The Liberty Bell is a symbol of American history, associated with events such as the War of Independence and the Civil War. It was ordered in 1751 to commemorate Pennsylvania’s first constitution, but was badly cracked and repaired multiple times. The bell weighs over a ton and strikes an E-flat note. It is displayed in Philadelphia and is famous for its large crack. The abolitionist movement turned it into a symbol of freedom, and it toured the United States before being kept in Philadelphia. There are also replicas and other bells on display in various locations.
The Liberty Bell is a large bronze bell that has become an important symbol for many Americans, thanks to the fact that it has been around longer than the United States itself. The Liberty Bell has been associated with several notable events in American history, including the War of Independence and the Civil War. People who wish to see the Liberty Bell can visit its hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the bell is displayed in a specially designed rotunda.
This bell is perhaps most famous for the large crack that runs up one side of the bell. The history of the crack is quite long, as the bell was actually cracked and repaired multiple times, but the irreparable crack appears to have surfaced in the mid-1800s, and was actually accidentally enlarged during attempts to repair the bell. Artwork featuring the Liberty Bell typically shows the crack, from when it became so well known.
The original Liberty Bell was ordered in 1751 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s charter, Pennsylvania’s first constitution. The bell was ordered from a British foundry and was initially known as the State House Bell, with the city intending to ring it on various occasions. However, the first bell was badly cracked and was melted down and recast almost immediately. After a second attempt to recast the bell in 1753, the city actually ordered a new bell, which was no better, so they ended up sticking with the original State House bell.
Members of the surrounding community frequently complained about the ringing of the bell, but by the late 1700s the bell and its steeple were so badly deteriorated that it is unlikely that the bell rang very often. When the great crack appeared in 1846, the bell rang only symbolically, but it had entered American consciousness. The abolitionist movement of the 1800s took advantage of the State House Bell, turning it into a symbol of their fight for freedom and renaming it the Liberty Bell. After the Civil War, the Liberty Bell toured the United States, until it was involved in a train accident and the city of Philadelphia decided to keep it at home.
The Liberty Bell weighs over a ton, and when it rings, it strikes an E-flat note. When the bell is struck today, it is usually struck lightly with hammers, rather than a clapper, to prevent further damage to the bell. Visitors to the bell can read the inscription “Proclaim freedom throughout the country to all its inhabitants” from Leviticus. The Liberty Bell is also stamped with “By order of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for the State House in Philada” as well as the names “Pass and Stow”, the bell reformers. You may notice that “Pennsylvania” is misspelled on the bell; indeed, the spelling of the state’s name was not consistent until the late 1800s.
Philadelphia is also home to the Centennial Bell, a gift given to the city in 1876, along with the Bicentennial Bell, a gift from Queen Elizabeth II given to the city in 1976. The Bicentennial Bell was cast in the same foundry as the original Liberty Bell. You can also see replicas of the Liberty Bell on display in various locations across the United States.
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