Philadelphia Swot Analysis

Inception

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” – George Santayana

The city of Philadelphia is much more than just a city. It is a complex web of
historical interactions shaped by an ocean of economic tides. It has been both blessed and scorned by its’ centuries of existence, both praised and cursed by its’ generations of inhabitants, seen both repetition and divergence, but one notion is certain: its’ evolution is perpetual. This analysis serves to journey through the vast history of Philadelphia, evaluating its’ economic successes and failures, while simultaneously gaining an understanding of how these outcomes shaped its’ evolutions as a city. The journey begins at the birthplace of Philadelphia, well before

its’ own conception.
Native American and European Influence, (Circa 1600 - 1681)

Prior to the founding of the city of Philadelphia, the land in which the city encompasses today, were inhabited by the Lenape Native American tribe.

Interestingly, the Lenape tribe chose to name some of their villages based upon the same topographical and geographical advantages that were identified as strong proponents to the founding of Philadelphia. These advantages would later provide Philadelphia with immense economic benefit. The village of Nitapèkunk, "Place that is easy to get to," was located in today's Fairmount Park area. This area is distinguishable due to a coupling of factors. It was easily accessible as it was located between the Schuykill and Delaware Rivers; which in this juncture run vertically parallel to each other; and the second factor being that the area was primarily flat and open. The village of Pèmikpeka, "Where the water flows," was located in close proximity to where the Schuykill and Delaware Rivers meet, which resulted in a substantial widening of the river that would later provide substantial economic benefits to the trade and shipping industries in the city of Philadelphia . European exploration and colonization in the Delaware River valley began in 1609 when Dutch explorer Henry Hudson first entered the Delaware River in search of the Northwest Passage. The Delaware River valley was quickly identified as an area rich in furs and tobacco. This created an enticing opportunity for traders and thus the area swiftly became a source of conflict.

Land claims in the Delaware River valley made by various European countries would continue to be a major source of conflict until the English conquest of the New Netherland land claim in 1664. The English would maintain and cultivate its claim to this land for the next seventeen years until 1681 .
The Birth of Pennsylvania, (1681 – 1683)

In 1681, Charles II of England granted William Penn a charter as part of a debt repayment for what would become the Pennsylvania colony.

At that current juncture in time, the area that would become modern day Philadelphia was inhabited by approximately fifty Europeans, a majority of who were subsistence farmers . Soon after being granted the charter by Charles II, Penn was quoted in saying that he would lay out, “a large towne or citty in the most convenient place upon the Delaware River for health and navigation.” One of his main objectives was to ensure the prosperity of his charter and that the city would be able thrive in a state of peace without the need for a fortress or walls. To accomplish this notion, Penn made legitimate purchase of the land from the Lenape tribe so as to have a dual and concrete claim to the land beyond his given charter . Once Penn had the necessary assurances for the city, he began the planning process by promoting a new form of city layout. Penn devised that the city should be laid out in a geometric grid more akin to the rural towns of England than to its’ crowded cities. He emphasized that houses were to be spread apart, surrounded by orchards and gardens. Within his planned gridiron, four squares (known today as Rittenhouse, Logan, Washington and Franklin) were set aside as parks open for everyone. Penn designed a central square to be surrounded by public buildings, which he specifically intended to include a market and state house. He

named the city Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, stemming from the latin words: (philos, "love" or "friendship", and adelphos, "brother"). The city granted the first purchasers land along the Delaware River as these plots of land were considered to be the most advantageous . Unfortunately for William Penn, the landowners did not share his passion for a low density city. Most land purchasers continued to buy land along the Delaware River, as they were opposed to spreading westward towards the Schuykill River. The plots of land that were purchased were then subdivided and resold, constructing more narrow roads between them that would connect to the main gridiron . Philadelphia witnesses its first evolution in this instance, experiencing the metamorphosis that is idea to execution.