Sandy Hingston

76 Other Ways Philly Changed the World Yes, of course you know, we know, everyone knows. Philadelphia gave democracy to this nation — the Declaration, the Constitution, the whole grand, unruly American experiment. But Philly’s contributions to society didn’t stop with inventing an entire country (though, c’mon, if we’d quit right there, who would’ve blamed us?).

a. A notorious 1822 duel fought on the Philly waterfront between Admiral John C. Carstairs and a pirate captain known as Two-Tooth Taylor b. A bitter ecumenical argument in 1838 between local Episcopal bishop Richard Carstairs and Roman Catholic bishop William Higgins over a passage in the Book of Genesis c. The first planned set of identical Philly rowhomes, designed by architect Thomas Carstairs and built beginning in 1799 by developer William Sansom d.

Test your Philly history knowledge with our Semiquincentennial Quiz. This month: the American Revolution! This month, we’re digging into what might be the most vital part of Philly’s history to date: the American Revolutionary War. Strike up the fife and drum in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday, then take your best stab — okay, your best sword thrust — at answering the questions below. Don’t forget to check your score; how else are you gonna boast about how smart you are?