Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence located at the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park. Originally cast in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall), the bell is famous for its distinctive crack and its inscription from Leviticus 25:10: "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." Though its role in the events of July 4, 1776, is largely legendary, the Liberty Bell became a powerful symbol of freedom during the 19th century, adopted by abolitionists, suffragists, and civil rights advocates as an emblem of the ongoing struggle for liberty. Today, the Liberty Bell is one of the most visited attractions in Philadelphia, drawing over two million visitors annually to view it free of charge.

Origins and Casting

The Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly ordered the bell in 1751 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, which granted religious freedom and democratic self-governance to the colonists. The Assembly commissioned the bell from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, specifying that it should weigh approximately 2,000 pounds and be inscribed with the biblical verse from Leviticus. The choice of inscription reflected the Quaker values that had shaped Pennsylvania's founding—the verse refers to the Jewish jubilee year, when slaves were freed and debts forgiven, an appropriate sentiment for a colony founded on principles of liberty and tolerance.

The bell arrived in Philadelphia in August 1752, but disaster struck almost immediately: when workers attempted to test the bell, it cracked. Rather than return the defective bell to England, the Assembly commissioned two Philadelphia metalworkers, John Pass and John Stow, to recast it. Pass and Stow melted down the original bell and added additional copper to the alloy, hoping to make it less brittle. Their first attempt produced a bell with an unsatisfactory tone, leading to public ridicule. They recast it a second time, finally producing a bell that, while not perfect in sound, was deemed acceptable. This third version, bearing the inscription "Pass and Stow / Philada / MDCCLIII" (1753), is the Liberty Bell that survives today.

Colonial and Revolutionary Era

The bell hung in the State House steeple and served practical purposes throughout the colonial period, summoning legislators to meetings, marking significant events, and alerting citizens to public announcements. It rang for royal proclamations, for the opening of markets, and for community gatherings. There is no contemporary evidence that the bell rang on July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence—that story emerged decades later and may be apocryphal. However, the bell almost certainly rang on July 8, 1776, when the Declaration was first read publicly in the State House yard, along with all the other church bells in the city that joined in celebration.

During the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777-1778, the bell was removed from the State House to prevent it from being melted down for cannon. Along with other Philadelphia bells, it was hidden in the basement of Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania, until the British evacuated. The bell returned to Philadelphia and resumed its place in the State House tower, continuing to ring for significant occasions including the deaths of prominent figures, the anniversaries of independence, and visits by distinguished guests. Throughout this period, the bell was simply the State House Bell—it would not acquire the name "Liberty Bell" until the 1830s.

The Famous Crack

The Liberty Bell's distinctive crack developed gradually over decades of use, with the final, irreparable fracture occurring sometime in the early 19th century. Various accounts attribute the crack to ringing for the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835 or to celebrations of George Washington's birthday in 1846, but the true cause and date remain uncertain. The crack likely resulted from metallurgical flaws in the original casting, perhaps exacerbated by the recasting process. Whatever its origin, the crack ultimately rendered the bell unringable; attempts to repair it by drilling out the crack to prevent further spreading proved unsuccessful, and the bell was retired from regular use by 1846.

Paradoxically, the crack has become central to the Liberty Bell's symbolic power. The damaged bell represents not only the founding ideals of American independence but also the imperfection and ongoing work of realizing those ideals. Abolitionists in the 1830s adopted the bell as a symbol, calling it the "Liberty Bell" in an 1835 pamphlet and pointing to its inscription as a condemnation of slavery. The crack could be read as representing the flawed promise of liberty—proclaimed for all but extended only to some. This reinterpretation transformed the bell from a local relic into a national symbol of the struggle for freedom, a meaning that has only deepened over time.

Symbol of Freedom Movements

The Liberty Bell's status as a symbol of freedom made it a powerful icon for successive movements seeking to expand American liberty. Abolitionists, as noted, were the first to adopt the bell, using its inscription to argue that the founders' principles demanded the end of slavery. After emancipation, the bell was claimed by women's suffrage activists, who noted that "liberty" had not yet been proclaimed to female inhabitants of the land. Suffragists created a replica, the "Justice Bell," which toured the country in a campaign for voting rights, remaining silent until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

The Liberty Bell traveled extensively in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, appearing at world's fairs and expositions across the country. These journeys helped cement the bell's status as a national rather than merely local symbol, allowing millions of Americans to see it in person. However, the travel also caused further damage, and after returning from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, the bell was permanently retired from travel. It remained in Independence Hall until 1976, when it was moved to a pavilion nearby, and then to the current Liberty Bell Center in 2003.

The Liberty Bell Center

The Liberty Bell is currently displayed in the Liberty Bell Center, a glass-walled pavilion on Chestnut Street directly across from Independence Hall. The center, designed by architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and opened in 2003, allows visitors to view the bell from multiple angles while also presenting exhibits on its history and symbolism. The pavilion's transparent design allows views of Independence Hall beyond the bell, connecting the symbol to the building where the ideals it represents were first articulated. The bell rests in a climate-controlled environment designed to minimize further deterioration of the fragile artifact.

Visiting the Liberty Bell is free and does not require tickets, though security screening is required before entry. During peak periods, lines to enter the Liberty Bell Center can be substantial, and visitors are advised to arrive early in the day or late in the afternoon. The center is open daily except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For those unable to visit in person, the National Park Service provides virtual tours and extensive online resources about the bell's history. Despite the crowds, viewing the Liberty Bell remains a moving experience for many visitors, a tangible connection to the founding ideals of the nation.

Physical Characteristics

The Liberty Bell weighs approximately 2,080 pounds and measures 12 feet in circumference at the lip. The bell is composed of approximately 70% copper, 25% tin, and small amounts of lead, zinc, arsenic, gold, and silver—a typical bronze alloy for bells of the period. The famous crack extends from the crown nearly to the lip, a zigzag fracture that has been widened by drilling in failed repair attempts. The clapper, the internal striker that produced the bell's sound, remains in place but is secured to prevent accidental ringing that could cause further damage.

The inscription on the bell includes not only the Leviticus verse but also the words "By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada" and the foundry marks of Pass and Stow. The spelling "Pensylvania" with one 'n' was common in the 18th century and does not represent an error. Visitors often photograph the bell from the side that displays the crack most prominently, though the inscription is best viewed from the opposite side. The bell's green patina, developed over centuries of exposure, gives it a distinctive appearance quite different from its original golden-bronze color.

See Also

• Independence Hall
• Old City
• Declaration of Independence