Liberty Bell
Why was the Liberty Bell commissioned?
Where was the Liberty Bell originally cast?
What happened to the Liberty Bell during the American Revolution?
When did the Liberty Bell acquire its famous crack?
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Liberty Bell, historic bell in Philadelphia that is one of the most enduring symbols of freedom in the United States. Commissioned in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for the new State House (later Independence Hall), the bell became associated with the American Revolution and is now displayed at the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park. Some two million people visit the bell each year.
Commissioning and casting
The bell was commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s Charter of Privileges, which had granted important political and religious rights to Pennsylvania colonists. Cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, it arrived in Philadelphia in August 1752.
The bell cracked while being tested shortly after its arrival. Rather than return it to England, officials had it recast locally by Philadelphia founders John Pass and John Stow. The first recasting produced an unsatisfactory tone, and the bell was recast a second time before being hung in the State House steeple in June 1753.
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The bell weighs about 2,080 pounds (943 kg), measures about 12 feet (3.7 meters) in circumference around its lip, and stands approximately 3 feet (1 meter) high. It bears the inscription “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10), a biblical passage that later contributed greatly to its symbolic significance.
The American Revolution
A widespread historical legend claims that the bell was rung on July 4, 1776, to announce the Continental Congress’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence, but there is no evidence to support this claim.
During the American Revolution the bell was removed from Philadelphia for safekeeping. In 1777, as British troops approached the city, the bell was transported to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where it was hidden in Zion’s Reformed Church to prevent its seizure and possible melting for military use.
The famous crack
The precise history of the bell’s famous crack remains uncertain. According to a widespread tradition, it cracked while tolling in 1835 following the death of Chief Justice John Marshall, though historians have not verified that account.
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In 1846 attempts were made to repair the bell so that it could be rung in celebration of George Washington’s birthday. During the festivities the crack widened irreparably, ending the bell’s service as a functioning instrument. The broad fissure visible today is partly the result of efforts to prevent the crack from spreading.
Legacy
The bell was not known as the Liberty Bell until 1835, when the name appeared in an abolitionist pamphlet. Antislavery activists adopted the bell and its scriptural inscription as symbols of the movement to end slavery.
By the late 19th century the Liberty Bell had become a national symbol. It was transported to expositions and public celebrations throughout the United States, allowing millions of Americans to view it. Concern for its preservation eventually ended these tours, and the bell remained permanently in Philadelphia.