The Liberty Bell was cast in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
The Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the bell from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. It arrived in Philadelphia in 1752 and was intended to summon lawmakers and announce public events. The bell cracked during an early test, so local founders John Pass and John Stow recast it in Philadelphia using much of the original metal.
Its famous inscription comes from Leviticus 25:10: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.” The inscription explains why the bell later became a powerful symbol of liberty, although the bell was not named the Liberty Bell during the colonial period.
The bell’s association with American independence grew during the nineteenth century. A popular tradition says it rang on July 4, 1776, but historians consider that story unlikely because the bell was difficult to reach and its condition was uncertain. It was used for public occasions before being moved to its present pavilion in Philadelphia.