Lycée George-Sand La Châtre

  The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the USA. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House, the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." It originally cracked when first rung after arrival in Philadelphia, The Liberty Bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens to public meetings and proclamations.

No immediate announcement was made of the Second Continental Congress’s vote for independence, and thus the bell could not have rung on July 4, 1776, at least not for any reason related to that vote. Bells were rung to mark the reading of the declaration of independence on July 8, 1776, and most historians believe it was one of the bells rung.

After the American independence was secured, it was forgotten for some years. In the 1830s, the bell was adopted as a symbol by abolitionist societies, who gave this name of "Liberty Bell." According to a popular version, it cracked while ringing after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835.

Liberty Bell Stamp

The bell was used as a symbol of freedom during the Cold War and was a popular site for protests in the 1960s. It was moved from its longtime home in Independence Hall to a nearby glass pavilion on Independence Mall in 1976, and then to the larger Liberty Bell Center next to the pavilion in 2003.

WWII Liberty Belle flying fortress

The pin-up girl waving the flag in her right hand cradling the bell in her left arm is a pun on " belle" ( = pretty girl ) and " bell"