Thomas FitzSimons died in 1811 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His exact date of birth is unknown. He was a delegate from Pennsylvania to the Constitutional Convention. Once wealthy, he contributed to the Revolutionary War. However, by 1805 he was bankrupt.
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery in 1838. He boarded a train disguised as a free sailor in Baltimore and traveled to Philadelphia. Children can read about his escape at: Frederick Douglas. Children can also read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
First Prayer of First Continental Congress
First Continental Congress met secretly in 1774 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In response to the Intolerable Acts, 56 representatives from 12 colonies discussed their grievances. Georgia did not send members. Peyton Randolph from Virginia was the president. The First Continental Congress, which ended on October 26, 1774, had accomplished two goals. The group decided that the colonies would boycott British goods starting in September 1775. Also they agreed to meet again in May 1775. Idea: Children could find out how people were chosen to attend the First Continental Congress. They could also read the journals of the meetings at: Journals.
United States capital was established temporarily in New York in 1788 by the Constitutional Convention. The city remained the capital until August 12, 1790. The capital moved back to Philadelphia before it finally moved to Washington, DC. Children look at the list of the nine locations of the United States capital at: US Capital.
Scene at the Signing of the Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy
Constitutional Convention unanimously approved the Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Almost all of the 42 delegates signed the document. It then had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states. Children could find some very interesting questions about the members of the Convention at: Archive
Today is also Constitution Day, when school children across the country learn about the Constitution and its signers. A wonderful book about the signers is Dennis Brindell Fradin’s The Founders: The 39 Stories Behind the U. S. Constitution. Children could also visit http://www.constitutionday.cc/. There they could take a quiz and construct a poster.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the nation’s capital for this day only in 1777. The prior capital was Philadelphia, and the next capital was York, Pennsylvania. Children can view the list of the sites of the nation’s capitals at: Capitals List.
Liberty Bell
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1682 by William Penn. The City of Brotherly Love was originally laid out in a grid system with many parks. Today Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the United States. Children can learn some “Philadelphia Firsts” at: Philadelphia Firsts.
Jean Pierre Blanchard made the first balloon flight in the United States in 1793. President George Washington and other officials watched the 46 minute flight, staged in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He landed in New Jersey. Children can read an extensive article on the flight at: Blanchard. Children could also read The First Air Voyage in the United States: The Story of Jean-Pierre Blanchard by Alexandra Wallner.
Philadelphia established the first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, in the United States in 1751. Aided by Benjamin Franklin, Dr. Thomas Bond created the hospital where people received free medical care. Children can take a virtual tour of the old buildings at: Pennsylvania Hospital.
ENIAC
ENIAC was dedicated in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. ENIAC (Electrical Numerical Integrator and Calculator) was among the first general computers. A marvel during its time, ENIAC was the size of a room. It used vacuum tubes, resistors, and transistors. Today a laptop can do all that the ENIAC could do. ENIAC was powered down October 2, 1955. Parts of ENIAC are with the Smithsonian and other institutions.