurred around this house ** Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site (Delaware and Chester Counties), historic park and museum that includes headquarters locations of Generals Washington and Lafayette from the Battle of Brandywine (September 11, 1777) *

** Cliveden (Benjamin Chew House) (Philadelphia, PA), site of part of the

(1777) **

Wyck House The Wyck house, also known as the Haines house or Hans Millan house, is a historic mansion, museum, garden, and urban farm in the Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was recognized ...

, served as a hospital during the battle ** Peter Wentz Homestead, historic site that served as headquarters for General George Washington before and after the Battle of Germantown, October 2–4 and 16–21, 1777 * Siege of Fort Mifflin ** Fort Mifflin,

site of the Siege of Fort Mifflin, which delayed the entry of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

into the Port of Philadelphia, allowing the successful repositioning of the Continental Army for the

and subsequent withdrawal to

Valley Forge Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army, under the command of George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. The Valley Forge encampment lasted six months, from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. It was the t ...

. Modified over time for changing needs of the Army, some of the original Revolutionary War walls are preserved in the fort's expanded walls. Marks from artillery that sieged the fort are visible. * Battle of Paoli ** Paoli Battlefield Historical Park in Malvern, site of the battlefield *

** Fort Washington State Park, preserves part of the site of the

Battle of Wyoming The Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, was a military engagement during the American Revolutionary War between Patriot militia and a force of Loyalist soldiers and Iroquois warriors. The battle took place in the Wyoming Val ...

(also known as the Wyoming Valley Massacre) ** Wyoming Monument, monument located at the battle site

Museums, parks and other historic sites

* Camp Security Park ( Springettsbury), site of the 1781 to 1783 prisoner of war camp for prisoners from the

captured during the

Battles of Saratoga The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) were two battles between the American Continental Army and the British Army fought near Saratoga, New York, concluding the Saratoga campaign in the American Revolutionary War. The seco ...

by British forces, largely Hessians. * Carpenters' Hall (

), meeting site of the

in 1774. * Fort Pitt Museum (

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

) * Fort Roberdeau ( Altoona), historic site consisting of an American Revolution era fort and lead mine. * George Taylor House ( Catasauqua) * Gen. Horatio Gates House and Golden Plough Tavern (

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

), historic site and interpretive center centered around the Continental Congress's temporary relocation from Philadelphia to York, where the

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first Constitution, frame of government during the Ameri ...

were drafted and adopted. * Graeme Park (

Horsham Horsham () is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...

), including Keith House, the only surviving residence of a colonial-era Pennsylvania governor and later a headquarters of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

* Hope Lodge ( Whitemarsh Township) *

Independence National Historical Park Independence National Historical Park is a federally protected historic district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National ...

, including

Independence Hall Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the United States Declaration of Independence, Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were debated and adopted by the Founding Fathers of ...

, City Tavern, Franklin Court and Benjamin Franklin Museum,

First Bank of the United States The President, Directors and Company of the Bank of the United States, commonly known as the First Bank of the United States, was a National bank (United States), national bank, chartered for a term of twenty years, by the United States Congress ...

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American Revolution, American independence located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of Pennsylvania State House, now know ...

, and others (Philadelphia) * Moland House Historic Park, also known as Washington's Headquarters Farm, ( Warwick Township) * Museum of the American Revolution (Philadelphia), museum presenting the history of the American Revolution through interpretive programs, permanent exhibits, and temporary exhibits. * Summerseat ( Morrisville), also known as the George Clymer House and Thomas Barclay House, is a historic house museum. Built about 1770, it is the only house known to have been owned by two signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, George Clymer and Robert Morris, and as a headquarters of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. *

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial preserves the home of Tadeusz Kościuszko, Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Kościuszko at 301 Pine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The life and work of the Polish patriot and hero of the American Revolution are co ...

(Philadelphia), historic site commemorating and interpreting the contributions of

Tadeusz Kościuszko Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (; 4 or 12 February 174615 October 1817) was a Polish Military engineering, military engineer, statesman, and military leader who then became a national hero in Poland, the United States, Lithuania, and ...

, a Continental Army general and engineer. *

Valley Forge National Historical Park Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The National Park Service preserves the site and interprets ...

( Montgomery and

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

Counties), National Park Service unit preserving the site and interpreting the history of the Valley Forge Encampment of the Continental Army, 1777–1778, including Washington's Headquarters. * Washington Crossing Historic Park ( Washington Crossing), historic site and museum interpreting the crossing of the Delaware River by the Continental Army, December 25–26, 1776, for its surprise attack on Trenton.

Libraries, archives, and historical societies

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

, the David Library of the American Revolution transferred its extensive collection to the society, establishing the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society in 2020. The David Library's location in Washington Crossing, PA closed December 31, 2019. *

Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historic research facility headquartered on Locust Street in Center City Philadelphia. It is a repository for millions of historic items ranging across rare books, scholarly monographs, family chron ...

(Philadelphia, PA), extensive historical archives and book holdings related to Pennsylvania history. Located on the same block as the Library Company of Philadelphia. *

Library Company of Philadelphia The Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) is a non-profit organization based on Locust Street in Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia. Founded as a library in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, the Library Company of Philadelphia has a ...

, library founded by Benjamin Franklin with extensive historical archives and book holdings, as well as exhibits. Located on the same block as the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Other

* Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier (Philadelphia, PA) * Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (Bucks, Philadelphia, and Delaware counties, PA), National Historic Trail established in 2009 that passes through Pennsylvania, interpreting and marking the route of forces under generals

and Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau during their 1781 march from

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

to the site of the decisive

Siege of Yorktown The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...

, Virginia.

Significant documents originating in Pennsylvania during the Revolution

United States Declaration of Independence

* ''

Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania ''Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania'' is a series of essays written by Pennsylvania lawyer and legislator John Dickinson (1732–1808) and published under the pseudonym "A Farmer" from 1767 to 1768. The twelve letters were widely read and rep ...

'' - a series of essays written by the Pennsylvania lawyer and legislator John Dickinson, leading up to the start of the Revolutionary War (1767 - 1768) *

Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress The Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress (also known as the Declaration of Colonial Rights, or the Declaration of Rights) was a statement adopted by the First Continental Congress on October 14, 1774, in response to the Intole ...

(1774) *

- a petition sent to King George III by the First Continental Congress, calling for repeal of the Intolerable Acts (1774) * Letters to the inhabitants of Canada (1774, 1775 and 1776) *

- adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, and signed on July 8, in a final attempt to avoid a full-scale war between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in America (1775) * Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (1775) * ''

Common Sense Common sense () is "knowledge, judgement, and taste which is more or less universal and which is held more or less without reflection or argument". As such, it is often considered to represent the basic level of sound practical judgement or know ...

'' - pamphlet by

Thomas Paine Thomas Paine (born Thomas Pain; – In the contemporary record as noted by Conway, Paine's birth date is given as January 29, 1736–37. Common practice was to use a dash or a slash to separate the old-style year from the new-style year. In ...

(1775–1776) *

(1776) *

(1776) * '' The American Crisis'' - pamphlet series by

(1776–1777) *

- adopted by the Continental Congress at their temporary meeting location of York, PA while Philadelphia was under occupation by Crown forces (1777) *

(1778) * An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery (1780) * '' The Captivity of Benjamin Gilbert and His Family, 1780-83'' - a captivity narrative by William Walton relating the experiences of a Quaker family of settlers near Mauch Chunk in present-day Carbon County, Pennsylvania. (1784) * Pennsylvania Archives (A series of books published between 1838 and 1935 by acts of the Pennsylvania legislature - creating an official archive covering the early history of Pennsylvania, including many documents from the American Revolution - unrelated to the state agency, the

Pennsylvania State Archives The Pennsylvania State Archives is the official archive for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, administered as part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Located at 1681 N. Sixth St. in the state capital of Harrisburg, it is a part ...

)

Key people

Benjamin Franklin by Joseph Duplessis 1778

* Ann Bates - loyalist spy * William Bradford * Dr. Thomas Cadwalader * Benjamin Chew * George Clymer *

John Dickinson John Dickinson (November 13, O.S. November 2">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. November 21732Various sources indicate a birth date of November 8, 12 or 13, but his most recent biographer ...

- Solicitor and politician, known as the "Penman of the Revolution" for his twelve ''

'', published individually in 1767 and 1768. Member of the

, signee to the

, drafted most of the 1774

, member of the

, wrote the 1775

. When these two attempts to negotiate with

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

failed, Dickinson reworked

's language and wrote the final draft of the 1775 Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. When Congress then decided to seek independence from Great Britain, Dickinson served on the committee that wrote the

Model Treaty The Model Treaty, or the Plan of 1776, was a template for commercial treaties that the United States planned to make with foreign powers during the American Revolution against Great Britain. It was drafted by the Continental Congress to secure ec ...

, and then wrote the first draft of the 1776–1777

. Later served as President of the 1786 Annapolis Convention, which called for the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Dickinson attended the convention as a delegate from

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

. He also wrote "

The Liberty Song "The Liberty Song" is a pre-American Revolutionary War song with lyrics by Founding Father John Dickinson (not by Mrs. Mercy Otis Warren of Plymouth, Massachusetts). The song is set to the tune of " Heart of Oak", the anthem of the Royal Navy of ...

" in 1768, was a militia officer during the

, President of Delaware, President of Pennsylvania. * Thomas Fitzsimons *

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

- author, printer, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. U.S. Ambassador to France. President of Pennsylvania. Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. * Joseph Galloway - Delegate to the First Continental Congress, Loyalist * Gen. Edward Hand * Jared Ingersoll - lawyer, statesman, delegate to the Continental Congress, signer of the United States Constitution * Brigadier General William Irvine * Timothy Matlack * Brigadier General Hugh Mercer * Major General Thomas Mifflin * William Montgomery * Robert Morris - Signer of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. Superintendent of Finance of the United States. Known as the "Financier of the Revolution." * John Morton - Delegate to the Continental Congress, signatory to the Continental Association and the Declaration of Independence. Provided the swing vote that allowed Pennsylvania to vote in favor of the Declaration of Independence. Chaired the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation. * Peter Muhlenberg *

Samuel Nicholas Samuel Nicholas (1744 – August 27, 1790) was an American Marine and military officer who was the first officer commissioned in the United States Continental Marines (predecessor to the United States Marine Corps) and by tradition is conside ...

* Joseph Reed - Delegate to the Continental Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation, President of Pennsylvania's

Supreme Executive Council The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was the collective directorial executive branch of the Pennsylvanian state government between 1777 and 1790. It was headed by a president and a vice president (analogous to a gov ...

* George Ross * Dr. Benjamin Rush - Signer of the Declaration of Independence, a civic leader in Philadelphia, physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, educator, founder of Dickinson College *

Peggy Shippen Margaret Shippen (July 11, 1760 – August 24, 1804) was the second wife of General Benedict Arnold. She has been described as "the highest-paid spy in the American Revolution". Shippen was born into a prominent Philadelphia family with Loyalist ...

- Spy and second wife of Major General Benedict Arnold * James Smith * Major General Arthur St. Clair * Gen. Walter Stewart * George Taylor *

Samuel Van Leer Captain Samuel Van Leer (January 7, 1747 – October 15, 1825) was a military officer from Pennsylvania who served as a captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and as a lieutenant in the Chester County Light Horse Vo ...

- well known local

ironmaster An ironmaster is the manager, and usually owner, of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain. The ironmaster was usually a larg ...

, supplier for army during the war and officer. His Reading Furnace was used for musket repairs after the battle of Battle of Brandywine. * Brigadier General Anthony Wayne *

Benjamin West Benjamin West (October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was a British-American artist who painted famous historical scenes such as ''The Death of Nelson (West painting), The Death of Nelson'', ''The Death of General Wolfe'', the ''Treaty of Paris ( ...

* Thomas Wharton Jr. * James Wilson - Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Member of the Continental Congress, and a major force in drafting the U.S. Constitution. A leading legal theorist, he was one of the six original justices appointed by George Washington to the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

. * Sarah ("Sally") Wister - A girl living in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution who was the author of ''Sally Wister's Journal'', a firsthand account of life in the nearby countryside during the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777–78.

Legacy and influence

The American Revolution had wide-reaching, long-lasting impact around the world — not the least of which were the U.S. impact on

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology that encompasses a range of ideas from civic virtue, political participation, harms of corruption, positives of mixed constitution, rule of law, and others. Historically, it emphasizes the idea of self ...

internationally, numerous unilateral declarations of independence, and its eventual emergence as the world's only super-power following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

. Unparalleled in wealth and power, the United States has remained the world's only super-power since the fall of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

— for nearly three decades. The Revolutionary War entangled

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

in conflict with its rival empires of France and Spain; and also ignited open conflict between Great Britain and the United Provinces of the Netherlands (Dutch Republic). Ultimately, the Declaration of Independence would influence many similar

declarations of independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independence, independent and constitutes a Sovereign state, state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or ...

for over two-hundred years. The U.S. Declaration of Independence was considered dangerous to imperial power by some, and the Spanish-American authorities banned the circulation of the Declaration (although it was widely transmitted and translated).The Contagion of Sovereignty: Declarations of Independence since 1776
/ref> In the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, the full text of the Declaration of Independence was outlawed until the reign and reform era of

Tsar Alexander II Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland fro ...

(1855–1881).

Preservation and memorialization

Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier-27527

Brandywine_battlefield_grave_Birmingham_Meeting

Nineteen Pennsylvania counties (almost a third of its 67 counties) are named for military and political figures from the American Revolution: Adams, Armstrong,

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantries, pantr ...

, Crawford, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Jefferson, Luzerne, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin,

Monroe Monroe or Monroes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Monroe (surname) * Monroe (given name) * James Monroe, 5th President of the United States * Marilyn Monroe, actress and model Places United States * Monroe, Arkansas, an unincorp ...

Potter A potter is someone who makes pottery. Potter may also refer to: Places United States *Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US *Potter, Arkansas *Potter, Nebraska *Potters, New Jerse ...

, Sullivan, Warren, Washington, and Wayne counties. A convention held in Independence Hall in 1915, presided over by former US president

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) served as the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. He is the only person to have held both offices. ...

, marked the formal announcement of the formation of the League to Enforce Peace, which led to the

League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...

and eventually the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

. The building is part of

and has been listed as a UNESCO

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

since 1979.Independence Hall
(at "Independence Hall's History"). World Heritage Sites official webpage. World Heritage Committee. Retrieved 2010-03-16. The site of the Valley Forge winter encampment has been a National Historical Park since it was given as a gift to the nation during the U.S. bicentennial, and transferred from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the National Park Service in 1976. The American Battlefield Trust is working with various organizations and governments in Pennsylvania to preserve battlefields of the American Revolution, including Brandywine battlefield. As of the 2010s,

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States ** Chester County Council, boy scout council in Pennsylvania. * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire ...

's government is working with the local municipalities at the sites of the Battles of Brandywine, Paoli and the Clouds, to preserve key areas in the increasingly-dense suburban communities. Many monuments and memorials exist throughout Pennsylvania dedicated to revolutionary-era figures, events, and war dead. Examples include the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in Philadelphia; the National Memorial Arch, in Valley Forge National Historical Park, Chester County — a monument built to celebrate the arrival of the Continental Army at Valley Forge; various battle monuments at Brandywine, Paoli,

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

, and elsewhere; and numerous statues across the state. Several lineage societies related to the revolution currently have an organized presence in Pennsylvania, including th
Society of the Descendants of Washington's Army at Valley Forge
Sons of the Revolution,

Sons of the American Revolution The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), formally the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), is a federally chartered patriotic organization. The National Society, a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Louisvi ...

Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

, Children of the American Revolution, and

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a lineage society, fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of milita ...

References

External links

Bibliography

compiled by the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

Bibliography of Continental Army Operations: Pennsylvania Theater
compiled by the

The Online Books Page: Pennsylvania - History - Revolution, 1775-1783
- Bibliography of books available online (By the University of Pennsylvania Library) Maps

- Interactive Map

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