Portal:Pennsylvania

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Samuel Jackson Randall (October 10, 1828 – April 13, 1890) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who represented the Queen Village, Society Hill, and Northern Liberties neighborhoods of Philadelphia from 1863 to 1890 and served as the 29th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1876 to 1881. He was a contender for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in 1880 and 1884.

Born in Philadelphia to a family active in Whig politics, Randall shifted to the Democratic Party after the Whigs' demise. His rise in politics began in the 1850s with election to the Philadelphia Common Council and then to the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 1st district. Randall served in a Union cavalry unit in the American Civil War before winning a seat in the federal House of Representatives in 1862. He was re-elected every two years thereafter until his death. The representative of an industrial region, Randall became known as a staunch defender of protective tariffs designed to assist domestic producers of manufactured goods. While often siding with Republicans on tariff issues, he differed with them in his resistance to Reconstruction and the growth of federal power. (Full article...)

Spanish Hill from the south, as depicted in an 1881 lithograph

Spanish Hill is a hill located in the borough of South Waverly, Pennsylvania. Opinions regarding the origin of structures found on the site vary from embankments created by early farmers, to the remnants of a Native American village and battlements, due to the site's similarity to the description found in the account of Étienne Brûlé of a settlement called Carantouan. The area in the hill's vicinity was previously occupied by Susquehannock Native Americans. It was a common site for both amateur and professional archaeology, as well as relic hunting. The source of the name remains unknown, but various theories have been proposed as to its origin. (Full article...)

• ... that the Merrill Lock No. 6 (pictured), located on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania, was converted from a lock complex to a restaurant?
• ... that before becoming Governor of Pennsylvania, John K. Tener was a Major League Baseball player who once explained the game to the future King Edward VII?
• ... that John Fetterman, the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, lives in a warehouse he purchased for $2,000?
• ... that the only surviving structure from the Coudersport and Port Allegany Railroad is a train station that is now the town hall of Coudersport, Pennsylvania?
• ... that the 85-mile (137 km) Susquehannock Trail System hiking trail passes through the 30,253-acre (12,243 ha) Hammersley Wild Area, the largest area in Pennsylvania without a road?

Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	Pittsburgh
Erie	Lehigh Valley	Pennsylvania Roads

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Washington Crossing the Delaware, an 1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze depicting the crossing prior to the Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776 during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington, the commanding general of the Continental Army, against Hessian forces, which were German auxiliaries aiding the British. After crossing the Delaware River clandestinely, Washington and his troops successfully attacked the Hessian forces in the Battle of Trenton in Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776. The military campaign was organized in great secrecy by Washington, who led a column of Continental Army troops from today's Bucks County, Pennsylvania across the icy Delaware River to today's Mercer County, New Jersey in what was one of the Revolutionary War's most logistically challenging and dangerous operations.

Other planned crossings in support of the operation were either called off or ineffective, but this did not prevent Washington from surprising and defeating the Hessian troops, commanded under Johann Rall in Trenton. After prevailing in the Battle of Trenton, Washington and his Continental Army troops crossed the Delaware River again, returning to Pennsylvania with prisoners and military stores taken in the battle. (Full article...)

Cosby in 2011

William Henry Cosby Jr. (/ˈkɒzbi/ KOZ-bee; born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, and media personality. He has made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and gained a reputation as "America's Dad" for his portrayal of Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show (1984–1992). He has received numerous awards and honorary degrees throughout his career, many of which were revoked following sexual assault allegations made against him in 2014.

Cosby began his career as a stand-up comic at the hungry i nightclub in San Francisco during the 1960s. Throughout the decade, he released several standup comedy records which consecutively earned him the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album from 1965 to 1970. He also had a starring role in the television crime show I Spy (1965–1968) opposite Robert Culp. Cosby made history when he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1966, making him the first African American to earn an Emmy Award for acting. His acting career continued as he starred in the sitcom The Bill Cosby Show, which ran for two seasons from 1969 to 1971. (Full article...)

• November 2: On the campaign trail in the USA, October 2020
• October 29: On the campaign trail in the USA, September 2020
• September 30: On the campaign trail in the USA, August 2020
• August 31: On the campaign trail in the USA, July 2020
• November 21: Slippery business: Materials scientists invent new coating for self-cleaning, water-efficient toilets