Independence Hall

Independence Hall is a historic building located at 520 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood. Originally constructed between 1732 and 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House, it served as the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, making it the site where both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United States Constitution (1787) were debated and adopted. The building is the centerpiece of Independence National Historical Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 in recognition of its universal significance to the development of democratic government. Independence Hall receives approximately 750,000 visitors annually and remains one of the most important historic sites in the United States.

Construction and Early History

The Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly authorized construction of a new State House in 1729 to replace the cramped quarters where the colonial legislature had been meeting. The assembly selected a site on Chestnut Street, then at the southern edge of developed Philadelphia, and commissioned master carpenter Edmund Woolley and lawyer Andrew Hamilton (famous for his defense of John Peter Zenger) to oversee the project. Construction proceeded slowly due to funding constraints, with the main building completed in 1748 and the tower and steeple added by 1753. The design reflected the Georgian architectural style popular in British colonial buildings, featuring symmetrical facades, classical proportions, and red brick construction with white trim.

The State House served as the seat of Pennsylvania's colonial government, housing the Provincial Assembly, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and various administrative offices. The Assembly Room on the first floor, where delegates would later sign the Declaration of Independence, originally served as the meeting chamber for the colonial legislature. The building's central location and spacious facilities made it a natural venue for intercolonial gatherings, including the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, which brought together representatives from nine colonies to protest British taxation. By the time of the American Revolution, the State House had become the most important public building in British North America.

Declaration of Independence

The State House achieved its greatest historical significance as the meeting place of the Second Continental Congress, which convened there in May 1775 following the outbreak of fighting at Lexington and Concord. The Congress, comprising delegates from all thirteen colonies, assumed the functions of a national government, organizing the Continental Army, conducting diplomacy, and debating the fundamental question of whether to seek independence from Britain. On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution declaring "that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States." After weeks of debate, Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration, with Thomas Jefferson taking the lead role in composition.

On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve Lee's resolution for independence—the actual moment of separation from Britain. Two days later, on July 4, Congress approved the text of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence after making numerous revisions. The Declaration was first read publicly in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, in the State House yard, to crowds who had gathered to hear the news. The iconic signing scene, with all delegates present simultaneously, is largely a myth perpetuated by later paintings; in reality, delegates signed the engrossed parchment copy over several months, with some never signing at all. Nevertheless, the Assembly Room where Congress debated and voted remains sacred ground in American history, the birthplace of the United States as an independent nation.

Constitutional Convention

Following independence, the State House continued to serve as a meeting place for national deliberations, including the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The convention assembled in response to the failures of the Articles of Confederation, the first framework of national government, which had proven too weak to address the new nation's challenges. Delegates from twelve states (Rhode Island declined to participate) gathered in the Assembly Room from May to September 1787 to debate and draft a new constitution. The proceedings were conducted in strict secrecy, with windows shuttered and guards posted, to allow delegates to speak freely without fear of public pressure.

George Washington presided over the convention from a chair featuring a carved sun on its back—a detail that Benjamin Franklin, the convention's oldest delegate at 81, famously referenced in his closing remarks. Franklin observed that during the long debates he had often wondered whether the sun on Washington's chair was rising or setting; now, with the Constitution completed, "I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting Sun." The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, in the same room where the Declaration had been adopted eleven years earlier, cementing the State House's status as the birthplace of both American independence and American constitutional government.

The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell, perhaps the most famous symbol of American independence, hung in the State House tower for most of the building's history. The bell was commissioned in 1751 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges and was inscribed with the biblical verse "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." The bell cracked soon after its arrival from England and was recast twice by Philadelphia metalworkers John Pass and John Stow. According to tradition, the bell rang on July 8, 1776, to summon citizens for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, though historical evidence for this specific ringing is uncertain.

The Liberty Bell developed its famous crack sometime in the early 19th century, with the exact date and cause unknown. The bell was retired from regular use in 1846 when the crack expanded during ringing for a Washington's Birthday celebration. During the 19th century, the Liberty Bell became a powerful symbol of freedom, invoked by abolitionists seeking to end slavery and later by suffragists demanding women's right to vote. The bell traveled throughout the country for exhibitions at world's fairs and expositions before being permanently installed at Independence Hall. Today, the Liberty Bell is displayed in the Liberty Bell Center, a pavilion across Chestnut Street from Independence Hall, where it can be viewed free of charge.

Independence National Historical Park

Independence Hall anchors Independence National Historical Park, a collection of historic sites commemorating the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. The park, established in 1948 and administered by the National Park Service, encompasses several blocks of Old City Philadelphia, including Congress Hall (where the U.S. Congress met from 1790-1800), Old City Hall (home of the Supreme Court during Philadelphia's years as national capital), Carpenters' Hall (site of the First Continental Congress), and Franklin Court (location of Benjamin Franklin's home). The park receives millions of visitors annually and serves as a pilgrimage site for Americans seeking to connect with the nation's founding history.

Visiting Independence Hall requires timed entry tickets, which are distributed free of charge by the National Park Service. During peak season (March through December), visitors must obtain tickets in advance or pick them up at the Independence Visitor Center on the morning of their visit. Tours of the Assembly Room and other first-floor spaces are ranger-guided and last approximately 30 minutes. The building's second floor, which houses the Long Gallery where colonial assemblies held formal events, is open for self-guided exploration. Independence Hall remains an active ceremonial space; naturalization ceremonies for new American citizens are regularly held in the building, connecting contemporary civic life to the founding ideals expressed within its walls.

Architectural Features

Independence Hall is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in America. The building features a symmetrical facade with a central entrance flanked by windows on each side, red brick walls laid in Flemish bond, and white-painted wooden trim. The tower and steeple, rising 168 feet above street level, dominate the Chestnut Street facade and originally housed the Liberty Bell. The interior features high ceilings, large windows providing natural light, and elegant woodwork typical of 18th-century public buildings. The Assembly Room, where the Declaration and Constitution were signed, has been restored to its 1787 appearance, with reproduction furniture based on historical research and period paintings.

The building has undergone multiple restorations since the 18th century. In 1816, the original steeple was removed due to deterioration; a replica was constructed in 1828. The National Park Service undertook a major restoration in the 1950s, removing Victorian-era additions and returning the building to its 18th-century appearance. Ongoing preservation efforts address the challenges of maintaining a wooden structure that is nearly 300 years old while accommodating hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Independence Hall stands as both a working historic site and a monument to the revolutionary ideals that shaped American democracy.

See Also

• Liberty Bell
• Carpenters' Hall
• Congress Hall
• Declaration of Independence
• Constitutional Convention
• Old City