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Philadelphia does an absolutely terrible job remembering its own history.

And for many of your listeners, I think that's going to come as a real shock because you can't

swing a dead cat in Center City without hitting something of historical value or importance.

But what I would suggest is we over-remember the era of the American Revolution and we under-remember everything else.

Hello and welcome to episode 411 of Ben Franklin's World, the podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about how the

people and events of our early American past have shaped the present day world we live in.

And I'm your host, Liz Covart.

250 years ago in May 1775, delegates from 13th American colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the second

Continental Congress. Why was Philadelphia chosen as the seat of Congress? What made the city a critical

hub for revolutionary ideas, commerce, and culture? And how has Philadelphia's early history

shaped the broader narrative of American independence? Paul Caham, a historian of American

political, economic, and urban history, joins us to explore Philadelphia's early American history

with details from his book, Philadelphia, a narrative history, which is the first comprehensive

history book about Philadelphia in over 40 years. Now, during our conversation, Paul reveals how Philadelphia's

colonial and revolutionary past made it the cultural, intellectual, and political capital of early America.

Why Philadelphia's diversity, geography, and economic power made it ideal for convening

Second Continental Congress. And how William Penn's plans for a

tolerant, organized, and profitable city collided with the realities of urban growth and

revolutionary change. But first, this episode was inspired by you. You've been asking for an

episode about the history of the city of Philadelphia for a while, and it took me some time, but I found a great way to cover it for you. So thank you for your curiosity, suggestions,

and your questions, because your questions help shape this interview. Now, if you'd like to connect

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