Liberty Bell

It has been said that on July 7, 1776 the Liberty Bell rang to alert the citizens of Philadelphia that the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was about to commence. The truth of the statement is unknown. The bell was ordered from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London and when it arrived, the very first ringing of the bell cracked the side. A new bell was promptly ordered. Over time the bell has sounded as an announcement for many important events in history such as the deaths of Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and others. It also rang on George Washington’s 100th birthday celebration in 1832. The second crack on the bell is believed to have occurred during the ring that announced the death of John Marshall who was Chief Justice of the United States of America. In 1835 the bell was removed from the steeple and was placed on display in the Declaration Chamber of Independence Hall.