Independence Hall was completed in 1753 and originally was built for the colonial legislature. Today it’s best known for being the place where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted. Later parts of this building are where the first congress met and where George Washington and John Adams were inaugurated on March 4th, 1793 and March 4th, 1797 respectively.
The 2,000 pound Liberty Bell was originally in Independence Hall until a new bell was made for the Centennial in 1876. After that, the Liberty Bell was on display in Independence Hall, but it now has its own building across the street. The famous crack is really a failed attempt to fix a thinner crack which happened in 1752, soon after its first arrival to Philadelphia. The repair work was completed sometime in the early 19th century, but in 1846 it failed again when they attempted to ring the bell for George Washington’s birthday anniversary. The original crack reappeared and also lengthened, silencing the bell forever. Today we know that the unstable mix of metals is what made it so fragile.
Betsy Ross finished her formal schooling by age 14 and then went on to apprentice at a local upholsterer. She was 24 when her first husband died while on duty with the local militia. It was probably her late husband’s uncle, George Ross, who suggested her name to George Washington as someone who could make a flag for America. It would have been considered treason to be working on such a flag, so Betsy worked on it in the privacy of her bedroom instead of her upholstery shop. Supposedly, it was Betsy who suggested using a five-pointed star instead of a six-pointed one since it would be easier to make. She could make a star with just one snipe of her scissors. Throughout her life, Betsy, with the help of her daughter, made hundreds of flags for the government.
US Mint
Grave of Benjamin Franklin
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