Did you know that the Liberty most likely did not ring out in celebration of Independence Day on July 4, 1776?

The has a beloved place in the history of the of America. While much of what we know about is fact, some of what we were taught may not have been so true.

First, about the JULY 4 BELL-RINGING - The Second Continental Congress approved the Resolution for Independence on July 2, 1776. This resolution declared the colonies independent from the British Empire. This news was published that evening in the Evening Post, and again the next day in the Pennsylvania Gazette. After a few alterations, the final text that formally (officially) announced this action was called the United States Declaration of Independence. It was approved on July 4 and sent off to be printed.

The text of the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to the public by Colonel John Nixon on July 8, after being returned from the printer. It was on July 8 that all the in the city were rung in celebration of independence.

Then there’s the . The actual tower of the City Hall, now known as , was in rough shape at the time all this declaring was happening. Historians believe it unlikely that the tower would have supported the 2080 pound weight of the bell. So, in short, if it could have been rung, the Liberty Bell would certainly have been rung on July 8, 1776, along with all the other bells, but no one knows for certain that it was.

The story about the Liberty Bell being rung on July 4, 1776 to announce our independence is believed to have been started by a story written for the Saturday Review Magazine in 1847. The story is about an old bell-ringer waiting in the tower, hoping the Continental Congress would vote for independence. Finally a young boy, possibly his grandson, who had been eavesdropping on the session, ran to him and told him to ring the bell. The story was published as fact again and again.

How many Liberty Bells were there?

The city of Philadelphia already had a bell to announce meetings and other things. It hung from a tree behind the State House. The city fathers decided they wanted a bell of better quality that could be heard throughout the city, so a bell was ordered from Bell Foundry in England. This Bell #1 arrived in 1752 and was hung on a stand to do a test ring. The very first time it was rung, the clapper (the part that hangs in the middle of the bell) broke the rim (bottom part) of the bell. Talk about embarrassing!

The pieces of that original bell were sent to a local foundry in New Jersey named Pass and Stow. The pieces were melted down and recast (poured into a mold) to make a new bell. Call this one Bell #2. It was delivered, hung, and rung without breaking. The bad news is that it sounded terrible, so it was sent back to be recast. Bell #3 was delivered, hung in the State House steeple, and rung in March 1753. It did not break and most were satisfied with the sound. However, while #3 was being recast, another bell was ordered from England (bell #4). Unfortunately it sounded no better, but the city decided to keep both bells anyway. Bell #4 was basically put away in storage to be used as the city saw fit. The one that hung in July 1776 would have been bell #3. This is the one hereafter used and referred to as the Liberty Bell.

THE CRACK

While we all know the crack is part of our Liberty Bell’s history, how in the world did it happen, anyway? If I’d have done something to break my mom’s favorite bell, I’d have been in deep trouble, so I can’t imagine someone not getting in hot water over this huge crack in such an important icon!

No one really knows how the famous crack came to be. Many are of the opinion that during the recasting process other material that wasn’t the best for bell- making was added. This might have caused it to be weaker and more susceptible to breakage. There is no mention of the crack until 1846, at which time a newspaper reported that the bell had been cracked a long time.

WHAT DOES IT SAY ON THE LIBERTY BELL?

PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS

THEREOF LEV. XXV.vX

BY ORDER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE PROVINCE OF PENSYLVANIA FOR THE

STATE HOUSE IN PHILAD

PASS AND STOW

PHILAD

MDCCLIII

“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land” is from scripture, Leviticus 25:10. Pennsylvania was often spelled with only one “n” in those days. And of course there is the year and the name of the manufacturing company, along with the city that ordered the bell.

Symbolism and Travel

The Liberty Bell wasn’t the first name of this icon. The bell was originally known as the State House Bell. In the late 1830’s it acquired the name of Liberty Bell when it became a symbol of the anti-slavery (abolitionist) movement. The most likely reason is the inscription on the bell. After the nation was torn apart by Civil War, Americans needed a symbol of unity. The Flag and the Liberty Bell became two such symbols. President Pierce also spoke of the bell symbolizing the American Revolution and liberty when he visited Philadelphia in 1853.

The image of the Liberty Bell has been used on many coins and stamps and paper dollars over the years. Coins include the and the , as well as a number of commemorative coins. The Liberty Bell has also been on numerous postage stamps including the first forever stamp.

Travel - After our Revolutionary War started, things didn’t always go smoothly for our troops, as you might imagine. In September 1777, Philadelphia was about to be overrun by British troops. In those days, the invading force would have melted down in the city and turned them into bullets. No one wanted that to happen, so bells were spirited away to be safe from the Brits. The Liberty Bell was transported under heavy guard to Zion German Reformed Church in what is now Allentown, PA, and hidden under the floorboards. Naturally the Bell was returned when it was safe.

Okay, now here’s where it gets tricky, so pay attention. In 1799 Pennsylvania’s capital was changed to Lancaster, and the city of Philadelphia bought the land where Independence Hall stands. In 1828 the city sold bell #4 – the second one ordered from England – to St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church. Sadly, the church was burned down by an anti-Catholic mob in 1844. The remains of the bell were recast, and that bell (#5) is now located at .

The Liberty Bell is so popular, that everyone wanted to see it. The Bell was transported by train as it made various trips to expositions and other events around the country. even wrote a song called the Liberty Bell March. (To hear this song you can go to chattanoogasymphony.org/ypc/john- philip-sousa-marches.) Unfortunately, with each trip, the crack worsened. The Bell’s final trip was to San Francisco in 1915.

So, where is the Liberty Bell now and who owns it? “We own it!” you might be thinking. Actually the city of Philadelphia still owns the bell, though they have allowed the to take custody of it. The NPS is responsible for maintaining and displaying the bell. The Liberty Bell is currently housed in the Liberty Bell Center, near Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It is mounted on (hung from) what is believed to be the original wooden yoke, made of American elm.

Regardless of the details known or unknown, the Liberty Bell has a special place in our country’s history. believed that the celebration of Independence Day (whether you believe it should be July 2nd, 4th, or 8th) strongly believed it should be celebrated with parades, shows, games, bells, bonfires, and sports, from one end of the country to the other.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Sources include:

The Liberty Bell, The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., NY, NY

Ring in the Jubilee, The Epic of America’s Liberty Bell, The Chatham Press, Inc., Riverside, CT

The Liberty Bell, Scholastic, Inc., NY, NY

The Liberty Bell, Heinemann Library, Chicago, IL https://en.wikipedia.org www.ushistory.org/libertybell www.blog.constitutioncenter.org www.memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin

Photographs courtesy of www.istockphotos.com