View allAll Photos Tagged benjaminfranklin

Here is a ship with New Jersey on the starboard? side

#BenjaminFranklin, American politician, died #onthisday in 1790. Here is his statue by French sculptor J.A. Houdon

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I'm stampolina and I love to take photos of stamps. Thanks for visiting this pages on flickr.

 

I'm neither a typical collector of stamps, nor a stamp dealer. I'm only a stamp photograph. I'm fascinated of the fine close-up structures which are hidden in this small stamp-pictures. Please don't ask of the worth of these stamps - the most ones have a worth of a few cents or still less.

 

By the way, I wanna say thank you to all flickr users who have sent me stamps! Great! Thank you! Someone sent me 3 or 5 stamps, another one sent me more than 20 stamps in a letter. It's everytime a great surprise for me and I'm everytime happy to get letters with stamps inside from you!

thx, stampolina

 

For the case you wanna send also stamps - it is possible. (...I'm pretty sure you'll see these stamps on this photostream on flickr :) thx!

 

stampolina68

Mühlenweg 3/2

3244 Ruprechtshofeng

Austria - Europe

 

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great stamp USA 1c portrait Benjamin Franklin green United States of America почтовая марка США pullar ABD 邮票 美国 Měiguó USA timbre États-Unis u.s. postage selo Estados Unidos sello USA 1c green francobolli USA Stati Uniti d'America Briefmarken 郵便切手 切手 アメリカ डाक टिकटों अमेरिका γραμματόσημα ΗΠΑ แสตมป์ ประเทศสหรัฐอเมริกา Damga pulu pulları ABD poštové známky Spojené štáty americké 우표 미국 perangko perangko Amerika Serikat בולי דואר ארצות הברית

Congress Hall, Philadelphia

One of the biggest container ships to enter the San Francisco Bay

World War I-era photograph shows Marhsal Joseph Joffre and Philadelphia mayor, Thomas B. Smith, visiting Benjamin Franklin's grave on May 9, 1917. Marshal Joffre, the "Victor of the Marne," was visiting Philadelphia as a member of the French High Commission. Both France and Great Britain sent delegations to the United States following the American declaration of war against Germany on April 8, 1917.

 

Accession number: 7066.Q.10

Photographed is Benjamin Franklin bridge connecting the cities of Philadelphia and Camden across Delaware River. This shot was captured from Camden, NJ.

Curtis, Davis, Mocken Architekten, Berlin Steglitz

Through some borrowing and favors I assembled various states of #silver for the week's catchy colors theme.

 

At the top, a Reed & Barton "Lark" pattern silver spoon and a National Silverplate silver plated spoon sit atop an old silver ingot from the San Francisco Assay Office.

 

In the center, a 1969 Kennedy silver half-dollar and a 1954 Franklin silver half-dollar (yes, kids, the US used to make coins from real silver) lie at either end of what initially appears to be a dollar bill but is actually a silver certificate certifying that there is on deposit in the US Treasury one dollar in silver payable to the bearer on demand.

 

At the bottom is a piece of Mexican silver jewelry.

 

The collection is sitting on a silver-plated serving tray.

As seen at The Bourse.

I'm so glad they included Oney Judge, a slave who escaped the clutches of George and Martha Washington.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753748-never-caught

 

A more abstract combination that nobody really got. It was supposed to be Benjamin Franklin visiting the electric world from the Slizer / Throwbot line. I mean, where do you think he discovered electricity?

 

From BricksCascade 2017 - Pop Culture Theme

Da 2 of the Disney Expo. August 15th 2015

View of Benjamin Franklin’s grave from behind an iron fence: Christ Church cemetery at 420-424 Arch Street. Shows a bust of Franklin raised on a pedastal and adorned with American flags crafted from flowers. Grave stones and sepulchral monuments are visible in the background.

Accession number: P.2011.47.1658

I really like the face of Benjamin Franklin on those notes!

 

Formerly a British colony, Somaliland briefly reached its independence in 1960. It is one of the three Territories, with Puntland and former Italian Somalia that compose the current State of Somalia.

Somaliland proclaimed its independence in 1991, adopting its own currency, a fully independent government, working institutions and police. The authorities organized a referendum in 2001, advocating once again for full independence. However, to date, it is not internationally recognized.

Ethiopian Prime minister Meles Zenawi is the only one to speak about a Somalilander president, recognizing implicitly the existence of an independent State. Indeed the economy of neighboring Ethiopia dramatically depends on Somaliland stability, since the landlocked country’s main trade route passes through the Somalilander port of Berbera… And vice-versa, the economy of Somaliland largely depends on the taxes and duties it charges Ethiopia. Besides that, the principal economic activity of Somaliland is livestock exportation to the Arabian Peninsula. Most people are Sunni Muslims and speak Arabic, as well as some Somali dialect and many of them, English.Lastely, the East African demography being based on clan alliances, it is no surprise that the frontiers drawn by the colonists don’t match the ethnic divisions of territory, leading to open clashes. More broadly, this problem is recurrent across the African continent.

 

© Eric Lafforgue

www.ericlafforgue.com

 

Money shot with the macro lens, came out nice, really got in a lot of detail.

 

He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees.-

Benjamin Franklin

Somedays I dream like this photo and that day is a blessing in my life.

 

The light burst through at just the right moment, just the perfect spot for this moment . . . just like a dream.

Carte de visite by D.N. Parks of Marion, N.Y. The Bennington Pottery Benjamin Franklin pitcher/toby mug that contains a bouquet of flowers was made about 15 years before the unidentified woman posed with it. Potters in Bennington, Vermont, had been active since Revolutionary War times.

 

I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.

United States one hundred-dollar bills ($100)

Fact: USA Founding Father stayed above this cafe in Preston for a short while.

This image of the The Founding Fathers represents the preeminent Founding Fathers as defined by Britannica, Biography and Wikipedia.

 

The source images used in this image are all in the public domain.

 

FIRST ROW

Benjamin Franklin

George Washington

John Adams

Thomas Jefferson

 

SECOND ROW

Samuel Adams

James Monroe

George Mason

Alexander Hamilton

 

THIRD ROW

John Marshall

Patrick Henry

John Jay

James Madison

"Girard Fountain Park is a 0.15-acre (610 m2) pocket park in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, at 325 Arch Street. It is open to the public during daylight hours and is maintained by local volunteers now incorporated as d.b.a. Old City Green.

 

The park was created in the mid-1960s after the demolition of four 3- and 4-story commercial buildings that had stood on the northeast corner of 4th and Arch Streets. A firehouse was built on the corner lots, while the lot formerly occupied by 325 Arch was cleared.

 

The park was improved following the 1976 grant of money from a city-held fund established by banker Stephen Girard (1750–1831) to improve areas near the Delaware River.

 

In 1971, a sculpture of Benjamin Franklin by local sculptor Reginald E. Beauchamp was installed atop the park's front wall. It was made of acrylic and covered with almost 80,000 pennies collected from local schoolchildren, and it incorporated a device that delivered a recorded two-minute speech on fire prevention at the push of a button. Penny Franklin was unveiled on June 10, 1971, by U.S. Mint Director Mary Brooks. Over the next two decades, the sculpture, also known as Penny Benny, became "one of the city's best-known landmarks." But it eventually deteriorated and became a potential hazard. For a while, the sculpture was kept from tumbling onto the sidewalk by ropes rigged by the firefighters from the firehouse next door. In 1996, it was removed to city storage.

 

Old City is a neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia in the United States, near the Delaware River waterfront. It is home Independence National Historical Park, a dense section of historic landmarks including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the First Bank of the United States, the Second Bank of the United States, and Carpenters' Hall. It also includes historic streets such as Elfreth's Alley, dating back to 1703.

 

Old City borders Northern Liberties to the north, Penn's Landing to the east, Society Hill to the south, and Chinatown and Market East to the west.

 

Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City, and the 68th-largest city in the world. Since 1854, the city has been coextensive with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the Delaware Valley, the nation's seventh-largest and world's 68th-largest metropolitan region, with 6.245 million residents as of 2020. The city's population as of the 2020 census was 1,603,797, and over 56 million people live within 250 mi (400 km) of Philadelphia.

 

Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker. The city served as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony during the British colonial era and went on to play a historic and vital role as the central meeting place for the nation's founding fathers whose plans and actions in Philadelphia ultimately inspired the American Revolution and the nation's independence. Philadelphia hosted the First Continental Congress in 1774 following the Boston Tea Party, preserved the Liberty Bell, and hosted the Second Continental Congress during which the founders signed the Declaration of Independence, which historian Joseph Ellis has described as "the most potent and consequential words in American history". Once the Revolutionary War commenced, both the Battle of Germantown and the Siege of Fort Mifflin were fought within Philadelphia's city limits. The U.S. Constitution was later ratified in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until 1790, when it was surpassed by New York City, and served as the nation's first capital from May 10, 1775, until December 12, 1776, and on four subsequent occasions during and following the American Revolution, including from 1790 to 1800 while the new national capital of Washington, D.C. was under construction.

 

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Philadelphia emerged as a major national industrial center and railroad hub. The city’s blossoming industrial sector attracted European immigrants, predominantly from Germany and Ireland, the two largest reported ancestry groups in the city as of 2015. In the 20th century, immigrant waves from Italy and elsewhere in Southern Europe arrived. Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, Philadelphia became a leading destination for African Americans in the Great Migration. In the 20th century, Puerto Rican Americans moved to the city in large numbers. Between 1890 and 1950, Philadelphia's population doubled to 2.07 million. Philadelphia has since attracted immigrants from East and South Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

 

With 18 four-year universities and colleges, Philadelphia is one of the nation's leading centers for higher education and academic research. As of 2021, the Philadelphia metropolitan area was the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan economy with a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of US$479 billion. Philadelphia is the largest center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and the broader multi-state Delaware Valley region; the city is home to five Fortune 500 corporate headquarters as of 2022. The Philadelphia skyline, which includes several globally renowned commercial skyscrapers, is expanding, primarily with new residential high-rise condominiums. The city and the Delaware Valley are a biotechnology and venture capital hub; and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, owned by NASDAQ, is the nation's oldest stock exchange and a global leader in options trading. 30th Street Station, the city's primary rail station, is the third-busiest Amtrak hub in the nation, and the city's multimodal transport and logistics infrastructure, including Philadelphia International Airport, the PhilaPort seaport, freight rail infrastructure, roadway traffic capacity, and warehouse storage space, are all expanding.

 

Philadelphia is a national cultural hub, hosting more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city. Fairmount Park, when combined with adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is 2,052 acres (830 ha), representing one of the nation's largest contiguous urban parks and the 45th largest urban park in the world. The city is known for its arts, culture, cuisine, and colonial and Revolution-era history; in 2016, it attracted 42 million domestic tourists who spent $6.8 billion, representing $11 billion in total economic impact to the city and surrounding Pennsylvania counties.

 

With five professional sports teams and a hugely loyal fan base, the city is often ranked as the nation's best city for professional sports fans. The city has a culturally and philanthropically active LGBTQ+ community. Philadelphia also has played an immensely influential historic and ongoing role in the development and evolution of American music, especially R&B, soul, and rock.

 

Philadelphia is a city of many firsts, including the nation's first library (1731), hospital (1751), medical school (1765), national capital (1774), university (by some accounts) (1779), stock exchange (1790), zoo (1874), and business school (1881). Philadelphia contains 67 National Historic Landmarks, including Independence Hall. From the city's 17th century founding through the present, Philadelphia has been the birthplace or home to an extensive number of prominent and influential Americans. In 2021, Time magazine named Philadelphia one of the world's greatest 100 places." - info from Wikipedia.

 

The fall of 2022 I did my 3rd major cycling tour. I began my adventure in Montreal, Canada and finished in Savannah, GA. This tour took me through the oldest parts of Quebec and the 13 original US states. During this adventure I cycled 7,126 km over the course of 2.5 months and took more than 68,000 photos. As with my previous tours, a major focus was to photograph historic architecture.

 

Now on Instagram.

 

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Time

Like a petal in the wind

Flows softly by

As old lives are taken

New ones begin

A continual chain

Which lasts throughout eternity Every life but a minute in time

But each of equal importance

 

Benjamin Franklin

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia

 

Philadelphia, commonly referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the second-most populous city in the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Philadelphia is known for its extensive contributions to United States history, especially the American Revolution, and served as the nation's capital until 1800. It maintains contemporary influence in business and industry, culture, sports, and music. Philadelphia is the nation's sixth-most populous city with a population of 1,603,797 as of the 2020 census and is the urban core of the larger Delaware Valley (or Philadelphia metropolitan area), the nation's seventh-largest and one of the world's largest metropolitan regions consisting of 6.245 million residents in the metropolitan statistical area and 7.366 million residents in its combined statistical area.

 

Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker and advocate of religious freedom. The city served as the capital of the Pennsylvania Colony during the British colonial era and went on to play a historic and vital role as the central meeting place for the nation's founding fathers whose plans and actions in Philadelphia ultimately inspired the American Revolution and the nation's independence following the Revolutionary War. Philadelphia hosted the First Continental Congress in 1774, preserved the Liberty Bell, and hosted the Second Continental Congress during which the founders signed the Declaration of Independence, which historian Joseph Ellis has described as "the most potent and consequential words in American history". Once the Revolutionary War commenced, the Battle of Germantown and the siege of Fort Mifflin were fought within Philadelphia's city limits. The U.S. Constitution was later ratified in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until 1790, when it was surpassed by New York City, and it served as the nation's first capital from May 10, 1775, until December 12, 1776, and on four subsequent occasions during and following the American Revolution, including from 1790 to 1800 during the construction of the new national capital of Washington, D.C.

 

With 18 four-year universities and colleges, Philadelphia is one of the nation's leading centers for higher education and academic research. As of 2018, the Philadelphia metropolitan area was the state's largest and nation's ninth-largest metropolitan economy with a gross metropolitan product of US$444.1 billion. The city is home to five Fortune 500 corporate headquarters as of 2022. As of 2023, metropolitan Philadelphia ranks among the top five U.S. venture capital centers, facilitated by its proximity to New York City's entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, owned by Nasdaq since 2008, is the nation's oldest stock exchange and a global leader in options trading. 30th Street Station, the city's primary rail station, is the third-busiest Amtrak hub in the nation, and the city's multimodal transport and logistics infrastructure, includes Philadelphia International Airport, and the rapidly-growing PhilaPort seaport. A migration pattern has been established from New York City to Philadelphia by residents opting for a large city with relative proximity and a lower cost of living.

 

Philadelphia is a national cultural center, hosting more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other city in the nation. Fairmount Park, when combined with adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is 2,052 acres (830 ha), representing one of the nation's largest and the world's 45th-largest urban park. The city is known for its arts, culture, cuisine, and colonial and Revolution-era history; in 2016, it attracted 42 million domestic tourists who spent $6.8 billion, representing $11 billion in economic impact to the city and its surrounding Pennsylvania counties.

 

With five professional sports teams and one of the nation's most loyal fan bases, Philadelphia is often ranked as the nation's best city for professional sports fans. The city has a culturally and philanthropically active LGBTQ+ community. Philadelphia also has played an immensely influential historic and ongoing role in the development and evolution of American music, especially R&B, soul, and rock.

 

Philadelphia is a city of many firsts, including the nation's first library (1731), hospital (1751), medical school (1765), national capital (1774), university (by some accounts) (1779), stock exchange (1790), zoo (1874), and business school (1881). Philadelphia contains 67 National Historic Landmarks, including Independence Hall. From the city's 17th century founding through the present, Philadelphia has been the birthplace or home to an extensive number of prominent and influential Americans. In 2021, Time magazine named Philadelphia one of the world's greatest 100 places.

 

Additional Foreign Language Tags:

 

(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"

 

(Pennsylvania) "بنسلفانيا" "宾夕法尼亚州" "Pennsylvanie" "पेंसिल्वेनिया" "ペンシルベニア" "펜실베니아" "Пенсильвания" "Pensilvania"

 

(Philadelphia) "فيلادلفيا" "费城" "Philadelphie" "फिलाडेल्फिया" "フィラデルフィア" "필라델피아" "Филадельфия" "Filadelfia"

Revolutionary War Reenactment

Northwest Territory Alliance Grand Encampment

Cantigny Park

Wheaton, Illinois 41.853200, -88.161061

 

September 7, 2019

 

COPYRIGHT 2019 by JimFrazier All Rights Reserved. This may NOT be used for ANY reason without written consent from Jim Frazier. 190907cd7200-7131instagram 1080

Hip Shot Series

 

Independence Day Celebration and Festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was across the Delaware River in Camden, NJ when I took this shot

Da 2 of the Disney Expo. August 15th 2015

This portrait of Benjamin Franklin (Catalog Number INDE14050) was executed by David Rent Etter in 1835. Etter, a Philadelphia sign painter, based his portait on Charles Willson Peale's 1772 copy (now at the American Philosophical Society) of David Martin's 1767 replica portrait (originally owned by Franklin and now at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts) and his life portrait (now at the White House). Etter's portrait was given by the Southwark District to Independence Hall to commemorate the 1854 consolidation of Philadelphia and its neighbors into one municipality.

 

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat. A major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity, he invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, carriage odometer, and glass armonica. He formed both the first public lending library in America and first fire department in Pennsylvania. He was an early proponent of colonial unity and as a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence possible.

 

The Second Bank of the United States, at 420 Chestnut Street, was chartered five years after the expiration of the First Bank of the United States in 1816 to keep inflation in check following the War of 1812. The Bank served as the depository for Federal funds until 1833, when it became the center of bitter controversy between bank president Nicholas Biddle and President Andrew Jackson. The Bank, always a privately owned institution, lost its Federal charter in 1836, and ceased operations in 1841. The Greek Revival building, built between 1819 and 1824 and modeled by architect William Strickland after the Parthenon, continued for a short time to house a banking institution under a Pennsylvania charter. From 1845 to 1935 the building served as the Philadelphia Customs House. Today it is open, free to the public, and features the "People of Independence" exhibit--a portrait gallery with 185 paintings of Colonial and Federal leaders, military officers, explorers and scientists, including many by Charles Willson Peale.

 

Independence National Historical Park preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution. Administered by the National Park Service, the 45-acre park was authorized in 1948, and established on July 4, 1956. The Second Bank of the United States was added to the Park's properties in 2006.

 

Second Bank of the United States National Register #87001293 (1987)

Independence National Park Historic District National Register #66000675 (1966)

Philadelphia. Although the largest and oldest city of Pennsylvania, it is not the capital- that is Harrisburg (pop. 500,000.) which became the capital in 1812. Philly, as it is known, has 1.5 million people but the metropolitan area has 5.5 million. The city is the fifth largest in the USA. Nearly half of the 1.5m inner city population are African Americans. The city straddles the Delaware River (named after the local Indian tribe) and the Schuylkill River. It started out as part of William Penn’s Commonwealth (i.e. Pennsylvania is not a state, like Massachusetts) but prior to this Dutch (hence Schuylkill) and Swedish traders had settlements here. The Quaker Penn founded his Commonwealth in 1682 to provide religious toleration for all, including Catholic Calverts, Dutch Mennonites (now called Amish) and many German settlers. The city grew as a trading centre and by the time of the troubles that led to the War of Independence in the 1770s it was the largest city of the colonies with around 30,000 inhabitants. (At that time Boston had around 18,000 inhabitants, and New York, 22,000 residents) Because of its geographic location mid way between Massachusetts and the Carolinas it became the focal point for the War against England. The first and second Continental Congresses to discuss grievances against the English were held in Liberty Hall in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia became the national capital in 1790 until that was moved to Washington DC in 1799. It was the leading financial, trading and cultural centre of 18th century America.

 

Benjamin Franklin was a leading citizen of Philly. He became a Founding Father, and was a noted scientist (electricity), inventor (the lightening arrestor) and philosopher. He edited the local newspaper that helped to incite fury against the British. During the War of Independence he was the Ambassador to France securing financial and other assistance for the rebelling colonies. In his day he was esteemed second to Washington in the New Nation. He was the first US Post Master and is depicted on the $100 note.

 

During the War of Independence the British twice attacked Philadelphia. The Continental Congress which was meeting there fled to Baltimore and General George Washington defeated the English at the battles of Trenton and Princeton. The British attacked again in 1777 and then the Continental Congress fled to Lancaster; Washington was beaten at the Battle of Brandywine (near Wilmington) and the citizens of Philadelphia fled. The French helped the Americans drive the English out 10 months later! Some of the old cobblestone streets that would have witnessed this drama still exist in Philadelphia. The Historic City area was declared a National Monument in 1972.

 

Independence Hall. The ‘Founding Fathers’ were wealthy businessmen and politicians from all the colonies. It was an unheard of thing and revolutionary for the colonies to come together to discuss any issue. However, these business men and politicians were furious about the Boston Tea Party (the tax on tea) and other trading issues. Their first meeting, named ‘First Continental Congress’ was in 1774 and they agreed upon a set of resolves and petitioned George III, expressing loyalty but wanting their grievances remedied. Those present included Washington, John Dickinson (we visit his plantation later), Ben Franklin, Sam Adams, etc. At the Second Continental Congress in 1775 they established a Continental Army, and after a yearlong deliberation, agreed upon and signed the Declaration of Independence. The declaration was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson. It was signed in Philadelphia on 4th July 1776. The Founding Fathers met here again in 1787 to draft the formal Constitution which was later ratified by the colonies. After independence the meeting was known as the Confederation Congress. After the peace treaty with England in 1783 it became known as the Articles of Confederation. Almost all meetings were held in Philadelphia. Once the failures of the style of weak national government known as the Articles of Confederation were realised the politicians met again to formulate a Constitution with much stronger national powers. The first Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia in 1787. The Constitution was primarily written by James Madison (a later President from 1809-17.) It took several years before the required 9 colonies of the original 13 had ratified it. The United States with a Congress came into operation in 1789. Washington was the first President. The old Pennsylvania colonial Assembly Hall which became the Continental Congress is now known as Liberty Hall. It is a great example of American Georgia style architecture.

 

Betsy Ross House. This is the most visited building in Philadelphia and it claims to be the home for Betsy Ross who is claimed to have sewn the first American flag- the stars and stripes. The Georgian style house was built around 1740 and Betsy Ross and her husband lived there during the War of Independence era. She is credited with presenting the flag to Washington but there is no evidence for this. She was a Quaker and she and her first husband established an upholstery business. During the War she sewed blankets and made tents for the Continental Army. A grandson of Betsy Ross promoted the idea that she designed the flag in 1876 for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence. She was one of several flag makers in Philadelphia. The Flag Act was passed by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1876. No designer is given credit for the flag. But Betsy Ross is still held up as a model for young American girls.

 

Valley Forge and the War of Independence and Red Coats.

Valley Forge, just minutes away from the largest shopping centre in the US- the King of Prussia Centre, was not a battlefield of the War of Independence but the place where General George Washington established a camp for the soldiers of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-78. Washington and his troops had finished a nearby battle against the British and needed a secure place to camp for the winter, and they chose a spot 25 miles from Philadelphia. The valley was easily defended and 1,000 log huts were built. A total of 12,000 poorly clothed, equipped and fed troops stayed here for six months. But food was often short and consisted of not much more than a flour and water loaf -what we would call damper. Most of the horses starved to death. Dampness and diseases like dysentery and typhoid killed 2,500 troops. Uniforms began to fall apart with use and there was nothing with which to replace them despite the snow and rain. But Washington persisted and Baron Von Steuben arrived from Prussia (hence the name ‘King of Prussia Shopping Mall’) to drill and train the remaining troops. The French government paid Von Steuben’s fare to Valley Forge to train the American troops. He wrote the Revolutionary war Drill Manual, used by US troops until the War of 1812. Camp followers helped nurse the sick and dying and gradually morale was lifted as the summer weather approached. Washington and Von Steuben marched towards New York City in June 1778 to fight the advancing British. This time their troops were trained and in good spirits and by then they had an alliance with the French. Washington and Von Steuben had transformed a group of raggedy farmers into a disciplined fighting army ready for a five year war against the supposedly superior British Red Coats.

Valley Forge National Historical Park covers 3,500 acres of encampment sites, reconstructed dwellings, fortifications and a chapel. The key attraction is the charming restored two storey house used by Washington as his headquarters during the nearly 7 months that the camp at Valley Forge operated. The Welcome Centre includes a museum with artefacts from the camp and various displays. There is a chapel and a National Memorial Arch in the park. The words of General Washington express some of the sentiments many American people have for this site.

 

Pine Building,Pennsylvania Hospital.Founded by Benjamin Franklin among others.America's first surgical ampitheater.Construction began 1755.NRHP.Statue of William Penn in front.

United States one hundred-dollar bills ($100)

“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”

Benjamin Franklin

 

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