COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

PROCLAMATION
CHARTER DAY
March 14, 2016
WHEREAS, on March 14, 1681, King Charles II of England granted a Charter to
William Penn entitling him to 47 million acres of land in America that became Penns Woods;
and
WHEREAS, William Penn chose to create a system of government based upon the
pure and unadulterated principles of peace, reason, and right; and
WHEREAS, Penns vision of a land of peace, justice, equality, and freedom for all men
and women and his belief in a government where laws rule, and people are a party to those
laws have become national traditions; and
WHEREAS, we, as citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, benefit from and
recognize our responsibility to protect for future generations those rights established by
William Penn; and
WHEREAS, the Charter marks the formal beginning of the Commonwealth and serves
as Pennsylvanias birth certificate.
THEREFORE, I, Tom Wolf, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do
hereby proclaim March 14, 2016, CHARTER DAY in Pennsylvania and encourage all citizens
to celebrate the 335th anniversary of the Charter by honoring the principles set forth by our
founder, William Penn.
GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the
Governor, at the City of Harrisburg, on this
eighth day of March in the year of our Lord two
thousand and sixteen, and of the Commonwealth
the two hundred and fortieth.

TOM WOLF
Governor