History of Pennsylvania in Timeline

Pennsylvania, a Commonwealth in the US, bridges multiple regions: Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Appalachian, and Great Lakes. It shares borders with Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, and the Canadian province of Ontario via Lake Erie. Philadelphia stands as its most populous city. The state's diverse geography and strategic location contribute to its significance.

1901: Second contest for state capitol design

In 1901, due to political and popular indignation, a second contest restricted to Pennsylvania architects was held to design the present Pennsylvania State Capitol, with Joseph Miller Huston of Philadelphia chosen.

1902: Coal Strike of 1902

Pennsylvania was the location of two hugely prominent strikes, including the Coal Strike of 1902.

1903: Hershey chocolate factory construction begins

In 1903, Milton S. Hershey began construction on a chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which would grow to become The Hershey Company, the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America.

1904: Pitt Undefeated Seasons

Pitt had eight undefeated seasons, one in 1904.

1907: Pennsylvania State Capitol dedicated

In 1907, the present Pennsylvania State Capitol, designed by Joseph Miller Huston and incorporating Cobb's building, was finished and dedicated.

1908: Penn National College Football Championships

Penn won national college football championships in 1908.

1910: Pitt Undefeated Seasons

Pitt had eight undefeated seasons, one in 1910.

1911: Weeks Act of 1911

In 1911, the Weeks Act was passed, which provided the authority for the establishment of the Allegheny National Forest in 1923.

1912: Penn State Undefeated Seasons

Penn State had seven undefeated seasons, one in 1912.

1915: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1915.

1916: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1916.

1917: Pitt Undefeated Seasons

Pitt had eight undefeated seasons, one in 1917.

May 31, 1918: Pittsburgh Agreement signed

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

1918: Peak Coal Production

Coal production in Pennsylvania peaked in 1918.

1918: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1918.

1920: Penn National Titles

Penn won national titles in college basketball in 1920.

1920: Pitt Undefeated Seasons

Pitt had eight undefeated seasons, one in 1920.

1921: Chip Making in Hanover

In 1921, Utz Brands started making chips in Hanover.

1921: Penn National Titles

Penn won national titles in college basketball in 1921.

1921: Washington & Jefferson National College Football Championships

Washington & Jefferson won national college football championships in 1921.

1922: UMW General coal strike

In 1922, 310,000 Pennsylvania miners joined the UMW General coal strike, which lasted 163 days and shut down most of the state's coal mines.

1923: Allegheny National Forest established

In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge established the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania for timber production and watershed protection.

1928: Pitt National Titles

Pitt won national titles in college basketball in 1928.

1929: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1929.

1930: Pitt National Titles

Pitt won national titles in college basketball in 1930.

1931: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1931.

1932: Presidential Election

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

1934: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1934.

1936: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1936.

1937: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1937.

1938: Temple National Titles

Temple won national titles in college basketball in 1938.

1947: Democratic Senators Represent Pennsylvania

Until 2009, Pennsylvania had not been represented by two Democratic senators since 1947.

1948: Presidential Election

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

1950: Pittsburgh lost place among top ten cities

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

1954: La Salle National Titles

La Salle won national titles in college basketball in 1954.

1959: Little League World Series

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 Seasons

Penn State had seven undefeated seasons, one in 1968.

1968: Pennsylvania Constitution

Pennsylvania adopted a new state constitution in 1968.

1968: Presidential Election

Richard Nixon won the White House while losing Pennsylvania in 1968.

1969: Penn State Undefeated Seasons

Penn State had seven undefeated seasons, one in 1969.

1973: Penn State Undefeated Seasons

Penn State had seven undefeated seasons, one in 1973.

1975: Town of McCandless

In 1975, McCandless Township adopted a home-rule charter under the name of "Town of McCandless", but is, legally, still a first-class township.

1976: Pitt National Championships

Pitt has won nine national championships, one in 1976.

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 reports US$1.5 billion loss

In 1982, Bethlehem Steel reported an unexpected loss of US$1.5 billion and announced the suspension of most operations, highlighting the impact of deindustrialization in the Rust Belt.

1982: Penn State National Championships

Penn State claimed two national championships, one in 1982.

1985: Villanova National Titles

Villanova won national titles in college basketball in 1985.

1986: Penn State National Championships

Penn State claimed two national championships, one in 1986.

1988: Act 169 Passed

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: Information-based industries become more important

After 1990, as information-based industries became more important in the economy, state and local governments invested more in the public library system.

1992: Pennsylvania Democratic Trend

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

1992: Democratic Presidential Ticket

Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic ticket for president in every election since 1992.

1992: Philadelphia Suburbs Swing Democratic

Since 1992, the Philadelphia suburbs have swung Democratic; the brand of Republicanism there was traditionally moderate.

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 and a skull of 23 3/16, tied with a bear shot in California in 1993.

1994: Penn State Undefeated Seasons

Penn State had seven undefeated seasons, one in 1994.

2000: Presidential Election Result

Al Gore won Pennsylvania by a slightly closer margin in 2000.

2000: Pennsylvania Amish Population

As of 2000, Pennsylvania had a total Amish population of 47,860, along with 146,416 Mennonites and 91,200 Brethren, bringing the total Anabaptist population to 232,631, or about two percent of the population.

2000: Puerto Rican population in Allentown

As of 2000, Stateside Puerto Ricans comprised over 40% of the population in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

2000: Growth of Hispanic/Latino Population

Between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic or Latino American population in Pennsylvania grew by 82.6%, representing one of the largest increases in a state's Hispanic population.

September 11, 2001: United Airlines Flight 93 crash

On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers revolted against the Al-Qaeda hijackers, preventing it from reaching its intended target.

2001: X Games

Philadelphia hosted ESPN's X Games in 2001.

2002: X Games

Philadelphia hosted ESPN's X Games in 2002.

2004: Casino Gambling Legalization

Casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2004.

2004: 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: 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%).

2004: Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit

The Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit began in 2004 and stimulated the development of a film industry in the state.

2005: High School Graduates in Pennsylvania

As of 2005, 83.8% of Pennsylvania residents age 18 to 24 are high school graduates, and 86.7% of residents age 25 and over have graduated from high school.

2007: Pennsylvania Boone and Crockett Recorded Record 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: Pennsylvania School Rankings

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

2008: 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: Value of debt to William Penn's father

In 2008, the £16,000 debt Charles II owed to William Penn's father was equivalent to around £2,100,000 when adjusted for retail inflation.

2008: 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: Pennsylvania High School Graduates and Bachelor's Degrees

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

2009: Democratic Senators Represent Pennsylvania

From 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 College Football Championships

Villanova won national college football championships in 2009.

2010: Languages Spoken in Pennsylvania Homes

As of 2010, 90.2% of Pennsylvania residents age five and older spoke English at home as a primary language, while 4.1% spoke Spanish, 0.9% spoke German (including Pennsylvania Dutch), and 0.5% spoke Chinese (including Mandarin).

2010: Hispanic and Latino population in Pennsylvania

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

2010: Quakers in Pennsylvania

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

2010: Pennsylvania population

As of the 2010 U.S. census, Pennsylvania had a population of 12,702,379.

2010: Hispanic/Latino Population Growth

Between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic or Latino American population in Pennsylvania grew significantly, by 82.6%, primarily due to migration from Puerto Rico and other countries, as well as people leaving New York City and New Jersey.

2010: Presbyterian Denomination Estimates

In 2010 estimates, the American Presbyterian Church, with about 250,000 members and 1,011 congregations, is the largest Presbyterian denomination. Also the Presbyterian Church in America is also significant, with 112 congregations and approximately 23,000 adherents; the EPC has around 50 congregations, including the ECO.

2010: Pennsylvania Religion Statistics

In 2010, Pennsylvania's population was 12,702,379, with 6,838,440 (53.8%) estimated to belong to some sort of organized religion. The largest religious bodies in Pennsylvania by adherents were the Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

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: Pennsylvania Ancestry Groups

In 2010, according to the census, the largest ancestry groups in Pennsylvania were German (28.5%), Irish (18.2%), Italian (12.8%), African Americans (9.6%), English (8.5%), Polish (7.2%), and French (4.2%).

2011: Pennsylvania Agriculture Financial Impact

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: Tornadoes in Pennsylvania

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

2011: Democratic Senators Represent Pennsylvania

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

2012: Pennsylvania Tax Burden

As of 2012, Pennsylvania had the 15th-highest state and local tax burden in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation. Residents paid a total of $83.7 billion in state and local taxes with a per capita average of $4,589 annually.

2012: Democratic Presidential Ticket

Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic ticket for president in every election until 2012.

2014: Democrats Won Back Governorship

In the 2014 election, Democrats won back the governorship. It was the first time since a governor became eligible for reelection that an incumbent governor had been defeated in a reelection bid.

2014: Religious Affiliations

Since 2014, among the state's religious population, 73% were Christian, according to Pew Research Center. 47% of all Pennsylvanians identified as Protestants.

2016: Pennsylvania Democratic Trend

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

2016: Pennsylvania Employment Statistics

In 2016, there were 5,354,964 people in employment in Pennsylvania with 301,484 total employer establishments.

2016: Trump Wins Pennsylvania

In the 2016 election, Donald Trump won Pennsylvania with 2,970,733 votes (48%) against the Democratic candidate.

2016: Four-Year Graduation Rates

The following are the four-year graduation rates for students completing high school in 2016.

2016: Villanova National Titles

Villanova won national titles in college basketball in 2016.

2017: Poverty Rate in Pennsylvania

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the state's poverty rate in 2017 was 12.5%, compared to 13.4% for the U.S. as a whole.

October 2018: Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

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

2018: Pennsylvania Economic Rankings

As of 2018, Pennsylvania ranked first in the nation in a few economic sectors and niches, including barrels of beer produced annually (3.9 million), farmers' markets (over 6,000), food processing companies (2,300), hardwood lumber production (a billion board feet annually), mushroom farms (68), natural gas production, potato chip manufacturing (24 facilities manufacturing one-fourth of the nation's total), and pretzel manufacturing (80 percent of the nation's total).

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 Service

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

2018: Inter-city Rail Passengers

In 2018, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is Amtrak's third-busiest train station in the nation with more than four million inter-city rail passengers.

2018: Villanova National Titles

Villanova won national titles in college basketball in 2018.

2019: Net migration to other states

In 2019, net migration to other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718 in Pennsylvania's population.

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 population

As of the 2020 U.S. census, Pennsylvania had a population of 13,011,844, making it the fifth-most populated state in the U.S.

2020: Native American population in Pennsylvania

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

2020: Pennsylvania Resident Statistics

In 2020, approximately 74.5% of Pennsylvania residents were native to the state, 18.4% were born in a different U.S. state, 1.5% were born in Puerto Rico or abroad to American parents, and 5.6% were foreign born.

2020: Religious Identification

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.

2020: Philadelphia County Population

Philadelphia County, which includes the city of Philadelphia, had a population of 1,603,797 in 2020, making it the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the 24th-most populous in the United States.

2021: Foreign-born population

As of 2021, 7.2% of the population in Pennsylvania was foreign-born.

2021: Pennsylvania Per Capita Income

In 2021, Pennsylvania's per capita income of $68,957 ranked 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

In April 2023, a Franklin & Marshall College poll found that a plurality of Pennsylvania residents were religiously unaffiliated, with the rest predominately being Protestant or Catholic.