The little building below used to be called the Pennsylvania State House. Today, the unassuming build is now known as The Independence Hall.
It is in this building that two of the most important document of the United States were signed. The two documents are the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
To visit the Independence Hall, you need to apply for the tickets. We applied for it online prior to leaving home. It’s easy to do that and in the interest of saving time, you should also apply for it before you go. You are allotted a fixed time to report for the guided tour and the passes are named.
Despite having applied (and given the time), we need to still pick up the passes at the Independence Visitor Center. You can also show up and ask for passes but because of the popularity of the tour you will likely not get the time you want and may even be given a time a few hours ahead.
The tour started on schedule and security is tight. I am quite surprised because this is such a small building. I guess despite its size, this building is of great importance to the Americans.
The area around the building are off-limit except for visitors with passes. We were led in groups to the various areas of the building.
Right in the middle of the building is the bell tower steeple which used to house The Liberty Bell. Today, in its place is a new bell called the Centennial Bell.
And, ladies and gentlemen, the room above is the place. This is the room of high treason. The room where the brave men of the revolution debated the dangerous topic of independence. If their act in this room fails, each and everyone of them will undoubtedly be tried for treason by the colonial British.
It is in this very room that the words of the Declaration of Independence was debated and later adopted. The adoption of the Declaration of Independence is that one act on the 4th of July that declared that the colonies in America is no longer a part of the United Kingdom.
Shortly after, it is here that the Declaration of Independence was formally signed.
A couple of trivia for you all … (1) what is the name of the person who drafted the Declaration of Independence, and (2) what are the opening words of the Declaration of Independence?