1. Pennsylvania became America's first religiously tolerant colony on November 18, 1681, when King Charles II of England granted a land charter to William Penn, a Quaker, empowering him to establish a colony that would become Pennsylvania.

2. On November 18, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery, where Union soldiers had been buried after the Battle of Gettysburg. The speech is considered one of the most famous speeches in American history.

3. The National Constitution Center, an interactive museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution, opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 2003. The museum's exhibits include an original copy of the U.S. Constitution and the interactive “American National Tree,” which allows visitors to learn about the country’s founding documents and key themes in American history.

4. On November 18, 1936, the University of Pittsburgh unveiled its groundbreaking Cathedral of Learning, a 42-story academic building that remains the second-tallest education building in the world. The structure contains classrooms and offices, as well as more than 30 nationality rooms that celebrate different cultures and ethnic groups, including the Irish, Italian, and Hungarian.

5. November 18, 1957, marks the date that the BR Class 55 diesel-electric locomotive was first introduced in Pennsylvania. Designed for hauling heavy freight, it was the largest diesel-electric locomotive built in the U.K. and was used on the Pennsylvania Railroad's extensive coal-hauling operations.