Independence Hall

Independence Hall is a historic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is famous because important documents for the United States were discussed and approved there. These documents are the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Many leaders known as the Founding Fathers of the United States worked in this building.

The building was finished in 1733 and was first called the Pennsylvania State House. It became a symbol of freedom and democracy for the United States. During the American Revolutionary War, leaders met here and created the Continental Army on June 14, 1775. The Declaration of Independence was approved there on July 4, 1776. Later, from May 25 to September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention met here to create the U.S. Constitution.

Today, Independence Hall is part of Independence National Historical Park and was named a World Heritage Site in 1979. It shows a style of architecture called American Georgian architecture. People work hard to protect the building from damage caused by many visitors and pollution.

Legal framework

Both the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution of the United States in 1787 were talked about, approved, and signed in this building. Because of this, it became a symbol of freedom and democracy, and it had a big effect on leaders and ideas around the world. In 1979, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The building is cared for as part of Independence National Historical Park. Laws like the National Park Service Organic Act from 1916 help protect important historic places for everyone to enjoy. The park includes Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell, and other important buildings. These rules make sure the building stays safe and can be visited by people from all over.

Preparation for construction

Map of Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent, a 1752 illustration of Pennsylvania State House and its original bell tower, whose clock was not yet added

In the spring of 1729, plans were made to build a state house in Philadelphia, which was the capital of the Province of Pennsylvania. About 2,000 pounds sterling were set aside for this project. A group of people, including Thomas Lawrence, John Kearsley, and Andrew Hamilton, were in charge of choosing a place to build, getting designs, and hiring builders. Hamilton and his future son-in-law William Allen were given the job of buying land for the state house. By October 1730, they bought land on Chestnut Street for the building. This spot was a bit outside the city and had once been a place where American Indians camped.

By 1732, Hamilton got the official papers for one piece of land. But there were disagreements among the group members. Kearsley and Hamilton did not agree on the designs or where the building should be. They even argued about whether it should be on High Street (now Market Street) or Chestnut Street. After these disagreements got big, Hamilton took the issue to the Provincial Assembly. The assembly listened to Hamilton's plans and agreed with him. On August 14, 1733, they gave Hamilton full control over the project. Construction started soon after, with a strong foundation made from stone and lime mixed into the sandy soil. Workers built the frame and roof using wooden beams and added iron plates to keep everything steady. The outer walls were made from very thick, strong bricks.

Structure

Independence Hall has a red brick exterior and was built in a special style called Georgian style. It includes a main building with a bell tower and steeple, plus two smaller wings connected by walkways called hyphens. The tallest point, including the steeple, reaches up to 168 feet and 7 ¼ inches.

The Liberty Bell (foreground) was housed in the highest chamber of the brick tower from the 1780s until the 1850s

The building, originally named the State House, was constructed between 1732 and 1753 by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton. It was first used by the government of Pennsylvania. Over time, parts of the building were torn down and rebuilt. Today, the inside looks much like it did in the 1700s thanks to careful work by the National Park Service.

The lowest room of the old wooden steeple once held a famous bell. When the steeple was removed, the bell was moved inside the brick tower. Later, it was displayed in the hall until it was moved to a special place nearby called the Liberty Bell Center.

The Assembly Room, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were both authored and adopted in 1776 and 1787, respectively

The Assembly Room is very important because it is where important papers like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.

Main article: Liberty Bell

Historical events

The history of Independence Hall has four main periods. It was first built and used as the Pennsylvania State House from 1732 to 1799. Then it became a museum from 1802 to 1828, a municipal building from 1818 to 1895, and finally a historic landmark from 1898 to today.

Declaration of Independence and Second Continental Congress

Main article: Second Continental Congress

Congress Voting Independence, a 1795 portrait by Robert Edge Pine depicting the Assembly Room in present-day Independence Hall during the American Revolution

From May 1775 to 1783, the Pennsylvania State House was where the Second Continental Congress met. This group included leaders from the thirteen British North American colonies.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved there. This important paper said the colonies were free from the Kingdom of Great Britain. It was read to people in what is now Independence Square. We celebrate this event each year on U.S. Independence Day. Many leaders signed the Declaration, including John Hancock, whose big signature gave us the phrase “John Hancock” to mean a signature.

U.S. Constitutional Convention

Main article: Constitutional Convention (United States)

In 1787, leaders from many states met at Independence Hall to create a new plan for the government. They wrote the United States Constitution, which describes how the country is run. The Constitution became official on March 4, 1789.

The Syng inkstand, used at both the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution

Funerary procession of Abraham Lincoln

Further information: Funeral and burial of Abraham Lincoln

After Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, passed away, his body traveled by train from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Illinois for burial. On April 22, 1865, the train arrived in Philadelphia. Lincoln's body was shown in the Assembly Room of Independence Hall. Many people came to honor him.

League to Enforce Peace

Main article: League to Enforce Peace

On June 17, 1915, the League to Enforce Peace was formed at Independence Hall. Former President William Howard Taft led the meeting. The group wanted to create a way for countries to work together and solve problems without fighting.

Preservation

The Artist in His Museum, an 1822 self-portrait by Charles Willson Peale depicting his museum at Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall, with the Long Room in the background

The original steeple of Independence Hall was taken down in 1781 because it was unsafe. Later, new wings and a more elaborate steeple were added. In 1816, Philadelphia bought the building, and efforts began to restore it to how it looked during the American Revolution. Over the years, many restorations have helped bring Independence Hall back to its historic appearance.

In 1948, the inside of the building was restored, and Independence National Historical Park was created to protect important places from the American Revolution. The Assembly Room, where important documents were discussed, was carefully restored using old records and paintings as guides. Today, Independence Hall remains a key part of American history, and ongoing projects work to keep it preserved for future generations.

Legacy

Independence Hall at night in January 2023

On July 16, 1987, Congress met at Independence Hall for a special meeting to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Connecticut Compromise, which helped shape how Congress works today.

The 1989 film A More Perfect Union, showing the events of the 1787 Constitutional Convention, was mostly filmed inside Independence Hall.

Because of its important history, Independence Hall has often been used for speeches and events supporting fairness and civil rights. For example, on October 26, 1918, Tomáš Masaryk announced the independence of Czechoslovakia there. Since 1942, National Freedom Day, which honors the fight for equality by African Americans, has been celebrated at Independence Hall. On July 4, 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech there.

The reverse of the U.S. $100 bill, which has portrayed Independence Hall since 1928

Independence Hall appears on the back of the U.S. $100 bill and was shown on special coins and stamps to remember important moments in U.S. history.

Replicas

Independence Hall inspired the design of many buildings, such as the Pennsylvania Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and the Pennsylvania Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Copies of Independence Hall have been built in many places, including a detailed replica in Buena Park, California.