What Is The History Of Philadelphia?

Philadelphia was once the largest city in the United States. It held this title from 1800 to 1830.

Originally a native Indian town was located where the city of Philadelphia is now situated. It was known as Shackamaxon and was settled by the Delaware or Lenape tribe.  The first European settlers were the Dutch and the Swedes.

William Penn is credited with having founded the city in 1682. He had planned the city to be his colonies capital. In Greek the name of the city comes to mean 'Brotherly Love'.

Until 1884 most of Philadelphia was divided into several townships including Port Richmond, Germantown, Mantua, Fox Chase, Frankford, Nicetown and a host of others. Several of these were independently governed but were amalgamated in to the city of Philadelphia in 1884.