The University of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania), abbreviated as Penn, is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a prestigious private research university in the United States, one of the eight Ivy League schools. Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, it is the fourth oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and the first modern institution of higher education in science, technology, and the humanities. Nine signers of the Declaration of Independence and 11 signers of the U.S. Constitution are associated with the university.