If you need an icebreaker at a cocktail party during this 250th year of the birth of the United States, ask people what month the Declaration of Independence was signed.
When most or perhaps all say July, smile and politely correct them. That’s when the document was approved; it was signed by nearly all of the 56 revolutionaries on Aug. 2.
Of course, I was one of the tens of millions of Americans, who didn’t know this. But a trip to Philadelphia educated me.
Walking next to an encyclopedic tour guide named Niel on a cold, wet February day (not quite as bad as George Washington’s time in Valley Forge, thankfully), I found it amazing how much can be discovered about the origins of our country in such a small area of The City of Brotherly Love. In a span of a few blocks, the Declaration of Independence was voted upon, the first U.S. Supreme Court held sessions, the first White House housed presidents George Washington and John Adams, and more.
Independence Hall is beautiful to look at, its Georgian style emphasizing brick, arched windows and a pleasing symmetry. A plaque marks where Abraham Lincoln spoke on Feb. 22, 1861 before he headed to Washington to be inaugurated nearly two weeks later. The next time he was there, the assassinated president lay inside in a casket in 1865.
The Assembly Room there is considered by many to be the most important spot in American history. Not only was the Declaration signed there, but 11 years later, so was the Constitution.
Only steps away is the Liberty Bell, replete with its famous crack, which was once housed in Independence Hall. It used to travel about the country via train; the former president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, admired it in Mississippi 20 years after his defeat in the Civil War. Niel noted that citizens would work to take chips off it when it traveled, which is why the bottom looks a little damaged.
Save for remnants of its basement, the original home for U.S. presidents does not exist anymore. Who lived below ground will surprise many; Washington kept nine slaves there. Two escaped while he was President — his chef and Martha’s maid. Adams did not own any slaves.
A short stroll away is Washington Square. An inscription near his statue reads: “In unmarked graves within this square lie thousands of unknown soldiers of Washington’s army who died of wounds and sickness during the Revolutionary War.” The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is underneath an eternal flame, and two benches welcome visitors to reflect on the sacrifices made by the first Americans centuries ago.
One of the more dramatic statues I’ve ever seen is back past Independence Hall. Entitled The Signer, it features George Clymer, looking skyward while holding a quill in one hand and a rolled-up document in the other. Why Clymer, whose name is not exactly etched in history books? He was one of the few to sign both the Declaration and the Constitution.
To reach these historic sites run by the National Park Service, I walked through parts of Philadelphia with boarded-up storefronts and abandoned buildings. No doubt the city was once in better shape. But when it comes to witnessing the early days of America, it’s hard to imagine a better place.