The Liberty Bell is displayed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The bell was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for the Pennsylvania State House, the building now known as Independence Hall. It was cast in London in 1752 and recast in Philadelphia after cracking during testing.
The bell became associated with American independence because of its location and its inscription, which quotes the biblical command to “proclaim liberty throughout all the land.” It may have rung when the Declaration of Independence was read publicly on July 8, 1776, although no contemporary record proves that event.
Its popular name, “Liberty Bell,” emerged in the nineteenth century, especially through abolitionist use. Today the bell is preserved at the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia, near Independence Hall.