Steeped in over two centuries of history and culture, Philadelphia is one of the most historic and important cities in the United States today. Strategically located halfway between New York City and Washington D.C. and with a natural harbor the city has played a major role in shaping the history of United States.

After it was found in 1682 by William Penn and a small group of English Quakers, Philadelphia grew rapidly. By 1773 what had started as a small settlement had turned into a bustling city of over 20,000 people thriving on trade and manufacturing. Not only changing in size and commercial importance Philadelphia had become a political hotbed and was soon thrust onto the world stage. In 1774 the First Continental Congresses met at Independence Hall and declared independence from Great Britain in Philadelphia. While declaring Independence, the colonist also made Philadelphia the capital of the new United States.

The revolution quickly followed with Americans firing on and killing British soldiers in Boston. Once the fighting had begun British troops began marching to the new capital. The capital was hurriedly abandoned and the British proudly marched into Philadelphia on September 26, 1777. Once there, the British officers took over the finest houses and a new government loyal to Britain was set up much to the horror of Philadelphians. By September 3, 1783 however the British had been defeated and Philadelphia liberated.

The city of Philadelphia is also called the 'Birth place of the Nation' because of the important role played by the city in the fight for independence. Even though the capital was moved to Washington D.C. After the American Revolution was over, the city started to progress once again and grew both in population and commercial importance. Between the years 1820 and 1865 more than 80,000 people migrated to the city from all over the world for better opportunities and freedom.

By 1950, the city of Philadelphia was ranked as the third largest city of United States and its population had become more than 2 million. But the city started to face political problems because of its rapid growth, just like all the other growing cities in the United States. Major contributing factor to these disturbances was the large and diverse migrant population that was creating racial, religious and cultural tensions in the city. The economy of the city started to decline and the manufacturing companies started to move their factories to other states and countries, giving rise to unemployment and leading to exodus of people to other parts of the country. There was a continuous decline in the population and in the year 2002 the population of Philadelphia had reduced to about a million and a half.

Despite these new modern day challenges, the city's future looks bright. The economy has now shifted away from manufacturing to other areas. Medical services, banking, high-technology, pharmaceuticals and many other fields now flourish. This new economic turnaround along with its rich history and historic landmarks will keep Philadelphia, "The Birth Place of the Nation", a major city in the United States for generations to come.

Maggio Grindista is the webmaster of Philadelphia, which is a premier resource for Philadelphia information. For More information go to: http://www.Fusaphiladelphia.com

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