Independence Hall facts for kids

For other uses, see Independence Hall (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Independence Hall
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and ratified
Location	520 Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Architect	William Strickland (steeple)
Architectural style(s)	Georgian
Visitors	645,564 (in 2005)
Governing body	National Park Service

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	vi
Designated	1979 (3rd session)
Reference no.	78
Region	Europe and North America


U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property
Designated	October 15, 1966
Part of	Independence National Historical Park
Reference no.	66000683

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Independence Hall is a very important historic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is famous because both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were discussed and approved here. America's Founding Fathers met in this building.

Independence Hall is the main part of the Independence National Historical Park. In 1979, it was named a World Heritage Site. This means it is a place of special importance to everyone in the world.

The building was finished in 1753 and was first called the Pennsylvania State House. It served as the first capital for the United States and for Pennsylvania. From 1775 to 1781, the Second Continental Congress met here. Later, the Constitutional Convention took place here. During this convention, the U.S. Constitution was created and approved on June 21, 1788. This Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use today.

In 1915, a meeting was held at Independence Hall. Former U.S. president William Howard Taft led this meeting. It was where the League to Enforce Peace was officially announced. This group later led to the creation of the League of Nations in 1920 and the United Nations in 1945.

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Building Independence Hall

A Map of Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent, a 1752 map showing the State House and its original bell tower.

In 1729, people in Philadelphia started talking about building a state house. They set aside money for the project. A group of people, including Andrew Hamilton, was chosen to find a spot and get plans for the building.

By October 1730, land was bought on Chestnut Street for the new building. There were some disagreements about the design and exact location. Andrew Hamilton wanted it on Chestnut Street, while others preferred High Street (now Market Street).

Finally, in August 1733, the Provincial Assembly decided. They gave Andrew Hamilton full control over the project. The chosen spot was on the south side of Chestnut Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Construction began soon after.

The Building's Look

Ground floor of Independence Hall
(right-click links below for room images)

1	Assembly Room
2	Supreme Court Room

3	Vestibule
4	Tower Stair Hall

Independence Hall is made of red brick and built in the Georgian style. It has a main building with a bell tower and steeple. Two smaller wings are connected to it by arched walkways.

The State House was built between 1732 and 1753. Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton designed it. The Pennsylvania colonial government paid for it as money became available. It was the home of the colonial government from 1732 to 1799.

In 1752, Isaac Norris chose Thomas Stretch to build the first clock for the State House. In 1753, Stretch put up a huge clock on the west side of the building. This clock was removed around 1830. A new clock was put in by Isaiah Lukens in 1828. This clock had four large copper faces and a powerful movement to strike a 4,000-pound bell.

Changes Over Time

The main part of the building is original, but the side wings, steeple, and much of the inside have been rebuilt. In 1781, the wooden steeple was taken down because it was rotting. A new, more detailed steeple was added in 1828, designed by William Strickland.

The original side wings were torn down and replaced in 1812. Then, in 1898, these new wings were also replaced with copies of the very first ones. The inside of the building was restored in the mid-1900s by the National Park Service. They made the public rooms look like they did in the 1700s.

In 1973, a copy of the original Thomas Stretch clock was put back in Independence Hall.

Two smaller buildings are next to Independence Hall: Old City Hall to the east and Congress Hall to the west. These three buildings are on a city block called Independence Square. The Liberty Bell is now displayed nearby in the Liberty Bell Center.

Independence Hall in 1799, after the wooden steeple was removed
The Governor's Council Chamber
The Supreme Court Room
The Tower Stair Hall

The Liberty Bell's Story

The Liberty Bell (in front) was once kept in the brick tower of Independence Hall.

The famous Liberty Bell was first kept in the lowest part of the original wooden steeple. When that steeple was removed in the 1780s, the bell was moved to the highest part of the brick tower. It stayed there until the 1850s.

A much larger bell, called the Centennial Bell, was made for the United States Centennial Exposition in 1876. This bell now hangs in the steeple added in 1828. The Liberty Bell, with its famous crack, was shown on the ground floor of the hall from the 1850s until 1976. Today, you can see it across the street at the Liberty Bell Center.

Key Events at Independence Hall

Declaration of Independence

Robert Edge Pine's 1795 painting Congress Voting Independence shows the Assembly Room during the American Revolution.

From May 10, 1775, to 1783, the Pennsylvania State House was the main meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. This group included representatives from the thirteen British colonies in North America.

On June 14, 1775, the delegates chose George Washington to be the commander of the Continental Army. On July 26, they appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General.

The United States Declaration of Independence was approved here on July 4, 1776. The Declaration was then read aloud to the public in what is now Independence Square. This document declared that the colonies were free from Great Britain. We celebrate this historic day every year as U.S. Independence Day. There are 56 signatures on the Declaration. John Hancock signed first, with a very large signature. That's why people sometimes say "John Hancock" when they mean a signature!

The Congress met here until December 12, 1776, when they had to leave Philadelphia. This was because the British Army was coming. The Congress met in other cities for a while, but they returned to Independence Hall for their final meetings from July 2, 1778, to March 1, 1781.

Creating the U.S. Constitution

The Assembly Room, where both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written and signed.

In September 1786, leaders from five states met to talk about improving trade under the Articles of Confederation. They invited representatives from all states to meet in Philadelphia to discuss the federal government.

On February 21, 1787, the Congress of the Confederation agreed to a plan to change the Articles. Twelve states sent delegates to Independence Hall in June 1787. Rhode Island was the only state that did not send anyone.

The Convention decided to write a completely new Constitution. They kept their discussions secret and kept the Hall's windows shut during the hot summer. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was finished. It officially started on March 4, 1789.

The Constitution allowed Congress to create a national capital. In 1790, Congress decided that District of Columbia would be the new capital. However, Philadelphia became the temporary capital for ten years while the new city was being built. Congress moved back to Philadelphia on December 6, 1790. They met at Congress Hall, next to Independence Hall, until moving to Washington, D.C., in 1800.

Abraham Lincoln's Funeral

After President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, his funeral train traveled from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois. The train arrived in Philadelphia on April 22, 1865.

Lincoln's body was brought to Independence Hall and placed in the Assembly Room. It was guarded by naval and military officers. That evening, special guests had a private viewing. The next day, April 23, over 300,000 people waited for hours to see the President's body. The train left Philadelphia early on April 24 for New York City.

A Call for World Peace

Independence Hall has often been used as a symbol for important causes. On June 17, 1915, the League to Enforce Peace was created here. Former President William Howard Taft led the meeting. This group suggested an international body where countries would work together. They would use their economic and military power against any country that started a war. This idea helped lead to the League of Nations and later the United Nations.

Protecting Independence Hall

The original steeple was taken down in 1781 because it was falling apart. The side wings were removed and replaced in 1812. A new, more detailed steeple was built in 1828.

From 1802 to 1827, artist Charles Willson Peale kept his Philadelphia Museum on the second floor. It had natural history items and portraits of famous Americans.

In 1816, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania sold the State House to the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia has owned the building and its grounds ever since.

In 1948, the inside of the building was restored to look like it did originally. The Independence National Historical Park was created that same year. Its goal is to protect historical sites related to the American Revolution. The park includes Independence Hall, Independence Square, and other important places like Carpenters' Hall and the site of Benjamin Franklin's home.

Today, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell are in a secure area. Visitors go through security checks to enter. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, security was increased. There were temporary barriers around Independence Square. In 2007, a plan for a security fence was changed. Instead, movable barriers are used to keep people safe while still allowing visitors to enjoy the historic area.

Independence Hall's Legacy

Independence Hall at night

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

Because of its important history, Independence Hall has been used for speeches and protests supporting democracy and civil rights. On October 26, 1918, Tomáš Masaryk announced the independence of Czechoslovakia on its steps. National Freedom Day, which celebrates the fight for equality, has been held here since 1942. On July 4, 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech there.

From 1965 to 1969, annual demonstrations for gay rights were held in front of Independence Hall every July 4.

Independence Hall has been shown on the back of the U.S. $100 bill since 1928. It was also on the 1975-76 bicentennial Kennedy half dollar. The Assembly Room is pictured on the back of the U.S. two-dollar bill. This image comes from a painting by John Trumbull called Declaration of Independence.

1956 U.S. postal stamp
1974 U.S. postal stamp
Back of the 1975-1976 Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar
U.S. $2 bill
U.S. $100 bill

Copies of Independence Hall

Independence Hall has inspired many other buildings. It was the model for the Pennsylvania Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and the 1907 Jamestown Exposition. Many buildings across the United States look like Independence Hall. One example is a brick-by-brick copy near Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.