Philadelphia — The Forgotten Union Oath

Your quest for the forgotten oath begins at Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut St, the Georgian red brick building where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. Built between 1732 and 1756 as the Pennsylvania State House, this historic Philadelphia site served as the seat of the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1783. It was here that George Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787, laying the foundations of the nation. The tower, which housed the Liberty Bell from 1752, overlooks this 42 m long and 28 m wide monument, a silent witness to the fiery debates that shaped the American republic.

Right next door, Congress Hall awaits you. Built between 1787 and 1789, this edifice served as the seat of the U.S. Congress from 1790 to 1800, during the decade when Philadelphia was the provisional capital. It was in its House of Representatives, with a capacity of about 200 people, that George Washington was inaugurated for his second presidential term in 1793. John Adams was also elected president here on February 7, 1797. Restored in 1912-1913 to its original appearance, Congress Hall was a pivot of Pennsylvania's nascent democracy.

Your route then takes you to Old City Hall, built in 1790-1791. This Georgian-style building with its brick facade was Philadelphia's first city hall and, from 1790 to 1800, the first seat of the U.S. Supreme Court. John Jay, appointed the first Chief Justice in 1789, presided over the first session of the Supreme Court here on February 2, 1790. Its dimensions of 24 m by 18 m make it a compact yet central monument in American judicial history, integrated into the Independence National Historical Park since 1948.

Continue to Carpenters' Hall, an 18 m by 12 m building constructed between 1773 and 1774 by the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. This location was the scene of the First Continental Congress in September 1774, a key event in the run-up to the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin, a founding member of the Carpenters' Company in 1724, knew this place well. The building, in Georgian style with Doric columns, was even visited by the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824, highlighting its continued importance in the nation's history.

Your journey concludes at Washington Square Park, a 4-hectare area that served as a gallows field during the Revolution (1777-1778), where 2415 British soldiers were buried. The Monument to the Unknown Soldiers of the Revolution, dedicated in 1954, marks the tomb of Unknown Soldier No. 1 and a collective grave of 2000 Continental soldiers, excavated in 1956. George Washington himself visited the site in 1793. By exploring this National Historic Landmark, you piece together the fragments of the oath, understanding the magnitude of the sacrifices and ideals that founded the city's motto, "Philadelphia sempiterna urbs" – Philadelphia, the eternal city.