The Treason Of Independence

Ah yes, Philly. We planned to explore the historic district today, so after I made us some extremely generic lunches, we set out on our way. Once we found parking in town, which took a while, we started walking towards the Independence Hall Visitor’s Centre since Dad loves visitor’s centres. As we walked up the street, it became clear that it was cordoned off and there were police officers everywhere. As it turned out, there was a Memorial Day parade happening which we had just so happened to stumble upon, so we decided to stick around and watch since it wasn’t long until it started. Well, after being frustrated by the disorganization, we found out that it was in fact the first

annual Memorial Day parade, which explained much. While they were singing the national anthem, we had three people come parachuting down into the field behind us, trailing flags and fancy smoke. There weren’t really any floats, it was mostly just regiments and military academies and such things of the sort. We also had George Washington walk past, which was pretty cool. The Arlington Regiment did a routine with their rifles and it looked both very cool and very dangerous, since those things had bayonets on the front and they were flipping them up in the air. No thanks. After we had watched most of the parade we headed over to the Visitor’s Centre. While Mum and Dad went elsewhere to see if they offered tours or

admission to Independence Hall, Isaac and I looked around the gift shop. I ended up buying by Pennsylvania keychain there, which has the Liberty Bell on it. Then, while we waited for our time to go to the tour, we ate our lunches and researched things to do in Philly. Half an hour before our tour started we cleared security to the Independence Hall courtyard and went inside the Thomas Jefferson museum whilst we waited. What I learned was everyone really like Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Jefferson liked science. I also learned that I am as tall as John Adams at 5’4”, but not as tall as Napoleon Bonaparte. Then we headed over for the beginning of our tour. Independence Hall was the

original “White House”, since Philadelphia used to be the capital of the U.S.A, from the time the Declaration of Independence was signed until 1800. Our tour guide was very good and it seemed as though she was a former teacher from the way she talked. In the first building we went in, we observed a painting of the signing of the Constitution, the other major event that happened at Independence Hall. As it turns out, we can tell if it’s the signing of the Constitution or the signing of the Declaration by the presence of George Washington. Since Washington was a general during the Revolutionary War, he was fighting at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The first stop on our tour was the courtroom in the Hall. It is a British style courtroom that has since been modified for the American method of law, which is heavily based off the British method. The changes include the removal of the table where all the lawyers would sit together, which might not

work so well anymore. Also, a barred box on the stand where the accused would stand trial was removed since it gave the impression of being guilty and they wanted to uphold the presume innocent until proven guilty thing. It was subjugated to an act of treason on July 8th, 1776, when a mob came in, tore down the King’s coat of arms off the wall above the judges table and dragged it through Philadelphia before setting it on fire. This apparently was the second act of treason performed in Philly over the span of four days. Next was the Assembly Room where the Declaration and the Constitution were signed. Independence Day, as it turns out, should be celebrated on the 2nd of July, since that is the official date when the independence of America was approved. However, the Declaration of Independence was not finished until the 4th of July and that date was written on the document, so that it the day American’s celebrate. The signing of the Declaration was the first act of treason performed in Philadelphia

over the span of four days. They have a chair in the Assembly Room they call the “Rising Sun” and George Washington sat in to sign the Constitution. Then it was upstairs to the Long Gallery, the Governor’s Council Chamber and the Committee of the Assembly Chamber. Banquets were held in the Long Room, slave trials were held in the Council Chamber and fugitive slaves were held before trial in the Assembly Chamber. The Independence Hall has been used for many things over the years, which mostly credits for it’s fantastic preservation. The inside of the building is 75% original while the outside is about 90% original. It has been used as a museum after plans to tear it down were quashed. It was also used for people to pay their last respects to Abraham Lincoln after his assassination, when his body was carted all over the States for people to see. Which is a tad weird in my opinion. The building is now owned by the National Park Service. After our tour, it was time to head back to the trailer since we had left Kizzy all by herself. For dinner, Dad grilled chicken and crab cakes, Isaac made PB&J bites, and I made chipotle aioli sauce which was delicious. After dinner, Dad insisted that we all watch Rocky because we are in Philly, where the movie was set. It was ok, but the story line was slow so I didn’t watch a lot of it. The end fight scene with his opponent, Apollo, ended up with Rocky losing but he finished the fight standing which is all he wanted to do and that was pretty much the only scene I watched in full. Peace out m8s.

#camping #pennsylvania #philadelphia