Independence Hall, Philidelphia

 

Assembly Room

We headed to Philadelphia (about a hour and 20 minute drive). We started at Independence Hall, built in 1750 as the Pennsylvania State House with offices for the governor upstairs, a court on the West side and the legislature on the east side. The Assembly room was used by the Second Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. Here was debated the Declaration of Independence, which had to have the approval of all 13 Colonies. The vote was to be held on July 2^nd. And one of the 3 delegates, Caesar Rodney, from Delaware had to ride all night to Philadelphia (60 miles) to be there for the vote. On July 4^th, they approved the written document, and signed the document on August 6^th. This was also the room where the Constitution was debated and ultimately approved. The only original furniture in the room is Rising Sun Speaker’s chair.  

Rising Sun Chair

Next door is Congress Hall, originally the Philadelphia County Courthouse. This was where congress held their sessions from 1790 until 1800, when they moved to Washington, D.C.

Senate Chamber

Of course, we also visited the Liberty Bell with it's message of "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof" which became a cry for the abolition of slavery as well as women's suffrage. 

The Liberty Bell