What Is The History Of The American City Of Philadelphia?

Flanked by the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, the historic city of Philadelphia can justly claim to be the birthplace of the American nation.

For it was here that William Penn, a Quaker from England, realised his dream of creating a society underpinned by religious tolerance and freedom of choice. The colony he founded in 1682 was the original American dream writ large. Immigrants quickly flocked to Philadelphia as a sanctuary in which to make a fresh start. Indeed, a measure of Philadelphia's pivotal role in creating America was that from 1790 to 1800 it served as the first capital city.

The emerging nation's monuments are today protected by their World Heritage Site status. Touchstones like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, are by dint of their World Heritage Site status on par with the Great Wall of China and the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.

Being purpose built, Philadelphia was devised to a precise grid system that makes the city easy to navigate. Essentially, Philadelphia is formed by four quadrants, with the oldest sections of the city being towards the east nearer the Delaware River.