Pennsylvania: Polity Style: 1681-1776

4/14 Mar 1681	William Penn is granted a portion of territory in North America, erected into a "province and Seigniorie" under the name of Pensilvania, to be governed by him and his heirs as true and absolute proprietaries, in accordance with letters patent (charter) issued by command of the King of England on 4/14 Mar 1681 (Pennsylvania Archives, 4th series, 1:1-18) [1]
Jun/Jul 1681	the proprietary government of the Province of Pennsylvania is effectively established following the arrival of the Deputy Governor in the territory granted by the Charter [2]
Jun/Jul 1681 - 25 Jul 1776	Province of Pennsylvania
26 Apr/6 May 1693	due to "great Neglects and miscarriages in the government" and the absence of the proprietary, the Province of Pennsylvania is placed under "Immediate care and protection" of the King and Queen of England, to be administered by a Captain General and Governor-in-Chief, whose commission of 21/31 Oct 1692 is read and published at a public ceremony in Philadelphia on 26 Apr/6 May 1693 (Pennsylvania Provincial Council Minutes, 1:364)
26 Mar/5 Apr 1695	the proprietary of Pennsylvania is restored to the government of the province in accordance with letters patent issued by command of the King and Queen of England on 20/30 Aug 1694 at Westminster, read and published at a meeting of the Council in Philadelphia on 26 Mar/5 Apr 1695 (Pennsylvania Provincial Council Minutes, 1:472-475)
24 Jun 1776	the deputies of the people of Pennsylvania expressed their willingness to concur in a vote of the Continental Congress, declaring the United Colonies free and independent Sates, in accordance with a declaration adopted by the Provincial Conference of Committees of Pennsylvania on 24 Jun 1776 (Pennsylvania Conference of Committees 1776, pp. 24-25)
4 Jul 1776	the British colonies represented in the Continental Congress are proclaimed free and independent states in accordance with a declaration approved at the session of the Congress held on 4 Jul 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Continental Congress Journals, 5:510-515; The Pennsylvania Evening Post, No. 228, 6 Jul 1776, pp. 335-336)
8 Jul 1776	the Declaration of Independence of the United States is proclaimed at a public ceremony held in Philadelphia on 8 Jul 1776 (Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2481, 10 Jul 1776, p. 2)
25 Jul 1776	the Declaration of Independence of the United States is approved by a resolution passed at a session of the Convention ("representatives of the freemen of the state of Pennsylvania, in general convention assembled") held in Philadelphia on 25 Jul 1776 (Pennsylvania Convention Proceedings 1776, p. 11)

The draft of the charter was transmitted to the King in Council, who on 25 Feb/7 Mar 1681 named the colony "Pensilvania," approved the text of the charter, and ordered a bill prepared for its passage. The king's bill was signed by Charles II on 28 Feb/10 Mar 1681 and the charter passed the Great Seal on 4/14 Mar 1681.
On his way to Pennsylvania, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania William Markham landed in New York some time before 21 Jun/1 Jul 1681, when he secured the issuance of a proclamation by Commander-in-Chief of New York Brockholes releasing the justices and inhabitants of Pennsylvania from their allegiance to the Duke of York. Markham then proceeded to the Lower Counties (Delaware) arriving either in late June or July 1681. The exact date is unknown, but it occurred before 3/13 Aug 1681, the day when the members of the Council appointed by Markham signed their attestation (oath of office) at Upland.