Tuesday, May 2, 2017

The Quaker State

William Penn’s Pennsylvania
By Lexi


Wow! As you inspect the beautiful sky, a proudly waving flag seizes your attention. Its deep rich color is as blue as the deepest part of the ocean and has an assortment of symbols embroidered on it. Pennsylvania has many exciting and pleasurable things to do and places to go. A lot of attractions are located in Hershey and Philadelphia. There are over 2,000 zestful activities. The state of PA, which is positioned in the US, is called the keystone state. It is called this because it is the arch for the 13 original states. Finding this land, Governor William Penn discovered it in early October 1644.  Roughly, Pennsylvania has 13 million inhabitants who love and cherish their home state.
Pennsylvania’s flag may just appear as a unembellished blue rectangle with some artifacts embroidered on it, but there is an entire story behind it. Because the flag was officially adopted in 1907, it is 109 years old. Distinctly, Pennsylvania’s flag’s main color is blue. It is exactly the same blue as “Old Glory,” which is another name for the flag of  The United States of America. Adorning the flag is a coat of arms and atop that is a bald eagle. Also on the flag, is a horse. The horse represents the rich and natural agriculture of Pennsylvania. The olive branch symbolizes peace.  At the bottom of the flag is a scroll. Decorating it, the words are Virtue, Liberty, and Independence. Although the Pennsylvania flag may seem nothing unique, when you learn and discover the symbolism it becomes special.
The flag of Pennsylvania


There are many enjoyable attractions located in Pennsylvania but these are two more popular ones.  To begin, Hershey Park is one of the more famous activities.  It is over 121 acres which is 73 acres larger than Dutch Wonderland. It has 70 rides including 20 kiddie rides and 13 thrilling roller coasters. Milton Hershey opened this awesome park on May 30th, 1906. It is approximately one century old! Since the grand opening, people still find so much pleasure at Hershey Park.  Another attraction is in Philadelphia. It is the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Yearly, this museum gets around 840,000 visitors from around the world. Some famous paintings at this museum include Poplars by Monet, A Basket of Bread by Dali, and Vase With 12 Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh. Overall, many people enjoy going to this museum and looking at pieces of artwork. Although these attractions are entertaining, there are many more to discover!
A picture of Hershey Park
In the year of 1682, Governor William Penn traveled to America. He was granted, by the King of England, a piece of land that would later become the state of Pennsylvania.  King Charles II, who was England’s king, gave the land because he had to repay Penn’s father, Admiral William Penn.  Admiral Penn accepted the offer.  Firstly, for his plans, Penn desired that the people of Pennsylvania would enjoy the freedom of religion. When he was previously in England, he was persecuted for having a Quaker faith. Even though Penn wanted to name his terrain Sylvania, King Charles II demanded that it be called Pennsylvania. The King asked for this because he wanted it to be named in honor of Admiral Penn.  Meaning “Penn’s Woods,” today Pennsylvania has a massive population of around 13 million people. Thanks to William Penn, many people adore living in Pennsylvania.


William Penn

People, who live in Pennsylvania, know at heart that their state has a wide variety of activities. It is as diverse as a box of colorful crayons. From going to Hershey Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, there are many entertaining attractions. If you want to learn about the fascinating history of PA and William Penn, make sure you tour some local museums. The flag of Pennsylvania also has an intriguing background.  Amazingly, you can discover all about its history and symbolism. Attractions are certainly what intrigues visitors to come and visit Pennsylvania.

 A Remarkable State
By Karis
                                          
Clip clop. Trodding throughout Pennsylvania are shiny work horses pulling black carriages. Called ‘horse and buggies,’ they are a common icon of William Penn’s lovely state. Originally, Penn’s Pennsylvania was called simply ‘Sylvania’ until he was influenced to change its name to honor his father, who is Admiral Penn.  Thus, the state became Pennsylvania. Because of William Penn, Pennsylvania gets approximately 8.3 million visitors, and to keep them occupied, attractions luckily come in a vast variety.  Among them, the Amish lifestyle draws tourists in like a bear to honey. Popular Pennsylvania foods range from yummy sweets, such as the Amish shoofly pie, all the way to an assortment of mushrooms.

Among Pennsylvania’s most popular attractions, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is naturally a big hit! Interestingly, the famed bell has more than just its one, and most obvious flaw. Its gash, which is five inches. The other is a spelling error which reads ‘Pensylvania’ without the second ‘n’. Fallingwater, a mystical weekend home built directly overhead a tumbling waterfall, is another well-attended attraction in PA. Because it was built by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and has been so popular, it has inspired both orchestras and cartoon houses. The Andy Warhol museum is another unique attraction where you will find his most prominent work; the 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans, a piece of artwork as unique as Andy himself.  Deciding to visit Pennsylvania, you will be very happy with all of the attractions you find.  
The Liberty Bell


Throughout the state of Pennsylvania, one thing you’re certain to notice is the numerous horse and buggies strolling about. The Amish, who own and use the buggies, contrast dramatically from the English people in their lifestyles. Dressing in long, plain clothing, with straw hats or bonnets, Amish people tend to keep their lifestyles as simple as buttoning a button.  Interestingly, however, they restrain from using these small, plastic fastenings, because they attract too much attention to a person. When you next see a horse and buggy, you’ll know you're near Pennsylvania!
An Amish family riding in a wagon.
In addition to its attractions and Amish heritage, Pennsylvania is certain to have some memorable foods. Aside from Hershey chocolate, the Philly cheesesteak likely caps the list for both tastiest and most popular PA dish. The shoofly pie is also incredibly popular throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Because of its main ingredients of both sugar and molasses, this Amish pie attracted scads of flies while baking in its outdoor hearth. Thus, the pie received its name. Originally hand-wrapped up until 1956, which is when the company finally began using machines to do the job,  the Tastykake is another sweet Pennsylvanians can’t live without. Attending this other jovial Pennsylvania festival, up to 100,000 visitors gather for this fungi event. An enjoyable day called the Mushroom Festival. During this event, which is also a fundraiser, mushroom soup can be purchased and a painted mushroom auction is set up. A fried mushroom-eating championship rounds up this entertaining festival! These unforgettable foods will leave you craving more Pennsylvania, so be sure to visit more often!
The famous Tastykake!


With all of its attractions, the Amish, and various unique foods, visiting Pennsylvania is sure to fabricate a memorable visit. Certainly, out of all of these, the attractions are the most significant, which is simply because they are what give charm and interest to Pennsylvania, as well as any other state. Visiting Pennsylvania, with all of its attractions, you will be incredibly pleased with this wonderful state. Pennsylvania is truly remarkable!
Thanks for reading!