History of Pennsylvania in Timeline

Pennsylvania is a U.S. state located in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions. It shares borders with several states, including Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, New York, and New Jersey, as well as Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario. Philadelphia is its most populous city.

1901: Second Capitol Building Contest

In 1901, political and popular indignation prompted a second contest that was restricted to Pennsylvania architects to design a replacement capital building.

1902: Coal Strike

In 1902, Pennsylvania was the location of the Coal Strike.

1903: Hershey Chocolate Factory Construction

In 1903, Milton S. Hershey began construction on a chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1904: Pitt Undefeated Season

In 1904, Pitt had an undefeated season.

1907: Dedication of the PA State Capitol

In 1907, the new Pennsylvania State Capitol, incorporating Cobb's building, was finished and dedicated.

1908: Penn National Championship

In 1908, Penn won a national college football championship.

1910: Pitt Undefeated Season

In 1910, Pitt had an undefeated season.

1912: Penn State Undefeated Season

In 1912, Penn State had an undefeated season.

1915: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1915, Pitt won a national championship.

1916: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1916, Pitt won a national championship.

1917: Pitt Undefeated Season

In 1917, Pitt had an undefeated season.

May 31, 1918: Pittsburgh Agreement Signed

On May 31, 1918, the Pittsburgh Agreement was signed in Pittsburgh by Tomáš Masaryk, establishing Czechoslovakia as an independent nation.

1918: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1918, Pitt won a national championship.

1918: Peak Coal Production

In 1918, coal production in Pennsylvania peaked.

1920: Penn National Title

In 1920, Penn won a national title in college basketball.

1920: Pitt Undefeated Season

In 1920, Pitt had an undefeated season.

1921: Penn National Title

In 1921, Penn won a national title in college basketball.

1921: Washington & Jefferson National Championship

In 1921, Washington & Jefferson won a national college football championship.

1921: Utz Brands and Wise Foods Started Making Chips

Two of the nation's three leading potato chip companies are based in Pennsylvania: Utz Brands, which started making chips in Hanover in 1921, and Wise Foods, which started making chips in Berwick the same year

1922: UMW General Coal Strike

In 1922, 310,000 Pennsylvania miners joined the UMW General coal strike, which lasted 163 days.

1923: Establishment of Allegheny National Forest

In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge established the Allegheny National Forest.

1928: Pitt National Title

In 1928, Pitt won a national title in college basketball.

1929: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1929, Pitt won a national championship.

1930: Pitt National Title

In 1930, Pitt won a national title in college basketball.

1931: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1931, Pitt won a national championship.

1932: Presidential Election

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the White House while losing Pennsylvania.

1934: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1934, Pitt won a national championship.

1936: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1936, Pitt won a national championship.

1937: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1937, Pitt won a national championship and had an undefeated season.

1938: Temple National Title

In 1938, Temple won a national title in college basketball.

1947: Democratic Senators Representing Pennsylvania

From 2009 to 2011, the state was represented by two Democratic senators for the first time since 1947 after Republican Senator Arlen Specter switched party affiliation.

1948: Presidential Election

In 1948, Harry S. Truman won the White House while losing Pennsylvania.

1950: Pittsburgh Loses Top 10 Population Ranking

In 1950, Pittsburgh lost its place among the top ten most populous cities in the United States.

1954: La Salle National Title

In 1954, La Salle won a national title in college basketball.

1959: Little League World Series Held Annually

Since 1959, the Little League World Series has been held annually in August in South Williamsport near where Little League Baseball was founded in Williamsport.

1968: Penn State Undefeated Season

In 1968, Penn State had an undefeated season.

1968: Constitution of Pennsylvania

In 1968, Pennsylvania adopted its fifth constitution during its statehood.

1968: Presidential Election

In 1968, Richard Nixon won the White House while losing Pennsylvania.

1969: Penn State Undefeated Season

In 1969, Penn State had an undefeated season.

1973: Penn State Undefeated Season

In 1973, Penn State had an undefeated season.

1975: Town of McCandless

In 1975, McCandless Township adopted a home-rule charter under the name of "Town of McCandless".

1976: Pitt Wins National Championship

In 1976, Pitt won a national championship and had an undefeated season.

March 28, 1979: Three Mile Island Accident

On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island accident occurred, marking the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history.

1982: Bethlehem Steel Ceases Operations

In 1982, Bethlehem Steel, one of the two largest steel manufacturers in the U.S. for most of the 20th century and based in Pennsylvania, ceased operations due to challenges from foreign manufacturers.

1982: Penn State National Championship

In 1982, Penn State claims a national championship.

1985: Villanova National Title

In 1985, Villanova won a national title in college basketball.

1986: Penn State Claims Undefeated Season

In 1986, Penn State claims a national championship and undefeated season.

1988: Pennsylvania as a Swing State

By 1988, Pennsylvania was perceived as a powerful swing state essential to U.S. presidential candidates.

1988: Pennsylvania General Assembly Passed Act 169

In 1988, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 169, which allows parents or guardians to homeschool their children as an alternative to compulsory school attendance.

1990: Increased Focus on Public Libraries

After 1990, state and local governments increased resources into the public library system.

1992: Pennsylvania Trends Democratic

Between 1992 and 2016, Pennsylvania trended Democratic in presidential elections; Bill Clinton won the state twice by large margins.

1992: Democratic Presidential Ticket Vote

In 1992, Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic ticket for president.

1992: Philadelphia Suburbs Swing Democratic

Since 1992, the Philadelphia suburbs have swung Democratic.

1993: Largest Hunter Shot Black Bear

The state also has a tied record for the largest hunter shot black bear in the Boone and Crockett record books at 733 lb (332 kg) and a skull of 23 3/16, tied with a bear shot in California in 1993.

1994: Penn State Undefeated Season

In 1994, Penn State had an undefeated season.

2000: Puerto Rican population in Allentown

As of 2000, Stateside Puerto Ricans comprise over 40% of Allentown's population.

2000: Amish Population

As of 2000, there was a total Amish population of 47,860 in Pennsylvania.

2000: Pennsylvania Trends Democratic

In 2000, Al Gore won Pennsylvania by a slightly closer margin.

2000: Hispanic Population Growth Begins

In 2000, Pennsylvania saw the beginning of significant growth in its Hispanic or Latino American population.

September 11, 2001: United Airlines Flight 93 Crash

On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers fought back against hijackers.

2001: ESPN's X Games Hosted at Love Park

In 2001, Philadelphia's Love Park hosted ESPN's X Games.

2002: ESPN's X Games Hosted at Love Park

In 2002, Philadelphia's Love Park hosted ESPN's X Games.

2003: Tekko Anime Convention

Since 2003, the Tekko anime convention has been held annually in Pittsburgh.

2004: Casino Gambling Legalized

Casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2004.

2004: Smarty Jones Wins Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes

In 2004, Smarty Jones, whose home course was Harrah's Philadelphia in Chester, won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

2004: Film Production Tax Credit

In 2004, the Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit began, stimulating the development of a film industry in the state.

2004: Presidential Election

In the 2004 presidential election, John F. Kerry beat President George W. Bush in Pennsylvania, 2,938,095 (51%) to 2,793,847 (48%).

2005: High School Graduates

As of 2005, 83.8% of Pennsylvania residents age 18 to 24 are high school graduates.

2007: Number of Boone and Crockett Recorded Black Bears

As of 2007, Pennsylvania has the second-highest number of Boone and Crockett-recorded record black bears at 183, behind Wisconsin's 299.

2007: Standardized Testing Ranks

In 2007, Pennsylvania ranked 14th in the nation in mathematics, 12th in reading, and 10th in writing for eighth grade students.

2008: Debt Repayment to William Penn

In 2008 equivalent, Charles II granted land to William Penn to repay a debt of £16,000 (around £2,100,000 adjusting for retail inflation) owed to William's father.

2008: Pennsylvania Snack Food Capital

In 2008, author Sharon Hernes Silverman wrote in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Pennsylvania was the snack food capital of the world.

2008: Presidential Election

In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain in Pennsylvania, 3,276,363 (54%) to 2,655,885 (44%).

2009: Percentage of Graduates Obtaining Bachelor's Degree

Among Pennsylvania high school graduates as of 2009, 27.5% of them went on to obtain a bachelor's degree or higher degree.

2009: Democratic Senators Representing Pennsylvania

In 2009, Pennsylvania was represented by two Democratic senators for the first time since 1947 after Republican Senator Arlen Specter switched party affiliation.

2009: Villanova National Championship

In 2009, Villanova won a national college football championship.

January 2010: Table Games Legalized

In January 2010, table games such as poker, roulette, blackjack, and craps were approved by the state legislature and signed into law.

2010: Presbyterian Denominations

According to 2010 estimates, the American Presbyterian Church had about 250,000 members and 1,011 congregations, while the Presbyterian Church in America had 112 congregations and approximately 23,000 adherents.

2010: Language Spoken at Home

As of 2010, 90.2% of Pennsylvania residents age five and older spoke English at home as a primary language.

2010: Hispanic/Latino Distribution

As of 2010, approximately 85% of Hispanic and Latino Americans in Pennsylvania resided within a 150-mile radius of Philadelphia, with about 20% living in the city itself.

2010: Quaker Adherents

As of 2010, practicing Quakers were a small minority of about 10,000 adherents in Pennsylvania.

2010: Elderly Population

As of the 0210 census, Pennsylvania had the fourth-highest proportion of elderly (65+) citizens in the nation at 15.4%.

2010: Pennsylvania Ancestry

As of the 2010 census, the state's largest ancestry groups were German 28.5%, Irish 18.2%, Italian 12.8%, African Americans 9.6%, English 8.5%, Polish 7.2%, and French 4.2%.

2010: Hispanic Population Growth

Between 2000 and 2010, Pennsylvania's Hispanic or Latino American population grew by 82.6%.

2010: Pennsylvania Population in 2010

In 2010, Pennsylvania had a population of 12,702,379.

2010: Republicans Recaptured Seats

In 2010, Republicans recaptured a U.S. Senate seat and a majority of the state's congressional seats, control of both chambers of the state legislature, and the governorship.

2010: Organized Religion Membership

In 2010, it was estimated that 53.8% of Pennsylvania's population belonged to some sort of organized religion.

2011: Financial Impact of Agriculture

As of 2011, the financial impact of agriculture in Pennsylvania included employment of more than 66,800 people employed by the food manufacturing industry and over $1.7 billion in food product export.

2011: Democratic Senators Representing Pennsylvania

From 2009 to 2011, Pennsylvania was represented by two Democratic senators for the first time since 1947 after Republican Senator Arlen Specter switched party affiliation.

2011: Tornadoes in Pennsylvania

In 2011, Pennsylvania experienced a high number of tornadoes, with 30 recorded in the state.

2012: State and Local Tax Burden

As of 2012, Pennsylvania had the 15th-highest state and local tax burden in the nation.

2012: Democratic Presidential Ticket Vote

In 2012, Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic ticket for president.

2014: Democrats Won Back Governorship

In the 2014 election, Democrats won back the governorship.

2014: Christian Religious Population

Since 2014, among the state's religious population, 73% were Christian, according to Pew Research Center.

2016: Employment Statistics

As of 2016, there were 5,354,964 people employed in Pennsylvania with 301,484 total employer establishments.

2016: Pennsylvania Trends Democratic

Between 1992 and 2016, Pennsylvania trended Democratic in presidential elections.

2016: Villanova National Title

In 2016, Villanova won a national title in college basketball.

2016: Four-Year Graduation Rates

In 2016, data was collected regarding the four-year graduation rates for students completing high school in Pennsylvania.

2016: Trump Wins Pennsylvania

In the 2016 United States presidential election, Republican Donald Trump won Pennsylvania, breaking the Democratic streak in the state.

2017: Poverty Rate

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the state's poverty rate was 12.5% in 2017.

October 2018: Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

In October 2018, the Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation experienced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, resulting in 11 fatalities.

2018: Economic Rankings

As of 2018, Pennsylvania ranked first in the nation in several economic sectors and niches.

2018: Immigrant Origins

As of 2018, the top countries of origin for Pennsylvania's immigrants were India, the Dominican Republic, China, Mexico, and Vietnam.

2018: OurBus Began Offering Service

In 2018, OurBus began offering service from West Chester, Malvern, King of Prussia, and Fort Washington to New York City.

2018: Sports Betting Approved

In 2018, Sports betting was approved in Pennsylvania.

2018: Villanova National Title

In 2018, Villanova won a national title in college basketball.

2018: Amtrak Passenger Traffic

With more than four million inter-city rail passengers in 2018, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is Amtrak's third-busiest train station in the nation after Penn Station in Manhattan and Union Station in Washington, D.C.

2019: Net Migration to Pennsylvania

In 2019, net migration to other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 127,007.

2020: Native-Born Pennsylvanians

As of 2020, nearly three out of four, 74.5%, of Pennsylvania residents were native to the state and born in Pennsylvania.

2020: Lehigh Valley Metropolitan Area Ranking

As of 2020, the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania is the nation's 69th-largest metropolitan area.

2020: Pennsylvania's Population

As of the 2020 U.S. census, Pennsylvania had a population of 13,011,844.

2020: Native American Population

In 2020, 31,052 people in Pennsylvania identified as Native American alone, while 158,112 identified as Native American in combination with one or more other races.

2020: Philadelphia County Population

In 2020, Philadelphia County, which includes the city of Philadelphia, had a population of 1,603,797.

2020: Christian Religious Population

In 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute estimated 68% of the population identified with Christianity.

2020: Voting Difficulty Ranking

In a 2020 study, Pennsylvania was ranked as the 19th hardest state for citizens to vote.

2021: Foreign-Born Population

As of 2021, 7.2% of Pennsylvania's population was foreign-born.

2021: Per Capita Income

In 2021, Pennsylvania's per capita income was $68,957, ranking 21st among the 50 states.

2022: Homeless Population

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 12,691 homeless people in Pennsylvania.

April 2023: Religious Affiliation Poll

In April 2023, a Franklin & Marshall College poll found that a plurality of Pennsylvania residents were religiously unaffiliated.

2023: Pennsylvania House Seats

As of 2023, Pennsylvania has 17 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2023: Legislative Control

As of 2023, Republicans hold the majority in the State Senate (28-22) and the Democrats hold the majority in the State House (102-101) in Pennsylvania.