PRINTER'S NO. 2823

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

680

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, READSHAW, D. COSTA, KOTIK, THOMAS, COHEN,

SCHLEGEL CULVER, CALTAGIRONE, DiGIROLAMO, VEREB, PICKETT,

LONGIETTI, BOBACK, MURT, WHEELAND, STURLA, WARD, B. MILLER,

Recognizing March 14, 2016, as "Charter Day" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, On March 4, 1681, King Charles II of England granted

William Penn a charter for land in the New World to make up for

a large debt that the king owed to Penn's father; and

WHEREAS, William Penn had initially decided to name the land

"Sylvania," which in Latin means "woods" and to which King

Charles II added the prefix "Penn" to the name in honor of

William Penn's father, Admiral Sir William Penn, who had served

England as a rear admiral and vice admiral of Ireland, a vice

admiral of England, a general in the first Dutch War and great

that later formed the crux of the Constitution of the United

States; and

WHEREAS, William Penn therefore described Pennsylvania as his

"holy experiment" and from it, he hoped, a nation based on

justice would grow; and

WHEREAS, William Penn's charter exists as the formal

beginning of the colony and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and

through it, William Penn established the first example of

democracy in what would become the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, Our citizens benefit from learning more about the

stories of history involving key characters and events that

create and establish Pennsylvania's heritage; and

WHEREAS, The act of July 28, 1953 (P.L.676, No.210) provides

for the observance of March 14 of each year as "Charter Day" and

urges the people of this Commonwealth, the public schools and

other educational institutions and patriotic, religious,

historical and veterans' organizations to observe on that day

the anniversary of the execution of the Royal Charter by King

Charles II; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,

WHEREAS, This free event has included a presentation of the

1681 Charter as well as information about Penn's Great Law of

1682, the 1698 William Penn Family Bible, a William Penn

reenactor, stories of Pennsylvania history and other programs;

and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has 23 other State historic sites and

museums and numerous other historical organizations that

continue to operate, largely thanks to the assistance of

volunteers and other groups that have donated their money, time

and other resources so that residents can remain well informed

activities sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum

Commission, the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State

Historical Records Advisory Board, the 23 other State historic

sites and museums or those offered by any of the many other

historical organizations within this Commonwealth; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the volunteers and other residents who keep

history alive through their support and work for the

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Pennsylvania

State Archives, the State Historical Records Advisory Board, the