This past summer I moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia. When people now come to visit my family and I the Liberty Bell is always on their “to do” list. I have now seen the Liberty Bell six times and I am sure that number will only increase the longer I live in this area. On my most recent visit to the bell, my brother-in-law turned to me for a quick history lesson on it since I am known as the family historian. To my horror I realized even after five previous visits I really knew very little about this popular U.S. symbol, so this blog will serve to educate both my blog readers and myself.
First and foremost the Liberty Bell was not always called the “Liberty Bell”, but more about that later. The bell was originally made in London and was ordered by the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, in 1751, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania’s original constitution drafted by William Penn in 1701. The bell’s inscription states “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all Inhabitants thereof”, which is a bible verse from the book of Leviticus. This verse was included to honor William Penn’s vision of freedom of religion. A vision he had over 70 years before the American Revolution and a vision Pennsylvania was proud of. Upon the bell’s arrival it was hung in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia (now referred to as Independence Hall) and became known as the State House Bell. The bell cracked the very first time it was rung. Philadelphia craftsmen, John Pass and John Stow, were entrusted to repair the crack in 1753 by completely recasting the bell using the same metal.
The bell was rehung in the State House and rang many times over a 90 year period alerting the City of Philadelphia to public announcements. Arguably the most important announcement occurred on July 8, 1776, the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Over the 90 years, and many tolls, a small crack once again appeared and by 1846 it was greatly affecting the bell’s tone. The bell was once again repaired and it would ring one more time in honor of George Washington’s Birthday in February of the same year. The repair failed and the bell has not rung since.
The bell did not take on its symbolism of Liberty, and its name, until a group of abolitionists adopted the bell as a symbol for their cause. The bell’s symbolism for freedom and independence would continue up to the Civil War and take on an even greater meaning after the war’s end. In the last decades of the 19th century the “Liberty Bell” traveled the country to help the nation. It became the symbol of the liberty the United States had fought for and won in its battle for independence during the American Revolutionary War. The bell would later be used as a symbol in the fight for women’s rights and the Civil Rights movement.
So, the bell that couldn’t be fixed has become an international symbol of liberty and independence. Visitors from all over the world visit the bell now located in a building dedicated entirely to the bell and its history. The Liberty Bell Center is located in the bell’s home city of Philadelphia right across the street from where it originally hung in Independence Hall. And even though I have now visited the Liberty Bell six times I don’t think I will ever get tired of it. Looking at the Liberty Bell is like looking and at what all American’s holds dear and are proud of.
A Few Bell Facts:
Ø The bell also reads “By order of the assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House of Philad.” Note: Pennsylvania is misspelled. At the time the bell was made the spelling for Pennsylvania was not yet universally adopted.
Ø The Liberty Bell weight 2000 lbs.
Ø The bell was displayed in Independence Hall (on the first floor) until 1976 when it was moved to its own building.
Ø The Liberty Bell is owned by the City of Philadelphia
Ø No one knows why the bell originally cracked or continued to crack after two repair attempts.
Works Cited:
"The Liberty Bell". Independence Hall Association. 17 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/index.html>.
"Liberty Bell Center". National Park Service. 17 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell-center.htm>.
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