Pearl Harbor, or Naval Station Pearl, is the location of America's major naval base in the Pacific.
As such, the Japanese bombers were looking to strike at the many American naval aircraft carriers and shifts that were in dock that December morning in 1941 and did enormous damage to many American ships.
Port cities of the middle colonies became bustling community centers because trade was very important and happened there. Many of the merchants lived in Philadelphia or New York City.
To protect government officials.
