Hi - I'm Guy. I am an attorney that practices in PA, and NY. I am a former sex crimes prosecutor and my day-to-day cases are almost exclusively helping survivors of sexual abuse get justice. My team and I are ready to help.
This blog entry is presented by the PA sexual abuse attorneys at Abuse Guardian representing the community of Center City Philadelphia.
A National Park located in Old City Philadelphia, the Independence National Historic Park preserves numerous sites that were not only an integral part of the American Revolution, but also are absolute pillars of the founding of the United States as a nation. Up next, we share some of the highlight that make Independence Park so special and a must-see when visiting the City of Brotherly Love.
The State House bell, now known as the Liberty Bell, rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House. Today, that same building is known by the name Independence Hall. Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly Isaac Norris first commissioned a bell for the famed building’s tower in 1751 from the Whitechapel Foundry in London.
That bell cracked, famously, on the first test ring. Local metalworkers John Pass and John Stow melted down that bell and cast a new one right here in Philly. It’s this bell that would later ring to call lawmakers to their meetings and the townspeople together to hear the reading of the news.
Historically, Benjamin Franklin wrote to Catherine Ray in 1755, “Adieu, the Bell rings, and I must go among the Grave ones and talk Politicks.” It was not until the 1830’s that the old State House bell would begin to take on significance as a symbol of liberty.
Our Pennsylvania sexual assault attorneys from Abuse Guardian provide assistance to victims of abuse. Visit our dedicated page to learn more.
Independence Hall is, by many estimates, the birthplace of the United States. It was within its old walls that the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It was also here where the Constitution was debated, drafted and ultimately signed.
That document is the oldest federal constitution in existence and was agreed upon by a convention of delegates from 12 of the original 13 colonies.
In 1790, the then elected Congress selected Philadelphia to be the temporary capital of the United States. Philadelphians generously offered the use of their acting court house as a meeting place for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, making Old City’s Congress Hall the oldest building to serve as such an entity.
At the time, the city and county of Philadelphia spared no expense in furnishing the building to suit the needs of Congress, hoping to keep the capital in Philadelphia. When the size of the House grew from 65 to more than 100 members, the city even paid to have the building expanded 28 feet to the rear.
Unfortunately in 1800, and despite every Philadelphia resident’s hopes, Congress moved to Washington D.C. and the building became a court house once more.
A private, nonprofit organization, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. It serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.”
Find more to explore: Social Clubs in Philadelphia, PA
Abuse Guardian’s team of sexual abuse attorneys have been fighting for and with the local community for decades. If you’ve been affected by these terrible crimes, you can trust them to stand with you and pursue justice against those who wronged you and the organizations who may have permitted the abuse to occur.