Independence Hall, Birthplace of American democracy and freedom

520 Chestnut Street
A place with a great sense of history
4

Introduction

The Independence Hall, located in the Pennsylvania State Capitol, is an important site in American history. The thirteen American colonies were under British rule, but starting in 1770, protests such as the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party erupted due to the heavy taxes imposed by Britain. The "Shot heard round the world" at Lexington in 1775 marked the beginning of armed resistance by Americans against British rule. In 1776, representatives of the American colonies gathered at the Independence Hall for the Continental Congress and officially declared their independence from Britain by signing Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence, establishing the "free and independent United States of America". After eight years of fighting, the Americans defeated the British in 1783 and won their independence. The Constitution Convention was also held here in 1787, resulting in the world's first written constitution, the United States Constitution. Today, Independence Hall is only open for team tours with guided explanation about these historical events, which takes about 30 minutes.

Must-go rating

Generally
100%

Transportation

100%
Group travel
Address
520 Chestnut Street
Opening hours
9:00-17:00
Transportation
Can take the Blue Line of the subway (MFL) to the 5th Street station.