Historical Philadelphia.m4v

The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell was first ordered in 1751 for the Pennsylvania State House, which is now known as Independence Hall. It is made of mostly copper and tin and weighs roughly about 2,000 pounds. The reason this bell is referred to as the "Liberty Bell" is because of the Bible verse that is carved into it..

"Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land and unto all the inhabitants thereof" (Levitivus 25:10)

You can also see written on the bell the saying, "By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada" spelling Pennsylvania wrong because at the time the states name had not been universally adopted yet. You can still see this misspelling on the Constitution.

The Liberty Bell was bought for 100 pounds and when the bell was first tested in 1752, it sustained its first crack. Another bell was ordered and hung in Independece Hall in 1753. It was cast by John Pass and John Stow, whose names are also carved into the bell along with the bible verse.

Before it was given the name we see today, it was called the State House Bell. The term "Liberty Bell" was first used by Abolitionists in the 1830's. But even before it was formally named the Liberty Bell, it was a sybmol of freedom. The new colonists in Philadelphia were very happy about not being under British rule, and the Bell represented their newly found freedom. It was something that Philadelphians treasured then and still do today.




The bell was used for many reasons in the mid to late 18th century and was rung to assemble people together for special announcements and events. Some examples are when Benjamin Franklin left for England to address colonial grievances, the Sugar act in 1764 and the Stamp act in 1765. A common story that today is said to be a myth, is that the bell was rung to summon people for the reading of the Decleration of Independce. Although this was later found to be untrue, the story still shows the symbolisum of freedom.

During the year 1777 the British occupied Philadelphia and out of fear that the bell would be melted and used for cannons, the bell was removed from the city and hidden under a church located in Allentown, PA.

As for the cracks in the new bell, according to National Park Service, "By 1846 a thin crack began to affect the sound of the bell. The bell was repaired and rang for George Washingtons birthday celebration, but the bell cracked again and has not been rung since. No one knows why the bell cracked either times." Today, the cracks remain a mystery and the Bell is located at 501 Market St. for the public to view.


APA Cited:

United States Government, National Park Service (2010). Liberty Bell Center, Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell-center.htm

Independence Hall Association (1998-2010). The Liberty Bell, Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell

Blog created by Kelsey Butler and Kathleen Maurone and Group 1 Historical Philadelphia

Photos by Kelsey and Kathleen

Penn's Landing

Penn's Landing

William Penn first traveled up the Delaware River in 1682 on a ship called "Welcome", which docked near a tidewater basin referred to as "The Dock". His vision for the colony that he wanted to create was a place where people of all different religious backgrounds would be able to worship and pray whenever they pleased. When Penn had first arrived, there were only a small number of people living there, including some Swedes, Indians, Dutch, and landowners who were part of what he named his "holy experiment". On this piece of land he had also planned on creating a "tree lined promenade" that would be planted in memory of his dreams as well as the accomplishments that he made. After about 300 years, this dream finally became a reality. In 1967, the city transformed the area into a recreation park alongside the river. They also made walkways, created and amphitheater as well as a World Sculpture Garden, and planted various types of trees.

The Ben Franklin Bridge

There are many different, interesting historical places on the strip of land known as "Penn's Landing", the first being the Ben Franklin Bridge. Along with commercial traffic, there was also a great deal of ferries crossing the Delaware River toward different sections of New Jersey. However, traveling by ferry was inevitably deemed impossible when the Ben Franklin Bridge (in honor of Ben Franklin) was built in the year 1926. It was designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret who painted the entire bridge what was referred to as an "electric blue" color. Some years later, they added a computer-controlled lighting system that would blink on and off very quickly as each train passed by. It was made by the workers of the architectural firm of "Venturi, Scott Brown, and Associates". This bridge is very complex and beautiful, especially at night when the lights are in full glow.

Penn Treaty Park

Long before the Penn Treaty Park had been built, and historic event happened in 1682 between William Penn and the Native Americans. They Meet at this spot located today on North Delaware Avenue along the Delaware River to agree over a treaty of friendship that has been looked back upon in the world as a "universal symbol of religious and civil liberties". Many famous writers have mentioned this legendary spot in their work along with drawings of it being used to promote commercial interest in the emerging land. A large elm tree that once stood at this spot is usually featured in the painting, depicting where Penn and the Native Americans had meet and is presented as a living monument to the event.
In 1810 the famous tree collapsed, and with the public worried that this place would be forgotten, they collected the remaining wood left over from the storm and used it to build reelects reflecting the sight. After 83 years, in 1893 a permanent park was established to recognize the sight. This park is till a happy part of the Native American history and is seen by their people as a "peaceful even along the river." Today this public park is a great place to visit for beautiful views of the Delaware River.

Ride the Ducks Boat Tour

Looking for a great way to tour historical places in Philadelphia like Penns Landing? Ride the Ducks is a fun and interesting way of sightseeing that combines history, musics and entertainment all in one. This one of a kind tour bus is made from an actual boat the drive you through the historical streets of Philadelphia, and then leads you onto the Delaware River off Penns Landing for a river tour. The rides unique experience is the best way to view all of Philadelphia and is perfect for all ages. This guided tour by your very own Boat Captain takes you around some of the best spots in the city including Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross' House and South Street all while telling fun facts and stories of the past and present of Philadelphia. If you're just visiting for the day or, or even the week, make sure to hop aboard the Ride the Ducks boat for an exciting and Historical view of the city of Philadelphia.

Blog Created By Lauren Gardner and Casey Stanert and Group 1 Historical Philadelphia
Pictures taken by Lauren Gardner and Casey Stanert

APA citations:

Independence Hall Association (1995). Penn's Landing. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_landing.htm

Keyser, S. Charles. Penn's Treaty with the Indians. Philadelphia: David McKay (1882). Retrieved from http://www.penntreatymuseum.org

Philadelphia Ride the Ducks (2006). Experience the Fun. Retrieved from http://www.phillyducks.com