Editing Liberty Bell (section)

===American Revolution===
{{Further|American Revolution}}
[[File:Exterior view of Independence Hall (circa 1770s).jpg|thumb|An illustration of the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed [[Independence Hall]], as it appeared in the 1770s|alt=Drawing of a handsome building with a bell tower and a wing on each side. Horse-drawn carriages are seen in the street.]]
[[File:2011 - Zion Reformed Church.jpg|thumb|[[High German Evangelical Reformed Church|Zion United Church of Christ]] at 622 [[Hamilton Street]] in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]], where the Liberty Bell was hidden under floor boards from the [[British Army during the American Revolutionary War|British Army]] from September 1777 until June 1778 during the British [[Philadelphia campaign|occupation]] of [[Philadelphia]] during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]].]]
Dissatisfied with the bell, Norris instructed Charles to order a second one, and see if Lester and Pack would take back the first bell and credit the value of the metal towards the bill. In 1754, the Assembly decided to keep both bells; the new one was attached to the tower clock<ref name="whoops">Nash, pp. 11–12</ref> while the old bell was, by vote of the Assembly, devoted "to such Uses as this House may hereafter appoint."<ref name="whoops" /> The Pass and Stow bell was used to summon the Assembly.<ref name="whosits" /> 

On October 16, 1755, in one of the earliest documented mentions of the bell's use, [[Benjamin Franklin]] wrote Catherine Ray a letter, which stated: "Adieu. The Bell rings, and I must go among the Grave ones, and talk Politiks.{{sic}}"<ref name="bigben">Paige, p. 13</ref> 

The bell was rung in 1760 to mark the accession of [[George III]] to the throne.<ref name="whosits" /> 

In the early 1760s, the Assembly allowed a local church to use the State House for services and the bell to summon worshipers, while the church's building was being constructed.<ref name="bigben" /> The bell was also used to summon people to public meetings, and in 1772, a group of citizens complained to the Assembly that the bell was being rung too frequently.<ref name="whosits">Kimball, pp. 31–32</ref>

Despite the legend that the Liberty Bell rang following the unanimous adoption of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] by the [[Second Continental Congress]] on July 4, 1776, there is no evidence to support that, and it is unlikely since the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence were not until four days later, on July 8, 1776. There is historical documentation that when the Declaration was read publicly in Philadelphia, bells around the city were rung in commemoration. While the Liberty Bell is not specifically referenced, most historical authorities agree that it was likely among the bells that rang that day.<ref>Kimball, pp. 32–33</ref><ref name="first">Nash, pp. 17–18</ref><ref name=HackettFischer>Fischer, p. 754</ref> However, there is some chance that the poor condition of the State House bell tower prevented the bell from ringing.<ref name="first" /> According to John C. Paige, who wrote a historical study of the Liberty Bell for the [[National Park Service]], "We do not know whether or not the steeple was still strong enough to permit the State House bell to ring on this day. If it could possibly be rung, we can assume it was. Whether or not it did, it has come to symbolize all of the bells throughout the United States which proclaimed Independence."<ref>Paige, p. 18</ref> If the Liberty Bell was rung, it was most likely rung by [[Andrew McNair (custodian)|Andrew McNair]], the doorkeeper to the Assembly and the [[Continental Congress]], who was responsible for the bell's ringing.<ref>Paige, pp. 17–18</ref> Bells were also rung to celebrate the first anniversary of Independence on July 4, 1777.<ref name="first" />

====Hidden in Allentown====
{{Further|High German Evangelical Reformed Church}}
As the [[American Revolutionary War]] intensified, delegates to the [[Second Continental Congress]], colonial era city officials, and Philadelphia citizens were acutely aware that the [[British Army during the American Revolutionary War|British Army]] would likely recast the bell into munitions if they were able to find and secure it. On September 11, 1777, these concerns escalated after [[George Washington|Washington]] and the [[Continental Army]] were defeated in the [[Battle of Brandywine]], leaving the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia defenseless. The city urgently prepared for an inevitable British attack, and it subsequently [[Philadelphia campaign|fell under British occupation]]. Prior to the city's fall to the British, the Liberty Bell and other major bells in Philadelphia were hastily taken down from their towers, and sent by heavily guarded wagon train to [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania|Bethlehem]] and then to [[High German Evangelical Reformed Church|Zion German Reformed Church]] at 622 [[Hamilton Street]] in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]], then known as Northampton Towne. In Allentown, the Liberty Bell was hidden under the church's floor boards just as the British entered and began their occupation of Philadelphia.<ref>Nash, p. 19</ref>

The bell remained hidden in Allentown for nine months. In June 1778, following the British retreat from Philadelphia on June 18, 1778, it was returned. Upon the bell's return to Philadelphia, the steeple of the State House was in poor condition, and was subsequently torn down and restored. The bell was placed in storage until 1785, when it was again mounted for ringing.<ref>Kimball, p. 37</ref>

Following the victory of Washington and the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, the bell was placed on an upper floor of State House, later named [[Independence Hall]], where it was  rung on [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], on [[Presidents' Day|Washington's Birthday]], and on [[election day]] to remind voters to hand in their ballots. It also rang to call students at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] to their classes at nearby [[Philosophical Hall]]. Between 1785 and 1799, when the Pennsylvania state capital was briefly moved to [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]], it was rung to summon state legislators into session.<ref>Kimball, pp. 37–38</ref> When Pennsylvania officials, having no further use for State House, proposed tearing it down and selling the land for building lots, the City of Philadelphia purchased the land, State House, and the Liberty Bell, for $70,000, equal to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|70000|1800}}}} today.<ref>Kimball, p. 38</ref>