Independence Hall

Stopping briefly in Philadelphia, we visited Independence Hall to see the birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. First we saw the courtroom, where, after the significant events of 1776, Philadelphia ruffians tore the royal court of arms off the wall, dragged it through the streets, and burned it, proving, our tour guide said, that Philadelphia has changed very little in 200 years.

Next, we saw the famous Assembly Room, a hall deeply significant to America's providential founding. Here, the founders deliberated over and finally signed the Declaration of Independence, wrote and ratified the Constitution, and saw America pass its first great test when Washington stepped aside to let Adams take his place as president, setting the precedent for peaceful turnover of power.

Pictured above is the chair where the presiding officer sat, John Hancock over the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington over the Constitutional Convention. When the Constitution was signed, James Madison reported Benjamin Franklin saying, "I have often looked at that sun behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I know that it is a rising sun."

We stood in line 30 minutes to see the Liberty Bell, the great symbol of America's freedom. The bell's notorious crack makes its symbolism all the more poignant, suggesting that a nation built on liberty can endure even through conflict.

We couldn't leave Independence Hall without singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," and now we'll sing it for you, too.