HR 35 — A Resolution designating March 9, 2025, as "Charter Day" and Pennsylvania's 344th birthday in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   342

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 35
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, VENKAT, HARKINS, SANCHEZ, GUENST,
        KENYATTA, MALAGARI, GIRAL, BURGOS, DONAHUE, NEILSON, HILL-
        EVANS, CIRESI, SCHLOSSBERG, GREEN, MADDEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        PROBST, GREINER, REICHARD, MENTZER, ZIMMERMAN AND HEFFLEY,
        JANUARY 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, JANUARY 28, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating March 9, 2025, as "Charter Day" and Pennsylvania's
 2      344th birthday in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, On March 4, 1681, King Charles II of England granted
 4   William Penn a charter for land in the New World to make up for
 5   a large debt that the king owed to Penn's father; and
 6      WHEREAS, William Penn had initially decided to name the land
 7   "Sylvania," which in Latin means "woods," to which King Charles
 8   II added the prefix "Penn" in honor of William Penn's father,
 9   Admiral Sir William Penn; and
10      WHEREAS, Admiral Penn had served England as a rear admiral
11   and vice admiral of Ireland, a vice admiral of England, a
12   general in the First Anglo-Dutch War and great captain commander
13   under the Duke of York; and
14      WHEREAS, William Penn wrote a Frame of Government of
15   Pennsylvania that established a democratic system containing
16   full freedom of religion, fair trials featuring independent
 1   juries, assemblies consisting of elected representatives of the
 2   people and a separation of powers in the government, all ideas
 3   that later formed the crux of the Constitution of the United
 4   States; and
 5      WHEREAS, William Penn described Pennsylvania as his "holy
 6   experiment" and from it he hoped a nation based on justice would
 7   grow; and
 8      WHEREAS, William Penn's charter exists as the formal
 9   beginning of the colony and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
10   and through it, William Penn established the first example of
11   democracy in what would become the United States of America; and
12      WHEREAS, Our residents benefit from learning more about the
13   overall history of this Commonwealth from its founding and how
14   the principles of governance within the Commonwealth date back
15   to the beliefs of William Penn; and
16      WHEREAS, The history of Pennsylvania exists as a kaleidoscope
17   of stories and people, with each area of this Commonwealth
18   having multiple stories of history involving key characters and
19   events that create and establish Pennsylvania's heritage; and
20      WHEREAS, "Charter Day" and Pennsylvania's birthday are
21   typically observed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
22   Commission on the second Sunday of March, which in 2025 is March
23   9; and
24      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
25   encourages visits to all of its sites in celebration of "Charter
26   Day" and Pennsylvania's 344th birthday; and
27      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
28   the Pennsylvania State Archives and the State Historical Records
29   Advisory Board each work to inform Commonwealth residents about
30   our Commonwealth's heritage through special activities,

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 1   including sponsoring an annual "Charter Day" event in the State
 2   Museum of Pennsylvania; and
 3      WHEREAS, This free event includes a presentation of the 1681
 4   charter as well as Pennsylvania's copy of a joint resolution of
 5   Congress proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
 6   United States extending the right of suffrage to women and
 7   Pennsylvania's joint resolution for ratification of the 19th
 8   Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, stories of
 9   Pennsylvania and other programs; and
10      WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has 23 other State historic sites and
11   museums and numerous other historical organizations that
12   continue to operate, largely thanks to the assistance of
13   volunteers and other groups that have donated their money, time
14   and other resources so that residents can remain well informed
15   about the fabric of this Commonwealth's history; therefore be it
16      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate March
17   9, 2025, as "Charter Day" and Pennsylvania's 344th birthday in
18   Pennsylvania; and be it further
19      RESOLVED, That the residents, schools, other educational
20   institutions and patriotic, religious, historical and veterans'
21   groups be urged to participate with any and all "Charter Day"
22   activities sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
23   Commission, the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State
24   Historical Records Advisory Board, the 23 other State historic
25   sites and museums or those offered by any of the many other
26   historical organizations within this Commonwealth; and be it
27   further
28      RESOLVED, That the volunteers and other residents who keep
29   history alive through their support and work for the
30   Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Pennsylvania

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1   State Archives, the State Historical Records Advisory Board, the
2   23 other State historic sites and museums or through the
3   numerous other historical organizations within this Commonwealth
4   be honored for their efforts.




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