Pennsylvania
Bethel Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Founded 1681 by William Penn as a Quaker Commonwealth. Birthplace of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of The United States.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
This state-line marker distills Pennsylvania's founding story into a single boast worth unpacking. In 1681 King Charles II granted William Penn a vast tract of North American land, which Penn envisioned as a haven for his fellow Quakers and a 'holy experiment' in religious tolerance and representative government. A century later, Philadelphia became the crucible where the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and where delegates drafted the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
Why it matters
Few places can claim to be the birthplace of both founding documents of the United States; Pennsylvania's blend of Quaker tolerance and revolutionary politics helped shape the nation's core ideals.
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Related people
- · William Penn
Related events
- · Declaration of Independence
- · Constitutional Convention
Themes & tags
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