Independence Hall
Philadelphia, United States
20.10.2011
The Independence Hall is a historic building located in Philadelphia, United States. It is considered as one of the most significant symbols of American democracy and it is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building is known for being the place where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were adopted by the Continental Congress in the late 18th century.
The construction of the Independence Hall started in 1732 and was originally intended to be used as the Pennsylvania State House. It was designed by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton, who were inspired by Georgian architecture. However, the building was not fully completed until 1753 due to financial issues.
During the American Revolution, the Independence Hall served as a meeting place for the Second Continental Congress, where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. The building also witnessed the creation and signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787.
Afterwards, the Independence Hall continued to be used as the seat of the Pennsylvania Assembly until 1799. It then became the Philadelphia County Courthouse and was used as such until 1854. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the building underwent several restoration projects to preserve its historical significance.
Today, the Independence Hall is open to the public and serves as a museum dedicated to the history of American democracy. Visitors can take guided tours and see the Assembly Room where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed. They can also visit the Liberty Bell, an iconic symbol of American independence, which is located just outside the building.
If you are interested in American history and democracy, the Independence Hall is definitely a must-visit. It offers a unique opportunity to see where some of the most important events in American history took place and to learn more about the country's founding principles.
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The Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were both signed in this building in Philadelphia. The universal principles of freedom and democracy set forth in these documents are of fundamental importance to American history and have also had a profound impact on law-makers around the world.
Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were debated and adopted by the Founding Fathers of the United States. The structure, which is the centerpiece of Independence National Historical Park, was designated a World Heritage Site in 1979.
The construction of Independence Hall, initially called the Pennsylvania State House, was completed in 1753. It served as the first capitol of both the colonial-era of the Province of Pennsylvania and, following American independence, the nation's first capital and the capital of Pennsylvania.
Between 1775 and 1781, the Second Continental Congress, which appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Congress in 1775 and unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence the following year, in 1776, met at Independence Hall. On June 21, 1788, it was the site of the Philadelphia Convention, where the U.S. Constitution, the longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world, was drafted and ratified.
In 1915, former-U.S. president William Howard Taft presided over a convention at Independence Hall, which including his formal announcement of the formation of the League to Enforce Peace, which led to the League of Nations in 1920 and the United Nations in 1945.
