Editing Liberty Bell (section)

== History ==

=== Origins ===

The Liberty Bell was commissioned in '''1751''' by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly to hang in the new State House (now [[Independence Hall]]). The Assembly ordered the bell from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, one of England's most respected bell makers.

The bell arrived in Philadelphia in '''1752''' and was inscribed with the biblical verse from Leviticus 25:10: "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." This verse was chosen to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, which granted religious freedom and democratic governance to Pennsylvania's colonists.<ref name="ushistory">{{cite web |url=https://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/index.html |title=The Liberty Bell |publisher=Independence Hall Association |access-date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>

=== The First Crack ===

When the bell was first tested in Philadelphia in '''March 1753''', it cracked on the first stroke. Local metalworkers '''John Pass''' and '''John Stow''' were hired to recast the bell. They melted it down and recast it with additional copper to make it less brittle.

The recast bell was hung in the State House steeple in '''June 1753'''. Pass and Stow's names and the date "MDCCLIII" (1753) are cast into the bell, along with the original inscription.

=== Revolutionary Era ===

During the Revolutionary War, the bell was used to summon citizens and legislators to public meetings and announcements. It rang to mark significant events, including:

* Reading of the Declaration of Independence (July 8, 1776)
* Battles and victories during the Revolutionary War
* Deaths of prominent figures
* Proclamations and public gatherings

When British forces approached Philadelphia in '''1777''', the bell was removed and hidden in Allentown, Pennsylvania, beneath the floorboards of Zion Reformed Church to prevent British soldiers from melting it for ammunition. It was returned to Philadelphia in 1778 after the British evacuation.

=== The Famous Crack ===

The origins of the Liberty Bell's famous crack are somewhat uncertain. Historical records suggest the bell developed a thin crack sometime in the early 19th century.

The crack became unmistakable in '''February 1846''' when the bell was rung to celebrate George Washington's birthday. The crack widened significantly during the ringing, rendering the bell unringable. Attempts to repair the crack by drilling along its length to prevent further spread were unsuccessful.

The bell has not been rung since 1846, though it is occasionally tapped for ceremonial purposes.

=== Symbol of Freedom ===

The bell was not widely known as the "Liberty Bell" until the '''1830s''', when abolitionists adopted it as a symbol of their movement. The inscription about proclaiming liberty "unto all the inhabitants" resonated with those fighting to end slavery.

The name "Liberty Bell" first appeared in an 1835 anti-slavery publication. Abolitionists used the bell's image in pamphlets and publications, transforming it from a local historical artifact into a national symbol of freedom.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the bell traveled across the country by train for exhibitions, further cementing its status as a national icon. These tours ended in 1915 due to concerns about damage from travel.