Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell, also known as the Old State House Bell or the State House Bell, is an iconic symbol for American independence. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The bell was once located in the Pennsylvania State House steeple (now called Independence Hall). It is now located across the street at the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park. The bell was purchased by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1752 from London's Lester and Pack (later known as the Whitechapel Bell Foundry). It was stamped with the words "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land unto all of the Inhabitants Thereof", which is a reference to the Book of Leviticus (25.10). After its arrival in Philadelphia, the bell rang first. It was twice recast by John Pass and John Stow who are both listed on the bell. The bell was initially used to summon legislators to legislative sessions, and to alert citizens to public meetings and proclamations.

Although there was no immediate announcement of the Second Continental Congress's vote to independence, the bell could not have rung that day. However, bells were rung to commemorate the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8. Although there is no contemporaneous account of the Liberty Bell ringing in the past, historians believe that it was one of the bells rung. The bell fell into relative anonymity after the American independence was achieved. In the 1830s, the bell became a symbol for abolitionist societies who gave it the name "Liberty Bell".

The current $100 note features an image of the Liberty Bell. The angle at which the image is held changes its color.

The name "Liberty Bell", or "Liberty Belle", is often used for commercial purposes. It has been used to denote brands and business names, ranging from a Montana escort company to a life insurance company. The replica of the Liberty Bell is located in Liberty Square, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. The replica was made from the original Liberty Bell mold in 1989. The bell's outline hangs above Citizens Bank Park's right-field bleachers. It is illuminated and swings backwards. A bell sound is also played when a Phillies player hits a home run. This bell was replaced at Veterans Stadium, the Phillies' previous home. Taco Bell announced via press releases and ads that it had purchased Liberty Bell and changed its name from the Taco Liberty Bell on April 1, 1996. According to the ads, the bell would spend half of the year at Taco Bell corporate headquarters, Irvine, California. Indignation National Historical Park was rocked by outraged calls and Park Service officials quickly called a press conference to deny the bell had been sold. After several hours, Taco Bell finally admitted that the bell was a joke for April Fools' Day. Despite protests, sales of tacos and burritos increased by more than half a million dollars during that week.