States from A-Z: Oregon and Pennsylvania

Oregon

The state Oregon is located in the west and joined the USA as 33rd state in 1859. The derivation of the word Oregon couldn´t be clarified yet, but the state is also called the "Beaver State". The economy today is mainly based on technology businesses in Silicon Forest, whereas the traditional forestry has been squeezed out. Brands like Tektronix and Intel have settled in Silicon Forests and offer about 25.000 employments.

Nevertheless the west and the north of Oregon are the most fertile and economically successful areas of the world. The population of Oregon just adds up to 3.7 million inhabitants, which is a relatively small number for a state which is three times as big as Austria. Accordingly Oregon provides lots of space for sport, nature and the myths of the Wild West. Most of the population lives in Willamette Valley in the northwest of the state. There you will find the three biggest cities: Portland, Eugene and the capital Salem. Furthermore the national park "Crater Lake" is situated in the south of the states and the crater lake of the volcano Mount Mazama is the most visited attraction.

Following the Oregon Trail

The history of Oregon is tightly connected to the discovery of the west. More than 150 years ago thousands of pioneers from the east travelled towards the west expecting a peaceful and better life and lots of natural resources, which should enabled them to survive on their own. But even before the pioneers started their trek towards the west, President Thomas Jefferson instructed two men Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to go on an expedition aiming the exploration and mapping of the "wild" and unknown west.

During their expeditions they discovered Native Americans already having their domicile in the west. The "Corps of Discovery" started from Missouri in May 1804 and ended on the Pacific coast of Oregon one and a half year later in November 1805. This event is known as the "Lewis and Clark Expedition" and created the "Oregon Trail".


+++++++++++

 

 Pennsylvania – “Keystone-State”

Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn in 1618 and is the second state which accepted the constitution of the USA. The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg. The most important and biggest cities are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The nickname of the state is “The Keystone State”, since it is located in the middle of the 13 original states. Pennsylvania is one of the Mid-Atlantic States, next to New York and New Jersey.

Pennsylvania plays an important role in the history of the USA. The declaration of independence (1787) and the constitution (1878) have been signed and approved in Pennsylvania.

During the Civil War one of the famous battles took place in Gettysburg, where Abraham Lincoln delivered the “Gettysburg Address”.

Today Pennsylvania is a diversified travel destination. Visitors are offered metropolises, nature, beaches and mountain landscapes, culture and arts, vineyards and the best restaurants of the country. Nowhere else in the USA you will find so many historical sites and sights.

Land of Nature and the Quakers

Originally Pennsylvania was home of the Iroquois and Susquehanna (eradicated by the colonists). Swedish colonists settled in Pennsylvania in 1643, later on it was controlled by Great Britain.

Since 1671 William Penn travelled through Europe advertising the Quaker colonies in the New World.

In 1681 Karl II of England granted a huge territory to the Quakers and announced William Penn governor. That event caused a wave of immigration and lead to the first Quaker state.

The Continental Congress resided in Pennsylvania 1774/1775, where the declaration of Independence was signed July, 4th 1776 in the Independence Hall (then State House).

The US constitution was ratified in 1787. Pennsylvania was the second state accepting the constitution and therewith becoming a state of the Union. During 1790 until 1800 Pennsylvania was capital of the USA and supported the north of the USA during the Civil War.

Pennsylvania is an out-and-out paradise of nature: the state consists of about 8500 km2 protected woodland and 6100 km2 sanctuaries for animals, where you can go hiking or look out for animals in the wild. Additionally thousands of lakes, rivers and creeks offer lots of water sports. Although in Pennsylvania you can choose between different possibilities of winter sport, the highest point is Mount Davis, which is just 979 meters above sea level.

Most of the population descend from European immigrants like Germany, Italy and Ireland, but otherwise you will find all kinds of nationalities in Pennsylvania.

Among the Pennsylvanian Germans some religious groups stand out from the crowd. Due to their isolation, they not only kept their lifestyle, but also the German dialect: the Pennsylvanian German.