how did the liberty bell crack

Craftsmen tried to prevent further damage by boring out hairline cracks on the bell, keeping them from expanding dangerously. The following Bible verse is on the Bell: “Proclaim Liberty throughout … All Rights Reserved by wanttoknowit.com. When the bell arrived in Philadelphia in 1752, it cracked on its first test strike. When it came back to Philadelphia, it was put back inside the first floor of Independence Hall for another 60 years, during which time it was only moved once around Philadelphia to promote War Bond sales during World War I. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry—famous for casting Big Ben a century later and listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as Great Britain’s oldest manufacturing company—dropped the ball on the bell, casting it with too-brittle metals. After this there is some controversy about when the large zigzag crack that now runs up its side appeared. In 1751, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly shelled out 100 pounds to London’s Whitechapel Bell Foundry for a bell to hang in the State House (known post-Revolution as Independence Hall). You can opt-out at any time. Unfortunately, in a subsequent ringing for Washington’s Birthday later that month, the upper end of the crack grew and officials resolved to never ring the bell again. But, again, a group of activists were eager to use the Liberty Bell as its symbol. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. A view of the Liberty Bell from Independence Hall, formerly the Pennsylvania State House, in Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell hasn’t been rung since it formed its fateful crack in 1846, but it has been lightly tapped many times since then. There’s no one widely accepted story for how the recast bell got its now-famous crack. It bears the motto, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). According to one of many stories, it first cracked back in 1824, during the visit of the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette. But city fathers worried that the celebration of the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence in 1976 would bring undue stresses of crowds to Independence Hall and, consequently, the Liberty Bell. Originally used to call the Pennsylvania Assembly to meetings, the Bell was soon adopted not only by abolitionists and suffragists but also by civil rights advocates, Native Americans, immigrants, war protestors, and so many other groups as their symbol. This periodic Liberty Bell road show continued until 1915, when the bell took an extended trip across the country, first to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, and then, in the fall, down to another such fair in San Diego. John Fischer is a freelance travel writer and photographer who specializes in Hawaii and the South Pacific. A large window allows visitors to see it against the backdrop of its old home, Independence Hall. Two local craftsmen, John Pass and John Stow, twice cast a new bell using metal from the cracked English bell. In 1751, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly—part of the state’s colonial government—paid around 100 pounds for a large bell to hang in its new State House (later known as Independence Hall). Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. On July 8, 1776, the bell was rung to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Your email address will not be published. It was recast twice by local artisans John Pass and John Stow. The precise moment it happened is lost to history, but an attempt to repair the bell made it worse. In 2003 it was relocated to the newly built Liberty Bell Center, which is part of Independence National Historic Park. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. That’s not exactly clear. It was an impressive looking object, 12 feet in circumference around the lip with a 44-pound clapper. Everyone was excited when the bell was delivered to the State House in 1751. But by the 1770s, the bell tower had started rotting and some felt ringing the bell might cause the tower to topple. Throughout its long life, the Liberty Bell has served as an example of just how vague our collective memories can be — starting with the bell's famous crack. For more information about travel to Philadelphia and to see the Liberty Bell, call the new Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676. Liberty Bell, large bell, a traditional symbol of U.S. freedom, commissioned in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly to hang in the new State House (renamed Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell cracked up, literally, in February 1846, when it was rung on the holiday and then stopped ringing because of damage from a major crack. To meet this impending challenge, they decided to build a glassed-in pavilion for the Bell across Chestnut Street from Independence Hall. Ultimately and still inscribed on the bell today two men by the name of Pass and Stow melted and recast the bell … For more details, see our, foto-select/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus. Still, officials considered it valuable enough to move, with 22 other large Philadelphia bells, to Allentown in September 1777, so that invading British forces would not confiscate it. Though attempts were made to repair an existing fracture in the bell for the occasion, and the bell reportedly tolled loud and clear at first, it subsequently cracked beyond repair and had to be taken out of service. When the bell arrived in Philadelphia in 1752, it cracked on its first test strike. Two local craftsmen, John Pass and John Stow, twice cast a new bell using metal from the cracked English bell . After the British invasion of Philadelphia, the bell was hidden in a church until it could be safely returned to the State House. © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. It was rung for the last time for George Washington’s birthday in 1846, during which it cracked irreparably. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Well, they could have that now. After being moved to a pavilion near Independence Hall in 1976 (the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence), in 2003 the Liberty Bell was relocated to Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historic Park, where millions of visitors view its famous crack each year. The first trip was in January 1885, on a special railroad flatcar, making 14 stops along the way to the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Two legends about the Liberty Bell’s infamous fracture remain the most popular: one contends that the bell cracked during the 1835 funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall, though it may not be historically true—Philly newspaper stories about the funeral don’t mention the bell ringing. A crowd looks on as the Liberty Bell is transferred from a truck to a train on its way back to Philadelphia from the St. Louis Exposition, 1905. After that people in Philadelphia associated with their fight for freedom. Controversy I hope you find an answer to your question, but if your don't then please send me your question via email, comment or via Google+ and I'll try and answer it. The Liberty Bell was originally ordered by the Assembly of the colony of Pennsylvania from a foundry in England. It was also used as a symbol of freedom during the civil rights movement and was rung to celebrate and commemorate important patriotic occasions and the births and deaths of famous American men. 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. Between 1753 and 1846, the Bell tolled for many people and occasions. The legend that on July 4, 1776, the bell was rung to signal the Continental Congress’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence is untrue; it was rung four days later on July 8 to celebrate the first public reading of the document. It is undisputed that the Liberty bell first cracked on its first ringing after being hung in the State House in Philadelphia in 1752. In February 1846, repairmen attempted to fix the bell with the stop drilling method, a technique in which the edges of a crack are filed down to prevent them from rubbing against one another and then joined by rivets. If you have a question you can search for the answer below! So when did the Liberty Bell get its famous crack? Copyright © 2017. By that time, though, it had hung around long enough to gain a reputation. One of the most popular legends claims that the bell cracked during the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835, but newspaper accounts of the funeral do not mention such an incident. Historians like to fight about it, but in short, no one knows precisely when or why the bell was damaged. Inscribed at the top was part of a Biblical verse from Leviticus, "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof.". HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. It is undisputed that the Liberty bell first cracked on its first ringing after being hung in the State House in Philadelphia in 1752.

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