The British King Charles II (Karl II) gave this land to William Penn in 1681, because the British Crown owed Penn’s father, Admiral Penn, 20,000 English pounds (about 30 million US dollars today). In honor of Admiral Penn, the country was named Pennsylvania, which means “Penn’s Woods”. William Penn would have preferred to call the country “Sylvania” because he feared people would think he had given the country his name. However, King Charles has declined to rename the country. Along with Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia, Pennsylvania bears the term “Commonwealth” in its name, which means “community” or originally “common good” or political community based on the Roman Res Publica. Because of its central location among the thirteen original colonies that made up the United States, Pennsylvania earned its nickname the Keystone State (after the central wedge-shaped stone in the center of an archway or window). Before settlers arrived, the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eriez, Shawnee, and other Native American tribes lived there. In 1774, representatives of the thirteen English colonies gathered in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence. When the British took the city, members of the newly formed Congress escaped west to Lancaster. There they held a meeting on September 27, 1777, but had to flee further west to York. There the draft of the constitution of the Confederacy was created and in Philadelphia this constitution was then put into effect. Philadelphia is considered the cradle of the American nation. Five days after Delaware, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the American Constitution on December 12, 1787. There are 121 free state parks in Pennsylvania. Notable amusement parks include Camel Beach, Conneaut Lake Park, Dorney Park & ​​Wildwater Kingdom, Dutch Wonderland, DelGrosso Amusement Park, Hersheypark, Idlewild Park, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park, Sandcastle Waterpark, Sesame Place, Great Wolf Lodge and Waldameer Park. Pennsylvania also has the largest indoor water park on the East Coast, Splash Lagoon in Erie. A number of major music events are held in Pennsylvania each year: the Bethlehem Music Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Creation Festival, the Great Allentown Fair, and Purple Door. Traditional handicrafts are on display at the Kutztown Festival in late June and early July. Folk music, dancing and good food – in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. And America’s Largest Quilt Sale with over 2,500 quilts for sale. Really worth seeing. Speaking of Pennsylvania Dutch. They are not – as one might think – descendants of Dutch immigrants. Rather, they call themselves “German”. And their language is a modified form of the dialect family found in western Germany. The people live in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, a stretch of land around the cities of Allentown, Hershey, Lancaster, Reading and York in the southeastern part of the state. They are mostly Amish and Mennonites who originally came from the Palatinate and settled there in the 17th century. The small town of Punxsutawney became famous with the film “Groundhog Day”. Groundhog Day is celebrated here every year on February 2nd. You are waiting for Phil the marmot to come out of his den after a long winter. Legend says there’s at least six more weeks of harsh winter left when Phil sees his own shadow. If there is no shadow to be seen, spring is beginning. Check topschoolsoflaw.com for brief history of the state of Pennsylvania.