1. In 1777, the Battle of Germantown was fought in Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War. Although the British held the field after the battle, American forces continued to harass them and the British eventually withdrew from Philadelphia.
2. In 1830, the first commercial railway line in the United States began operating between Philadelphia and Columbia, Pennsylvania. The line was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and revolutionized transportation in the region.
3. In 1940, the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened to traffic. This toll road extended from Carlisle to Irwin and was the first long-distance limited access highway in the United States.
4. In 1975, Joe Biden, then a senator from Delaware, was involved in a serious car accident on a Pennsylvania highway. Biden's wife and daughter were killed in the accident and Biden himself suffered serious injuries.
5. In 1994, the Philadelphia Phillies won the National League pennant, earning them a spot in the World Series for the first time since 1983. Although they ultimately lost the championship to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Phillies' success helped reinvigorate baseball in Philadelphia.