The Liberty Bell is often associated with America's revolution, but its history goes back farther than that. It was created in 1751 to serve as the bell for the capitol of the then-Province of Pennsylvania. The symbol was chosen because of the bell's traditional link to the concept of Liberty and because of William Penn's government which allowed its citizens unprecedented freedoms. The bell is no longer in the state house, which is now known as Independence Hall. It is a national monument on its own attracting visitors by the hundreds. It bears the following inscription: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof - Lev. XXV, v. x. By order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada." Most people ignore the inscription from Leviticus and want to know about the crack. It first developed in 1846, and was repaired. But when it was rung again to mark George Washington's birthday it cracked again and has not been rung since.

• The bell is made primarily from copper, and also from tin, with small amounts of other elements like lead, zinc, arsenic, and gold.
• The bell weighs 2,000 pounds.
• 8 July, 1776 - The bell is rung to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
• ~1830 - The Liberty Bell is adopted by abolitionists as a symbol of the fight against slavery.
• 23 April, 2002 - An Idaho man is sentenced for taking a sledgehammer to the bell. Mitchell Guilliatt had the hammer hidden in his backpack as he pretended to be with a group of schoolchildren. He whipped out the hammer and started pounding on the bell screaming, "God lives!" He was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay US$7,093.00 for repairs.

Photo by Bob Krist © 1999 by Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.