Yo, Penn, You Down With the Union? (The Totally True Story of How Pennsylvania Became a State)
Ever wondered how Pennsylvania, the land of cheesesteaks, Hershey's kisses, and questionable sports fans (sorry, not sorry, Eagles fans!), became part of the good ol' US of A? Buckle up, history buffs (or just anyone who digs a good story), because we're about to take a trip back in time that's way more entertaining than waiting in line for a Wawa hoagie.
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| How Did Pennsylvania Join The Union |
From Colony to Cool Kid: Pennsylvania's Pre-Union Life
Pennsylvania started out as a colony founded by William Penn, a dude with a sweet beard and a dream of religious freedom (pretty rad for the 1600s). It became a melting pot of Quakers, Germans, Scots-Irish, and whoever else wanted to escape the drama of Europe. Think of it as the original America's Next Top Model house, but with less drama and more buttered pretzels.
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The Articles of Confederation: A Match Made in...Meh
Fast forward a bit, and the 13 colonies are like, "Hey, Britain, we're outta here!" They band together under the Articles of Confederation, a document that basically said, "We're friends, kind of, and we promise not to steal each other's cows." It wasn't exactly the rock-solid foundation they needed.
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Enter Pennsylvania: a colony with a booming economy, a love of liberty bells (seriously, they were obsessed), and a healthy dose of "We can do better than this" spirit.
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Independence Hall: Where Dreams (and the Constitution) Were Made
So, Pennsylvania joins the party at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia (Independence Hall, baby!). They hang out with the other Founding Fathers, argue about the best way to run a country (spoiler alert: there were a lot of disagreements), and eventually come up with this amazing document called the Constitution. Think of it as the ultimate "Friends" reunion episode, but with less Ross and Rachel drama and more James Madison rocking a sweet powdered wig.
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**Side Note: **Fun fact! Pennsylvania was so dedicated to getting everyone on board with the Constitution that they even printed it in German, because, you know, diversity and all that jazz.
The Big "I Do": Pennsylvania Becomes a State (Finally!)
On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania officially said "I do" to the U.S. Constitution, becoming the second state (Delaware beat them to the punch by a whole five days) to join the Union. Cue the confetti, the fireworks, and the endless debates about the merits of scrapple (seriously, Pennsylvania, what is that stuff?).
Important Historical Fact That Totally Sounds Made Up, But We Swear It's True: Pennsylvania's first Speaker of the House was actually a Lutheran minister named Frederick Muhlenberg. So, the next time you think politics and religion don't mix, think again!
FAQ: How to Become a State (As Demonstrated by Pennsylvania)
- How to Start: Found a colony based on religious freedom (or, you know, just a really cool idea).
- How to Make Friends: Hang out with other colonies and participate in epic tea parties (or, you know, revolutions).
- How to Show Your Commitment: Help write the coolest founding document ever (bonus points for offering multilingual versions).
- How to Seal the Deal: Ratify the Constitution with enough votes to impress everyone (except maybe Delaware, who will always be smug about being first).
- How to Celebrate: Cheesesteak for everyone! (We recommend with Whiz, but hey, to each their own).
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