Philadelphia

November 9, 2009

We spent the night at Candlewood which we had liked so much in Connecticut but this was a mistake. Horsham was not so far but there was no fast road to get to downtown Philidelphia so it took a long time to get there.

Our first stop was Independence National Historical Park. At the Visitor Center we were directed where to go - very efficient. We were guided in the Indepedence Hall where we got so many facts. Here are a few of them that I tried to scribble down.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted in Independence Hall on July 4, 1776. Now the 13 colonies were sovereign states. Thomas Jefferson drafted the formal declaration.

Britain and the US signed the Treaty of Paris ending the war in 1783 even though Cornwallis surrendered in 1781.

The US Constitution was signed in 1787. It was signed by 39 members of the Philadelphia Convention but three did not. It was the end of the Revolution.
When the last members of the convention were signing the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin sat with tears streaming down his face. He had been looking at the chair which the President was sitting on. It had a sun painted on the back. He had been wondering if the sun was setting or rising but now he knew that it was rising.


John Adams (2nd President) was very involved in getting the States to ratify it.
Ben Franklin signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Pennsylvania had their own State House even though they were under British rule. Americans learned to govern themselves in State Houses.

One third of the colonists were loyalists, one third patriots, and one third was neutral. The British were hoping the loyalist and the neutral would side with them. Then he stated that this really was the beginning of the Civil War in the South but I did not quite understand this. Does anybody know?

The colonists were not prepared to give rights to everybody.
The principle of liberty is explained in the Constitution.
Pennsylvania was the temporary capital for ten years 1790-1800.
The First Congress met in 1790 with 65 represenatives and 26 senators.
Alexander Hamilton was involved in developing a National Bank 1791 to regulate a national monetary system, which was controversial. Each state had its own currency.

They wanted a navy but had no ships so they ordered six frigates - one of them, the Constitution, which is still in the harbour across Boston in Charlstown. We did see it there.

When John Adams replaced George Washington it was the first time there was a change of power by election. Four hundred came to see this moment.

Jalil wanted to see the US Mint but we did not find that very interesting. But he found the Federal Reserve very interesting and so did I. Then we had to run to the Liberty Bell before they closed. I do not think I ever had understood the meaning of this bell. It cracked a long time ago but it is still an international icon of freedom. It was first heard in 1753 at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. It summoned the Pennsylvania Assembly to debate the Stamp Act and other burdensome actions by the British Parliament.

Susu and David recommended a restaurant - Ralph's and the Reading Market. We asked a nice woman where these places were. She said that we needed to take a cab to Ralph's but that Reading Market was within walking distance so that is where we went. It was an old-fashioned market but it was closing and the famous cheese steak sandwich was sold out so we bought sandwiches and found our long way home.