The '''Liberty Bell''' was designed as the [[bell]] for the [[Pennsylvania]] State House in 1751. It was rung for many events, including the coronation of [[King George III]] in 1760.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/history/nR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/36liberty/36setting.htm The Liberty Bell - Setting the Stage] The National Park Service</ref> Among its most famous ringings was on July 8, 1776 to announce the first public reading of the [[Declaration of Independence]].<ref name = "nps2">[http://www.nps.gov/archive/inde/liberty-bell.html The Liberty Bell] The National Park Service</ref>
The first bell was made in [[England]]. It arrived in Philadelphia in 1752 and cracked upon its first test ringing. A second bell was cast but its tone was found to be unsatisfactory. A third bell was cast, hung in the Pennsylvania State House (now Liberty Hall) in 1753. It weighs over 2000 pounds and its composition is 70% [[copper]], 25% [[tin]], and small amounts of [[lead]], [[zinc]], arsenic, [[gold]], and [[silver]].<ref name = "nps2"/> It was rung on every anniversary of [[United States Independence Day|Independence Day]] (4 July) until the time it cracked when rung on July 8, 1835 at the funeral of [[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[John Marshall]]. A replacement bell was not made, and the crack is its most notable feature.
Inscribed on the Liberty Bell is a verse from the [[Old Testament]]:<ref name = "nps2"/>