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,
KIRKLAND, DRISCOLL, BARBIN, O'NEILL, ROSS, MILLARD, MAJOR,
MARSICO, KIM, PAYNE, WATSON, SCHLOSSBERG, YOUNGBLOOD,
SCHWEYER AND GROVE, FEBRUARY 9, 2016
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
FEBRUARY 9, 2016
A RESOLUTION
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
captain commander under the Duke of York; and
WHEREAS, William Penn wrote a Frame of Government of
Pennsylvania that established a democratic system containing
full freedom of religion, fair trials featuring independent
juries, assemblies consisting of elected representatives of the
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