Philadelphia

Although Philadelphia is known for a movie I have never seen, a song by the same title, and Rocky here in France, there is much more to "The City of Brotherly Love". By the way, the stairs that Rocky climbs are the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which houses the largest collection of French Impressionist paintings outside of France, and also has a Rodin Museum located close by.

Philadelphia was originally settled by Quakers, Germans, and some English, all seeking religious freedom. The colony was set up by William Penn, after his deed was signed by the King of England. He named the area Pennsylvania, Penn after himself, and sylvania which is latin for woods, or forest. There is a statue of him atop City Hall in Philadelphia, which is the center of Center City.

Philadelphia was where the Declaration of Independence was written on July 4th, 1776, and also where the Constitution was signed, in Independenca Hall. This made Philadelphia the first capital city of the United States. Located across from this historic site, is the Liberty Bell. It was originally intended to be hung, but after it cracked twice when the city tried to ring it, we decided to leave it that way. Many Philadelphians consider it a symbol of the way things work in the city, only at half their potential.

Benjamin Franklin was a big part of the Revolution, that led to the 13 colonies gaining their independence from England and becoming the United States. He was also the diplomat to France, who asked France to assist the colonies in their war against England. The colonies won their Independence with the help of the French Navy and General LaFayette. Ben Franklin is also famous for planning the city of Philadelphia, as well as being a gifted inventor, publisher, and redhead!

Philadelphia is also the hometown of Will Smith, my favorite baseball team: the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cheesesteak, the best soft pretzels in the world, Hall & Oates (cheesy 80s band), Bill Cosby (comedian), many types of beer, plenty of hipsters on fixed-gear bikes, and the tv show, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Vocabulary

hipsters : (via urbandictionary.com) Noun - urban (or suburban import) dweller who goes to all the coolest clubs, listens to the coolest music, is into various aspects of the arts, including but not limited to street art, indie films, street displays, sticker art, etc.... A hipster also must know all the coolest other hipsters. If you have to ask what a hipster is, then you are definitely not a hipster. Hipsters have more music on their ipods then anyone they know, and all the bands are indie or underground.

fixed-gear bikes or fixies : (via urbandictionary.com) a bicycle with only one rear cog or "gear" which is fixed directly onto the hub of the wheel.