by Lisa Miller

Created on: April 21, 2008   Last Updated: December 05, 2008

Philadelphia does not just have the nickname "The City of Brotherly Love", that is actually what the term Philadelphia means in Greek. Many think its just a term associated with the ways and general feeling of the city, however that is not so true. This city got its name through a sequence of popular events in history, makeing Philadelphia a city of love and friendship.

It all began in 1681. Charles II of England needed to pay back William Penn some debt. He did not grant him money, or anything else, he granted him a charter that would later become the Pennsylvania Colony. William Penn took this colony and had a plan to create a city on the Delaware River for government purposes. Charles also bought nearby land from the Indian Colony, just to keep peace with the other colonies surrounding him. William Penn was a Quaker who experienced a lot of problems with debates over religion and religious persecution. William wanted his land to be place where anyone could worship any religion without paying a price. That was when Penn picked out the name Philadelphia, which is Greek for "Brotherly Love."

Penn had a great idea for his colony. He wanted to keep it more rural. Houses and business were seperated by forests and orchards. The colony dwellers did not follow this plan, and resold their lots to be subdivided. Before Penn left the colonoy for the last time, he issued the Charter of 1701, making Philadelphia a city. Philadelphia continued to grow and grow, with residents and trade centers. Philadelphia became the larges United States City, and lobbied to become the US capital due to its central location and what it had to offer. However, as new cities came alone, people left, and business left, creating new major cities such as New York.

That is the first beginnings of Philadelphia, and why it is "The City of Brotherly Love." Philadelphia has a rich history, and amazing story. William Penn surely had a great idea for the city, making it what it is today. So take the time to embrace what the city stands for, and know that Brotherly Love is radiating from everywhere around you. In Philadelphia, "The City of Brotherly Love" is more than a mere nickname, it was what it was founded for. It was established for purpose and meaning, even back in the earliest of times.

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