Welcome back to the Deep Dive, where we take
a complicated stack of sources and distill them
into the most powerful, interesting nuggets of
knowledge for you, our listener. Today, we are
strapping on our boots and heading straight into,
well, the true heart of early America, a place
that holds so many of the foundation myths of
this country, but often gets overlooked for its
critical modern complexities. We are talking
about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. known
famously as the Keystone State. And that's the
big question, right? Why the Keystone? What does
that actually mean? Exactly. Geographically,
politically, culturally. That's our mission today.
We really want to understand what makes this
state home to over 13 million people. So unique
in the American experience. It's an excellent
mission because Pennsylvania's story isn't a
straight line. It's this dramatic oscillation
between being the forge of global industry and
the cradle of revolutionary thought. Our sources
let us move far beyond the usual cliches, you
know, the cheesesteaks and steel, to really get
at its role as the functional center, the keystone
that held the arch of the original 13 colonies
together. So before we dive into that deep history,
let's just nail down some of those foundational
facts that sort of signal its unique place. OK,
so first off, as you said, it's officially the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It's one of only
four U .S. states with that designation. And
that's not just a fancy name, is it? It actually
means something. It does. It comes straight from
the colonial era and it emphasizes this idea
that the state is founded on the common good,
on the welfare of the people. It gives it this
unique civic gravitas right from the start. That
immediately changes the whole conversation from
just a state to something more like a Republican
body. And its modern scale is just huge. Oh,
massive. It's the fifth most populous state in
the nation. Over 13 million residents as of the
2020 census. And that population is concentrated
enough that it's the ninth highest in population
density. But here's a key detail. The political
and cultural power, you know, tends to rest in
those two big anchors, Philadelphia in the east
and Pittsburgh in the west. But the capital is
neither of them. Exactly. The capital is Harrisburg,
which is located more strategically in the south
central part of the state. Right. And that geographic
and demographic spread where the capital isn't
the biggest city is a crucial detail that kind
of foreshadows the deep urban, rural and east
west contrast we're going to get into later.
OK, so let's unpack that history. Where do we
begin? We have to go way, way back. Thousands
of years before Penn's Woods was even a concept.
Because the history of human habitation there
really challenges our traditional timelines for
when people first arrived in North America. It
absolutely does. And the benchmark evidence for
this, according to the sources, is the Meadowcroft
Rock Shelter. It's in Jefferson Township in southwestern
Pennsylvania. What did they find there? They
found evidence of human activity dating back
over 10 ,000 years. 10 ,000. And what makes that
date so significant for the broader American
timeline? It's a potential game changer. It might
actually predate the established time frame for
the Clovis culture. Which was always considered
the first widespread prehistoric culture in the
Americas. Exactly. So if the Meadowcroft dating
holds up, it means human movement and civilization
in that region was happening much, much earlier
than we used to assume. It kind of shifts our
whole perspective on how people first migrated
into the continent. So fast forward a bit, and
by 1000 AD or so, we start to see these groups
establishing settled agricultural societies.
When the Europeans arrive, who are the major
players on the ground? The territory was divided,
really, between two major distinct tribes. In
the eastern part of the state, in the region
they called Lenapehoking, you had the Lenape,
they were part of the Algonquian linguistic family.
And their territory was basically from the Delaware
River westward. Yep, toward the Susquehanna River.
And then further west, along the central Susquehanna,
you found the Susquehannock, who spoke an Iroquoian
language. These were really complex societies.
They were adept at agriculture, sophisticated
trade networks, the works. But by the 17th century,
that whole political map for these tribes was
changing radically, even before the big influx
of English settlers. Critically so. I mean, they
were suffering just catastrophic. population
loss from diseases like smallpox that came with
European contact. And that was compounded by
regional conflicts, right? It was. They were
caught in these intense geopolitical struggles,
especially devastating beaver wars. OK, so what
were the beaver wars and how did they hit Pennsylvania's
tribes so hard? The Beaver Wars were this series
of incredibly brutal conflicts, mostly driven
by the Iroquois Confederacy. The Iroquois were
backed and armed first by the Dutch, then the
English, and they were trying to take control
of the really lucrative fur trade routes. So
the Lenape and the Susquehannock were caught
in the middle of this. Completely outmatched.
The sources say they were just outpaced and outmaneuvered.
The powerful Iroquois and Hurons actively blocked
them from moving west into the richer hunting
grounds in the Ohio Valley. So they were losing
land, losing resources, losing population. Which
creates a power vacuum. A power vacuum that directly
enabled European colonization to take hold. Which
brings us to that European chess match of the
17th century. We often jump straight to William
Penn, but there was a significant Dutch and Swedish
presence there first. Indeed. The Dutch established
Zwanendael Colony in 1631. That was near modern
-day Lewis, Delaware. That was their early claim.
Then, just a few years later, in 1638, the Swedes
arrived and established the New Sweden. colony.
So for a little while, part of what would become
Pennsylvania was actually New Sweden. It was.
New Sweden claimed a pretty substantial area
of the lower Delaware River region. But the real
military strength, you know, it lay with the
English. The transition really kicks off in 1664
when Charles II makes this huge sweeping grant
to his brother, James, the Duke of York. That
paved the way for the English to just conquer
the Dutch territory of New Netherland. And there's
still traces of that Dutch legacy, aren't there?
There are. One really fascinating detail is how
a Dutch county court called Upland County basically
transitioned almost directly into Chester County
when William Penn later set up his colonial government.
The bones were already there. And then comes
the moment everything changes. The William Penn
Grant in 1681. We all know the story involved
a debt, but the scale of that debt is just staggering.
It's a remarkable piece of economic history.
King Charles II owed William Penn's father, Admiral
Penn, a massive 16 ,000 pounds. 16 ,000 pounds.
What would that even be today? Well, if you adjust
for retail inflation, you're talking millions
and millions of pounds. So to wipe that slate
clean, the king just granted the charter for
this enormous territory to the younger William
Penn, who was this prominent Quaker leader. And
it wasn't just a large grant. No, it was, according
to our sources, one of the largest land grants
ever legally given to an individual who was not
a monarch in history. It just cemented Penn's
power and his ability to execute his vision for
a peaceful, tolerant society. A vision that even
extended to the name. I heard he tried to be
humble about it. He was. Yeah, he was highly
self -conscious about it. He first suggested
New Wales, but that was vetoed. So he settled
on Sylvania, you know, from the Latin for. woods.
But the king insisted on honoring his father.
He did. The king put the family name on it, creating
Pennsylvania or Penn's Woods. And Penn was reportedly
embarrassed. He was worried people would think
he was vain, that he named the colony after himself.
But the king wouldn't budge. Well, regardless
of the name, his legacy is really defined by
the incredible innovations he brought in right
away. His whole foundational structure was revolutionary.
He established the county commission form of
government, which ended up spreading throughout
the colonies. But the most defining feature,
the real core of it, was liberty of conscience.
Absolute freedom of religion. Absolutely. Which
was just groundbreaking in a continent so often
defined by religious persecution. And this was
a direct lifeline for the Quakers, who rejected
a lot of established Christian practices. Things
like formal oaths, military service, rituals.
Exactly. I mean, while other colonies had official
state religions, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island
really stood out as these beacons of tolerance.
And it worked. It quickly attracted not just
Quakers, but also Catholics, Jews, Mennonites.
German pietists. I think Voltaire wrote about
him, didn't he? He did. The sources mentioned
Voltaire writing about Penn in 1733, and he observed
that the main law of the land was simply, and
I'm paraphrasing here, to ill -treat no person
on account of religion. That's a powerful endorsement
from a leading Enlightenment thinker. And that
philosophy of peace wasn't just for Europeans.
It extended to the indigenous populations, which
is probably the most unique chapter of Pennsylvania's
founding story. It's a remarkable exception to
the tragic pattern of colonial history. Penn
established a peace treaty, known as the Treaty
of Shackamaxon, with the respected Linpe leader
Taminand. And what made this treaty so different?
The sources stress that it was based on mutual
respect and fair payment for land. And critically,
it was never actually violated by either side.
Wow. It led to this long period of genuinely
friendly relations between the Quakers and the
native tribes. It just wasn't happening anywhere
else. That peace and prosperity led to massive
growth, making Pennsylvania indispensable. And
by the 18th century, it wasn't just thriving
politically, but financially. And this is where
we find a truly, almost shockingly modern economic
innovation. Okay, this is where the deep dive
really earns its name. Because of the constant
shortage of gold and silver coin in the colonies,
Pennsylvania essentially became a pioneer in
government -backed fiat currency. They invented
and issued something called colonial scrip. Interest
-free paper money. Interest -free paper money
issued by the government and backed by land.
That sounds like a system designed to solve the
problem of government debt without crushing people
with taxes. That's precisely what it was. It
functioned as a bill of credit because the colony
could fund infrastructure, defense, all these
public works without paying compounding interest
on external debt. They could largely cover the
expense of government. Which means lower taxes.
Greatly reduced the need for heavy taxation and
promoted general employment and prosperity. And
this wasn't just some fringe experiment. Benjamin
Franklin himself was a huge supporter. He was.
He helped design the system and called its utility
never to be disputed. Franklin saw its power
to stimulate the economy. It was a functioning,
successful proto -fiat currency system that let
Pennsylvania finance its own growth. So, of course,
the British had to shut it down. Of course. The
British Parliament saw it as this uncontrollable
threat to their own mercantile system and their
control over colonial finance. So they shut it
down completely with the Currency Act of 1764.
Wait, so the Crown essentially suppressed a wildly
successful economic system run by the colonists.
That sounds like a textbook definition of an
ignition point. for a revolution. It absolutely
was. The Currency Act was one of the many, many
grievances that pushed the colonies toward independence,
especially Pennsylvania, which suddenly felt
the chokehold of British economic control. The
stage was set for Philadelphia to become the
indispensable political capital of this budding
nation. And the timeline just confirms it. Philadelphia
hosts the Stamp Act Congress in 1765. The first
major unifying meeting of delegates from the
colonies to protest British policy. And that
was just the beginning. then the First Continental
Congress in 74, and then, crucially, the Second
Continental Congress in 75. And it was in Philadelphia
that George Washington was appointed to command
the Continental Army, and where, on July 4, 1776,
the Declaration of Independence was debated and
unanimously adopted. Even when the British temporarily
took the city, Pennsylvania remained central.
It did. The Continental Congress just relocated
first to Lancaster, then to York. And it was
in York that they adopted the Articles of Confederation.
As soon as Philly was secure again, they went
right back to finish the job. The next big step
being the U .S. Constitution, drafted and signed
at the Pennsylvania Statehouse, which we now
know as Independence Hall. The role Pennsylvania
played in birthing every single foundational
document of the nation is just unmatched. It
truly defines the Keystone name. But there's
a detail from that era that often gets missed
about the ratification process that highlights
the early struggles with inclusion in American
democracy. You're talking about the German population.
Exactly. Yeah. So Pennsylvania was the second
state to ratify the Constitution on December
12th, 1787. At that time, about a third of the
state's population spoke German. This was from
the massive influx of German pietists who had
sought that religious freedom under Penn's charter.
So how did they ensure this huge minority group
could participate? They officially translated
the Constitution into German for dissemination
across the state. They wanted to make sure this
population was fully informed. and could be part
of this momentous decision. That's incredible.
And get this, the chairman of the ratifying convention
himself, Reverend Frederick Muhlenberg, was a
Lutheran minister who later became the very first
speaker of the U .S. House of Representatives.
That level of linguistic inclusion right at the
foundational moment of the country is just a
stunning detail. Moving into the 19th century,
Pennsylvania remains foundational, but the context
shifts dramatically from political birth to...
National survival. We have to talk about the
Civil War and specifically that tragic turning
point in Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg
fought over three days in July 1863. It wasn't
just the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. It
remains the bloodiest engagement in all of American
military history. Over 51 ,000 combined casualties.
51 ,000. It was Lee's final desperate attempt
to invade the North, and it was decisively repulsed.
The sheer cost of that victory changed the course
of the war entirely. It did. It prevented the
Confederacy from getting European recognition,
and it solidified the Union's path to victory.
Four months later, President Lincoln delivered
the 271 -word Gettysburg Address, elevating the
purpose of the war to preserving not just the
Union, but the core principles of liberty and
equality. And the state's contribution in terms
of manpower was immense. That's massive. An estimated
350 ,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army.
And that number included 8 ,600 African -American
volunteers who fought for the cause of freedom.
After the war, Pennsylvania shifts again. From
the cradle of liberty to the forge of global
industry, the Gilded Age. This is where the state
becomes globally synonymous with steel, coal,
and oil. The transformation was total. Pittsburgh
became the epicenter, thanks to figures like
Andrew Carnegie and his Carnegie Steel. And over
in the Lehigh Valley, you had Charles M. Schwab
building Bethlehem Steel. Which became one of
the largest shipbuilding and steel companies
in the world. In the world. It operated for over
150 years. And the birth of the American oil
industry, we always think Texas, but it wasn't
Texas. It was western Pennsylvania. It was. Edwin
Drake struck oil in Titusville in 1859, and it
just launched this massive boom. For years, western
PA supplied oil. applied the vast majority of
the world's kerosene and oil. Which led to the
rise of monopolists like Rockefeller. Exactly.
John D. Rockefeller, who completely dominated
the refining and distribution side of things.
And where you have that kind of intense industrialization,
you get the labor movement. Pennsylvania was
the site of the first documented organized strike
in North America, highlighting that brutal conflict
between corporate titans and the working class.
And the conflict was ferocious. You see these
major flashpoints like the Great Railroad Strike
of 1877 and especially the massive coal strike
of 1902. The sources paint a picture of just
unchecked corporate power. They do. For example,
industrialists often employed their own private
police forces, the infamous coal and iron police.
Private police. Yeah, they were essentially deputized
to suppress any union organization. It was almost
medieval, a system where corporations controlled
both the jobs and the enforcement of the law
against their own workers. Critics at the time,
like Rockefeller's, accused him of basically
controlling the state legislature. Widely accused
of it. And that's why the outcomes of these bitter
struggles were so monumental. The eventual adoption
of the eight hour day, the banning of those private
corporate police forces. It all illustrates Pennsylvania's
crucial and often violent role in defining modern
American labor relations. That industrial history
is so tied to the land, which brings us to geography.
It's kind of wild to think that this state, the
forge of the nation, is also one of the most
heavily forested places in the Northeast. And
that gets us to a fundamental geographic paradox.
Pennsylvania is the only one of the original
13 colonies that does not have a direct non -tidal
border with the Atlantic Ocean. Right. It's landlocked
in that sense. But it still have 140 miles of
total waterfront between Lake Erie in the northwest
and the tidal Delaware River in the east. It's
a physically massive state, 33rd largest. But
the interior landscape is really defined by its
mountains. The whole center is dominated by the
Appalachian mountain chain. You've got the dramatic
Allegheny Mountains, the popular Pocono Mountains
in the northeast. And it is still wonderfully
forested. Nearly 60 percent of the state is covered
in timberland. Which supports that hardwood lumber
industry we'll get to. Exactly. And geographers
usually divide it into five distinct regions.
You have the Allegheny Plateau, which is rough,
high terrain. The Ridgen Valley, which is the
agricultural heartland. The Atlantic coastal
plain in the southeast. The Piedmont with its
rolling hills. And then the Erie plain up by
the lake. And the climate is just as transitional.
It sits on this kind of continental razor's edge.
The topography dictates the weather. So the state
straddles the humid. continental climate in the
interior, you know, cold, snowy winters, and
the humid subtropical climate down south, especially
around Philadelphia. And if you're near Lake
Erie, you get that famous lake effect snow. Oh,
yeah. It dramatically increases snowfall. Western
areas can see well over 100 inches a year. And
we often forget Pennsylvania is also part of
a secondary tornado alley. It is. Major outbreaks
are less frequent than in the plains, but the
state sees tornadoes every year. I think in 2011,
they recorded 30 tornadoes across the state.
The diverse landscape just ensures no two regions
really get the same weather. So let's talk about
the people, because that's a story of incredible
rapid change. The sources point to some really...
counterintuitive migration dynamics. This is
a powerful insight into the state's current identity.
Surprisingly, there is a net migration out of
the state by native born Pennsylvanians. So there's
a domestic population decrease. But the state
is growing. It is because strong international
immigration completely offsets that trend, leading
to a net population increase. So the growth is
entirely from people arriving from outside the
U .S. Entirely. As of 2021, 7 .2 percent of the
population is foreign born and the source regions
are fascinatingly Asia is 36 percent, Europe
is about 36 percent, and Latin America is about
30 percent. So what are the largest ancestry
groups overall, still the historic ones? Yes,
the largest groups still reflect those 19th and
early 20th century waves. So German is number
one at 28 .5 percent, then Irish, then Italian.
But the really dramatic shift is happening right
now. in the 21st century, especially with the
Hispanic and Latino population. The growth rate
is staggering. Between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic
or Latino population grew by 82 .6%. That's one
of the largest increases anywhere in the country.
And what's driving that? It's a few things. Migration
from Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic,
but also secondary migration from higher cost
places like New York City and New Jersey. And
this population isn't just settling randomly.
It's geographically concentrated in key areas
that really feed into that urban and suburban
political dynamic we've been talking about. That's
the key takeaway. About 85 % of this growing
population lives within a 150 -mile radius of
Philadelphia. You see major concentrations in
the Lehigh Valley Allentown, Bethlehem, and in
south -central PA, in cities like Reading, Lancaster,
and York. I think Allentown's Puerto Rican population
is huge, right? By 2000, it was already over
40 % of the city's population. time, the Asian
population swelled by almost 60 % in that same
decade. You have large influxes of Indian, Vietnamese,
and Chinese immigrants, and they're also overwhelmingly
moving into the Philly and Pittsburgh suburban
areas. That level of demographic change in a
single generation has to change the state's cultural,
economic, and political map. Inevitably. On the
other end of the scale, Pennsylvania has a reputation
for being an aging state. It does. It has the
fourth highest proportion of elderly citizens,
65... up in the entire nation, about 15 .4%.
Which creates huge policy challenges. Tremendous
challenges. Healthcare, infrastructure, funding
for social services. It's a state that is simultaneously
experiencing this rapid youthification through
immigration and population aging through long
-term resident retention. It's a real demographic
tug of war. That history of immigration gives
Pennsylvania one of the most unique linguistic
tapestries in the nation. We have to talk about
the famous or maybe infamous Pennsylvania Dutch.
Right. And we have to start by clarifying the
language. It is Pennsylvania German. It's a descendant
of the German Palatine dialect. So why do we
call it Dutch? It's just a misnomer, an anglicization
of the German word Deutsch. Now, as an everyday
language outside of the plain communities, it's
nearly extinct. But its persistence within those
communities is a global anomaly. You mean among
the old order Amish and Mennonites? Precisely.
Among them, it's still a highly vital first language.
This concentration means Pennsylvania is a global
center for the Amish community. As of 2024, the
state's Amish population was almost 93 ,000,
second only to Ohio. Shifting to the broader
religious landscape, William Penn's legacy of
religious freedom really shaped the state. But
what does that profile look like today? Well,
historically, yes, it was defined by its Protestant
and Catholic roots. But the contemporary picture
reflects national trends with a really significant
shift. A recent poll from 2023 shows the largest
single group now identifies as unaffiliated.
Unaffiliated, meaning no religious association.
Right. They're at 32 .0 percent. So the largest
group is now the non -religious group. Just barely
edging out the established faiths. It is. Protestants
follow right behind at 29 .0 % and Catholics
are at 24 .0%. But the state is still a major
center for certain denominations, right? It is.
Because of its history with immigrants from Northern
Ireland and Scotland, Pennsylvania still has
the largest outright membership of Presbyterians
nationwide. And of course, it's central to the
Anabaptist communities. And what about the founders
themselves, the Quakers? They remain a presence,
but they are a tiny minority today. Only about
10 ,000 adherents. The legacy is powerful, but
the demographics have completely changed. That
history of industry and population growth leads
right into the state's massive economic footprint.
Pennsylvania's economic scale is genuinely hard
to grasp until you look at the comparative data.
It's a behemoth. The state's gross state product,
or GSP, is over a trillion dollars. $1 .017 trillion.
That ranks it as the sixth largest economy among
all U .S. states. A trillion dollars. To put
that in global context, if Pennsylvania were
its own country. It would be the world's 20th
largest economy. Right up there with nations
like Turkey or Switzerland. Wow. That's a powerful
measure of its corporate and industrial might.
And that power is concentrated. It's home to
a lot of Fortune 500 companies. 23 of them. And
that concentration helps anchor the regional
economies, especially in finance. The history
of American banking is just inextricably linked
to Philly and Pittsburgh. Right. The first nationally
chartered bank was in Philadelphia. The Bank
of North America in 1781. And then during the
Civil War, the state became home to the first
nationally chartered bank under the new 1863
National Banking Act. That was the first national
bank of Pittsburgh, which eventually became PNC,
which is now the nation's sixth largest bank.
So you can see the state has always been a financial
keystone. The narrative of Pennsylvania as the
Rust Belt implies decline. But modern Pennsylvania
has pivoted brilliantly into some massive niche
industries, especially in consumables. It's not
just the Keystone State. It's, and I love this,
the snack food capital of the world. It sounds
funny, but the numbers are deadly serious. Pennsylvania
leads the nation in production of two iconic
snack foods. First, potato chips. Like oats and
wise. Exactly. The state makes a quarter of the
nation's total output. Pretzels are the real
shocker. Okay, what are the numbers there? The
state is responsible for a whopping 80 % of the
nation's total pretzel manufacturing. 80%. 80.
This goes back to the strong German baking traditions.
Companies like Sturgis, which basically introduced
the pretzel to America in 1861, and Snyder's
of Hanover, they just dominate this sector globally.
And, of course, you can't forget chocolate. Hershey,
the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America.
When you add in beer production, Pennsylvania
ranks first in barrels produced annually at 3
.9 million, you realize the state completely
dominates the American appetite. And beyond snacks,
what other primary industries are still huge?
It's the nation's leader in hardwood lumber production.
It pulls over a billion board feeder using from
those vast forests we talked about. And in a
quirky detail, Pennsylvania is number one in
mushrooms. 68 farms that dominate the sector,
mostly feeding the whole eastern seaboard. But
the concentration of manufacturing is shifting
right away from heavy industry. It is. The old
centers, Philly, Pittsburgh, Erie, are still
important. But the Lehigh Valley has emerged
as this major epicenter for U .S. logistics and
intermodal transport. So that's the 21st century
pivot. Instead of forging the steel, the state
is now optimized for moving the finished goods.
That's it. Exactly. Its central geographic position,
the literal keystone between the Midwest and
the major markets of the Northeast, makes it
invaluable for modern commerce. for logistics,
for getting things from point A to point B. But
that transition from the heavy industrial era,
especially from King Cole, didn't come without
a severe ongoing cost. The state's mining legacy
is a heavy burden today. You have to acknowledge
the sheer scale of extraction. Since the mid
1700s, over 15 billion tons of coal were removed
from Pennsylvania's ground. Production peaked
in 1918 and the environmental scars are profound.
And the state has the largest inventory of abandoned
mines in the U .S. That's a massive problem that
goes way beyond just how it looks. It's a profound
crisis. We're talking about over 250 ,000 acres
of abandoned mine land. And this leads to two
critical ongoing problems, widespread water pollution
and ground subsidence. Let's break down the water
pollution. What is abandoned mine drainage, or
AMD? AMD is one of the most severe forms of water
pollution in the state. So when water filters
through old underground mines and spoils, which
contain sulfur -bearing minerals, it creates
sulfuric acid. And that acid leaches heavy metals.
Exactly. Iron, aluminum. which then get into
streams and rivers. And the sources confirm this
has resulted in permanent damage. Over 5 ,000
miles of streams in Pennsylvania are considered
permanently polluted by AMD. That's not just
some rust -colored runoff. That's ecologically
devastating. It destroys all aquatic life, eliminates
fishing, and it requires billions of dollars
in cleanup efforts that are still ongoing. And
ground subsidence, where the ground just gives
way, is an ongoing physical threat to entire
communities, right? It's a constant danger. You
remove all that underlying... and you're left
with these vast caverns. When the supports weaken
or collapse, the ground above just sinks. It
can damage homes, roads, infrastructure, all
without warning. It's a huge ongoing challenge.
So the infrastructure of the state has to be...
Top tier, given its role as this major east -west
connector. It's truly designed to fulfill that
keystone mandate. PendoT, the Department of Transportation,
owns the fifth largest state highway system in
the country. They maintain almost 40 ,000 miles
of roadway. And the Pennsylvania Turnpike is
often called... the state's spine. It's the critical
east -west corridor, 535 miles from the Ohio
border toward Philly and New Jersey. It was actually
one of the very first long -distance limited
access highways in the U .S., opening back in
the 40s and 50s. Rail infrastructure is just
as important, especially for modern logistics.
And this is where Pennsylvania excels. The state
has the highest number of short -line freight
railroads in the country, 67 of them. And what
do those do? They're small, independent lines
that connect industrial sites, farms, mines to
the major mainline carriers like Norfolk Southern
and CSX. It makes the state highly adaptable
for shipping all kinds of specialized freight.
And for passenger rail, Philly is a major hub.
Philadelphia's 30th street station is Amtrak's
third busiest station in the entire country.
And the Keystone Corridor links Harrisburg and
Philly with electrified high speed service, integrating
the state directly into that major eastern rail
network. And finally, water connectivity is still
crucial, despite its inland status. Absolutely.
Pittsburgh, though it's landlocked, is a major
river port. The Port of Pittsburgh is the second
largest inland port in the United States by tonnage.
That's incredible. And here's an impressive detail.
The Allegheny River Lock and Dam 2 is the most
used lock operated by the Army Corps of Engineers
nationwide. out of 255 total. That just underscores
the immense volume of commerce moving through
the state's waterways. Let's shift gears to how
the state is governed and, crucially, how it
votes. You mentioned the state is governed by
a dizzying 2 ,562 municipalities. That sounds
like one of the most complex local governance
structures in the country. It is a maze. You
start with 67 counties, and then under that,
you have this vast array of municipalities. Right.
The classification system for cities is based...
entirely on population. So Philadelphia is the
only first class city. And Pittsburgh and Scranton
are second class. Right. And everyone else, major
population centers like Allentown and Reading,
they're all third class cities. And then you
have boroughs and townships. What's the practical
difference for people who live there? So there
are 958 boroughs. They're generally smaller,
denser communities, often the original settlements.
They usually provide more local services than
townships. And there are over 1 ,500 townships.
Yes, and they're split into first class and second
class based on density. But the true beloved
quirk is Bloomsburg. The lone town in Pennsylvania.
Yes. Officially incorporated in 1870, Bloomsburg
is the only incorporated entity in Pennsylvania
legally called a town. Everything else is a city,
borough, or township. It just highlights the
idiosyncratic nature of local government history
there. If the governance is complex, the tax
system, especially locally, has become highly
criticized and really confusing for residents.
It has. The state level is pretty straightforward.
a flat 3 .07 % personal income tax, and a standard
sales tax. The real complexity comes from the
local wage taxes. Where school districts, boroughs,
townships can all assess their own tax. That's
where the trouble starts. Unlike a lot of states
where local tax collection is centralized, Pennsylvania
largely outsources this to private, non -governmental
agencies. The system has been widely described
as tax farming. That sounds like a historical
term that shouldn't apply today. Why do they
do that? These agencies have contracts with the
local municipalities and they're compensated
based on the taxes they collect, often including
penalties and interest. So critics argue it creates
an incentive for really aggressive collection.
And the main problem is just sheer confusion.
Total confusion. If you live in Township A but
work in Borough B, you have to navigate multiple
local rules and file with the right private collector
for your residence and your work. When people
move or commute across these lines, which is
incredibly common, they often fail to file with
the right local collector and then get hit with
massive failure to file penalties, even if they
don't actually owe any more tax. So you're penalized
not for the amount you owe, but for sending the
form to the wrong place and a private agent.
agency profits from that confusion. That's it.
Exactly. And attempts to centralize and simplify
this at the state level have so far been unsuccessful.
Which brings us to perhaps the most famous contemporary
attribute of Pennsylvania. Its identity as the
crucial swing state. It holds 19 electoral votes,
making it central to any presidential strategy.
The volatility is undeniable. Pennsylvania trended
reliably Democratic in presidential elections
from 1992 through 2012. Then it flipped Republican
in 2016, flipped back Democrat in 2020 and, according
to the sources, swung Republican again in 2024.
That constant back and forth defines it as the
ultimate national political battleground. It
does. And we understand this volatility through
that political geography famously described by
James Carville. Philadelphia in the east, Pittsburgh
in the west, and Alabama in the middle. That
phrase just vividly paints the state's political
map. It perfectly describes the T -map that you
see in almost every statewide election. The top
bar of the T is formed by the Democratic -leaning
metro areas and the surrounding river valleys.
The Delaware Valley, Lehigh Valley, and Greater
Pittsburgh. That's the blue anchor. But is that
phrase, Alabama in the middle, an oversimplification
of the rural interior? Is it uniformly Republican
or is there still some of that old working class
union history that complicates it? That's a fair
challenge. While the vertical stem of the rural
center is reliably Republican now, it wasn't
always. Historically, parts of that center had
strong Democratic ties through industrial unions,
especially in the coal regions. But those areas
have shifted overwhelmingly. Overwhelmingly Republican,
driven by cultural and economic concerns related
to the decline of those industries. So now you
have this reliably Republican vertical stem trying
to counterbalance the immense population density
of the two urban anchors. And the most fascinating
dynamic that determines which way that tease
tilts is the massive shift in the suburbs. That
suburban volatility is the true key. Historically,
moderate Republicans used to rely heavily on
the affluent Philly suburbs, the collar counties.
Chester, Bucks, Montgomery. Right. Those suburbs
have now decisively swung Democratic, often due
to higher education levels and cultural alignment.
That's a massive loss for the GOP. But at the
same time, the Pittsburgh suburbs, which were
historically Democratic. and tidy unions have
shown a pronounced shift toward the Republican
column in the 21st century, often aligning with
national Republican populist and economic messages.
So it's a massive swap. Democrats gained the
votes in the East that Republicans lost and Republicans
gained votes in the West that Democrats lost.
The net result is this excruciatingly tight,
oscillating swing state where suburban turnout
decides everything. Perfectly put. Let's move
to culture. This diversity in geography and politics
translates directly into wildly distinct regional
food traditions. We've established it as the
snack food capital, but let's talk regional culinary
identity. You really have three culinary worlds
here. In Philadelphia, you have the famous classics,
cheese steaks, hoagies, and then the uniquely
regional stuff like scrapple. Which is a dense
mix of pork scraps and cornmeal. It is. And then
you have the popular Tasty Cake brand. But then
you move west to Pittsburgh and the identity
shifts completely. It's defined by Heinz ketchup,
of course, and these hearty blue -collar classics.
Primanti Brothers sandwiches with the fries and
coleslaw right inside. Essential. As are pierogies,
which reflect the city's deep Eastern European
roots. And we can't forget the unique Italian
pizza specialties of Northeast PA. This is a
deep regional quirk. Outside of Scranton, the
town of Old Forge has dozens of Italian restaurants
specializing in what's often called Old Forge
pizza. Which is rectangular, thick crust, and
often uses American cheese. Or a blend of cheddar
and mozzarella. It's this unique deviation that
reflects the regional palette and shows just
how varied the food culture is. And then you
have the Pennsylvania Dutch staples that influence
the central counties. Things like shuffley pie,
which is a molasses -based treat, and the tradition
of eating sauerkraut and pork for good luck on
New Year's Day. And we have to clarify, Pennsylvania
Dutch chicken pot pie is actually a thick soup
with square egg noodles, not the baked dish.
Sports is another defining identifier, often
creating these intense rivalries between East
and West. Philadelphia is often called the nation's
best sports city. That claim is often backed
by the sheer concentration of teams and the legendary,
almost fanatical passion of the fan base. Philly
has five major league teams, the Eagles, 76ers,
Phillies, Flyers and the Union in MLS. But while
Philly has the breadth, Pittsburgh is defined
by its success. Absolutely. The Steelers have
six Super Bowls. The Penguins have five Stanley
Cups. The Pirates have five World Series titles.
This dual city dominance creates endless cross
-state tension. There's never a dull moment.
And beyond the pros, we have to highlight the
incredible strength of college sports, especially
football and wrestling. College football is huge.
Penn State and Pitt are the historic rivals.
Pitt claims nine national championships. Penn
State claims two. And Penn State's Beaver Stadium
is massive, the nation's second largest, seating
over 106 ,000 people. But wrestling is where
Pennsylvania is arguably the most dominant force
in the country. It really is. Coach Kale Sanderson
has become a dynasty, winning 10 NCAA Division
I wrestling championships. That's second only
to Oklahoma State in history. And Lehigh University
has also produced 28 individual national champions.
And speaking of dynasties, the Andretti Racing
family comes from Nazareth in the Lehigh Valley.
Right. And Pocono Raceway hosts major NASCAR
and IndyCar events. So motorsports are a strong
part of the state's culture that often gets overlooked.
Finally, let's end on a note of recreation and
accessibility. One impressive fact stands out
about the state's commitment to public enjoyment.
Which is that all 121 state parks in Pennsylvania
offer free admission. That is phenomenal public
access to that nearly 60 % forested landscape.
And for outdoor enthusiasts, Pennsylvania offers
world -class hunting. It's consistently considered
one of the finest wild turkey hunting states
in the nation. And it holds the second highest
number of record black bears, behind only Wisconsin.
It's a huge boost to the state's economy through
tourism and licensing. So we have completed our
deep dive into the Keystone State. We've gone
from the ancient mysteries of Meadowcroft Rock
Shelter to William Penn's unique, peaceful founding
based on radical religious freedom. We've seen
its profound centrality to the American project,
hosting the Continental Congresses, ratifying
the Constitution in two languages to ensure inclusion
and acting as the turning point in the Civil
War at Gettysburg. And economically, it shifted
so violently from that global forge of steel
and coal to the modern logistics epicenter with
that surprising niche dominance in snack food.
And politically, we now understand the state
through the lens of that volatile, constantly
shifting team map where the Democratic urban
populations battle the reliably Republican rural
center. It is a state of profound, often contradictory
contrasts. Constantly pulled between its history
as an industrial power and its future as a demographic
and logistical hub. Which brings us back to the
dynamic changes happening right now. Our sources
show that while state politics are currently
defined by that urban -rural tea split, we also
highlighted the recent history of profound demographic
change. The Hispanic and Latino population grew
by over 82 percent, and the Asian population
swelled by almost 60 percent in the last census
cycle. And critically, both of those rapidly
growing populations are concentrating heavily
in the metropolitan and suburban areas that form
the blue anchors of that T. So the provocative
thought for you to mull over is this. Given that
these nonwhite populations are growing so rapidly
and are concentrated specifically in the metro
and suburban regions that historically tilt the
state toward the Democratic column, how rapidly
will these profound demographic shifts rebalance
the political power structure in the coming decades?
And what would a post -T political map of Pennsylvania
look like? If the people change, the political
geography simply must change. That's a fascinating
question for the nation's ultimate swing state.
That's the deep dive on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for joining us.