On this date: Philadelphia moves toward self-governance

How it works: Incorporation unlocked the key to Philly's self-governance, paving the way for the city to create its own laws, elect local leaders, levy taxes, and establish municipal services from police to roads.

Fun facts: Philly was the first incorporated city in Pennsylvania, and, at the time, the nation's largest city and capital.

What they're saying: As Doug Miller, director of Pennsbury Manor, tells Axios: It was "that first step as a Commonwealth."