History of T He Independence H All G Roup
lNDE.-0.-Z43 C Z_ History of T he Independence H all G roup EDWARD M. RILEY Reprinted from HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA FROM THE FOUNDING UNTIL THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Volume 43, Part 1, March 1953. $4.00. Reprint price fifty cents The illustration on the cover is a recent photo graph of Independence Hall by R. G. Madill. THE INDEPENDENCE HALL GROUP EDWARD M. RILEY Chief Park Historian, Independence National Historical Park Project S ta n d in g in Independence Square are three build the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the Pennsyl ings—Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and the Old vania legislative and judicial branches remained in the City Hall—undoubtedly the most important group of State House, while the corresponding parts of the new buildings in the early history of the United States. In national government were housed in the new county dependence Hall was built originally as the State House courthouse (just to the west of the State House) and of the Province of Pennsylvania; 1 during the Colonial in the new City Hall to the east.5 period the Assembly, Council, and Supreme Court of the Province met here. From 1775 to 1783 the Conti INDEPENDENCE SQUARE nental Congress and the Congress of the Confederation Originally the land bounded by Chestnut, Walnut, held most of their sessions in this building.2 In it Inde Fifth, and Sixth Streets, now called Independence pendence was declared and the Articles of Confederation Square,6 was set aside by William Penn as “bonus and Perpetual Union began their short-lived career.3 lots.” To each purchaser of a substantial farm, or Here was written the Federal Constitution as well as “country lot,” Penn also gave a city lot as a bonus.
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