Philadelphia , also sometimes called Philly , is a big city on the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania . It has about 1 .5 million people , estimates from the United States Census Bureau show .
William Penn , an Englishman and member of the Christian group known as Quakers , founded Pennsylvania in the sixteen eighties . He also designed the city . Penn chose the name Philadelphia - a term he interpreted to mean "city of brotherly love " in Greek .
Philadelphia is famous for holding an important place in American history . It served as the nation's capital from 1785 to 1790 . Earlier , it was the capital of the American colonies during most of the Revolutionary War against Britain .
Philadelphia became the central meeting place for the "Founding Fathers " who created the United States government . The buildings where they worked can be seen today in an area called the Old City , or Independence National Historical Park .
The main building is Independence Hall . That was where colonial leaders declared independence and later debated the creation of a government .
The National Park Service says more than 2 .6 million people visited Independence National Historical Park last year .
Close to the park is the National Liberty Museum . It holds a collection of more than ninety paintings and sculptures . They represent the idea that liberty is a freedom that is easily violated .
Several blocks away lies the National Constitution Center . This privately operated nonprofit museum opened its doors in Philadelphia on July 4 , 2003 . It was created to increase public recognition of the Constitution , its history , and its importance today . Visitors are presented with the idea that the most important part of American constitutional democracy is the individual citizen .
Rich with tradition , Philadelphia offers plenty for visitors who are less concerned about history and more concerned about their stomachs . There are many food choices for hungry visitors . Reading Terminal Market , for example , is one of the nation’s largest public markets .
At Reading Terminal Market , visitors can find all kinds of foods -- including , of course , Philly cheesesteak . The city is known for these sandwiches . They are made of thin pieces of meat covered with cheese . A cheesesteak is offered with onions and other toppings and served on a long roll .
And where might a visitor find the best Philly cheesesteak ? That question is the subject of much debate .
I’m John Russell .
Nancy Steinbach wrote this story for VOA Learning English . John Russell adapted it .
interpret – v. to explain or tell the meaning of something
sculpture – n. a three-dimensional work of art (such as a statue)
museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (as works of art or historical or scientific objects) are collected and shown to the public
sandwich – n. one or more slices of bread or a roll with a filling or spread
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