Explore the Path to Democracy, Philly's 21-Stop Self-Guided History Tour

In 1774, before the American Revolution officially began, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met at Carpenters’ Hall to list their grievances against the British crown in a last-ditch effort to avoid war. 

This First Continental Congress, held between September 5 and October 26, 1774, witnessed the first steps toward creating a new democracy. The big takeaway? The realization that the colonies needed to align with each other — instead of each looking to Great Britain — to advance their shared goals. 

Good for: Seeing where the seeds of independence were first planted
Don’t miss: The original chair the President of the First Continental Congress sat in, with a replica that visitors can try out.

The house outlined here was Benjamin Franklin’s home while serving in the Second Continental Congress in 1776 and the Constitutional Convention in 1787. 

So, not only can visitors imagine the walls and furnishings of the house from the clues at Franklin Court, but they can also wonder about Franklin’s philosophy as he was lending his wisdom to the formation of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. 

Fun Fact: You can learn even more about Franklin’s role in the founding of the nation at the underground museum that’s on site.

Good for: Deep dives into Benjamin Franklin’s life
Know before you go: Visitors can access Franklin Court for free, but tickets to the museum are required and must be purchased onsite.

Before photography, paintings were the way to preserve one’s likeness. So, while artist Charles Willson Peale supported the young country by fighting in the American Revolution and serving in government, he was also driven to record the faces that created the nation. 

The portrait collection housed in the Second Bank of the United States depicts more than 100 of Peale’s paintings, capturing the “people who lived in a time of unprecedented political and social change during which Americans invented and then tested the idea for a nation of ‘united states.’”

Short captions describe each subject and the interrelationships among this small group of 18th-century leaders shaping the country’s framework.

Don’t miss: Checking out the building’s stunning architecture, modeled after the Parthenon
Know before you go: No tickets are required to visit the gallery, but note that the attraction has limited hours, so check online before heading out.

Above the door of the American Philosophical Society’s library on 5th Street — it’s the two-story, red-brick building with a curvy staircase — is a sculpture of Ben Franklin in a toga. It’s a replica of the first piece of public art in Philadelphia from 1791. 

Ben’s toga is a nod to the Roman Republic to which the founders were aspiring. He’s holding a royal scepter pointing down to imply the decline of monarchies, while government by the people was on the way up. 

Good for: Seeing a Philadelphia original
Don’t miss: The American Philosophical Society museum across 5th Street holds rotating exhibitions that highlight the intersections of science, history and art.

This cluster of red-brick buildings is the site where the United States was founded around the then-radical notion that a nation could be ruled by the consent of the people, rather than by a monarch.

By the 1770s, American colonists were split: Loyalists favored remaining part of the British Empire, Patriots wanted revolution, and much of the population had no say at all. 

Despite the division, the Continental government hammered out the Declaration of Independence, and in 1776, the Second Continental Congress signed it here, laying the groundwork for a new story of democracy. 

Good for: Seeing where it all happened
Know before you go: Visitors must reserve tickets online (in most instances) or by phone in advance for tours of Independence Hall. Pro tip: Independence National Historical Park releases any available “next day” tickets at 5 p.m. 

Although the bell you hear gonging hourly from Independence Hall is the Centennial Bell, the louder voice, metaphorically, is the across-the-street Liberty Bell, originally cast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges.

It was just the state house bell until 1839, when abolitionists took note of its Biblical inscription: “Proclaim Liberty thro’ all the Land and to all the Inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10) and elevated it to a symbol of their anti-slavery movement. 

The Bell endures as a symbol of liberty worldwide and is a pilgrimage site for people escaping oppression of any sort. Admirers can view the Bell through glass walls, or learn the full story inside the Liberty Bell Center.

Good for: Seeing an iconic symbol up close
Know before you go: While you don’t need tickets to see the Liberty Bell, you must first pass through security.

As a panel in this open-air exhibit points out, the site presents the core contradiction of the founding of the nation: the enshrinement of liberty and the institution of slavery. 

George Washington spent seven years of his presidency here, laying the groundwork for the nation’s most important elected office. 

Through videos, text panels and engravings, the site pays equal homage to the nine enslaved Africans who toiled in Washington’s home and points out the paradox of their living quarters existing next to the entrance of what would later become the Liberty Bell Center.

Good for: A more complete telling of history
Know before you go: The National Park Service removed the interpretive panels at the President’s House on January 22, 2026. Approximately half of the original panels were restored on February 20, 2026. Following a series of federal court rulings, the National Park Service completed the replacement of the original interpretive panels with a new exhibit on July 15, 2026.

The story of Pennsylvania Hall, which stood on this site for just three days in 1838, isn’t the riot that destroyed the building, but the courage and persistence of the people who used the incident to further their cause. 

Amid threats, the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society built the nation’s first meeting space specifically for abolitionists. During its inaugural meeting, thousands of angry Philadelphians ransacked and burned the building while firefighters stood by. 

Undeterred, the women organizers regrouped in another location to continue their quest.

Good for: Seeing the spot that defined an important moment in history
Know before you go: No parts of the building survive, with the marker the only clue about the site’s infamous history.

Eleven years after the country was formed — and with intense debate and compromise — citizens formalized the laws of a representative-style government into the U.S. Constitution, a document that has since become the model for democratic nations around the world. 

There’s no better place to explore the four most powerful pages in American history than the highly interactive National Constitution Center. In recent years, the museum has opened galleries about women’s suffrage; the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments; and the founding of the nation.   

Don’t miss: Visiting the museum’s iconic Signers’ Hall, featuring 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers.
Vibe: “… in order to form a more perfect Union …”

In the era of the American Revolution, there were 25 Jewish families in Philadelphia, a century after William Penn established his colony of religious tolerance. They could worship freely, but could not vote or hold political office. This site marks the first rented meeting space of Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1740. 

Philadelphia’s Jews in the 1770s were indispensable to the Revolution, but they were barred from government because of a “test oath” that required expressing one’s religious beliefs. Although an attempt to overturn the requirement failed, the protest influenced the U.S. Constitution, which does not provide a religious oath for holding office.

Know before you go: While a historical marker indicates the first meeting space of Congregation Mikveh Israel, their current home is only a block away.
Don’t miss: Interested in touring the historic synagogue? Call 215-922-5446 to arrange. 

George Fox created the Religious Society of Friends in England — a group more commonly known as the Quakers — during the 17th century in opposition to the Church of England.

Bringing with him concepts of peace, equality and simplicity, Quaker William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1682, aiming to create a free, equal and democratic society. 

Arch Street Meeting House — located on land Penn originally deeded to be a burial ground — was built in the 1800s to serve Philadelphia’s expanding Quaker community. Today, the National Historic Landmark has a museum and weekly active worship. 

Know before you go: The museum and the grounds are both open to the public. Check online for days and hours of operation.
Don’t miss: The site’s interactive exhibits showcasing Quaker influences on history.

Betsy Ross was a political rebel, a Colonial businesswoman and a mother. She took a stand during a time when women were not permitted to take part in democracy, but she took a stand nonetheless. 

Generations later, her story inspired suffragists to sew a star on a flag each time a state voted for ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. 

At the Betsy Ross House, wander through the charming rooms and winding staircases of the circa-1740 residence, then talk to Betsy herself about her role in the American Revolution and her fascinating work and life.

Good for: Celebrating a Colonial rabble rouser 
Don’t miss: Seeing the sewing table Betsy may have used to stitch the very first American flag, now part of the museum’s permanent collection. 

Christ Church was the first parish of the Church of England in Pennsylvania, operating as a house of worship for prominent early Americans including George Washington, Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin. Absalom Jones would later be ordained here as the nation’s first African American Episcopalian priest.

Colonial America broke with the Church of England here when Christ Church members committed the treasonous act of crossing out the king’s name on the Book of Common Prayer on July 4, 1776.

Good for: Exploring stunning architecture and learning about the church’s connection to America’s path to democracy. 
Know before you go: Christ Church Burial Ground — the final resting place of many of the nation’s first history makers, including Franklin himself — is a short walk from Christ Church.

Pamphlets and newspapers were the communication tools of the 18th century. The print shops producing these materials were concentrated in the busiest part of town, near the Delaware River, and they were decidedly partisan — Patriot or Loyalist — later favoring political parties of the new government. 

Market Street is dotted with printer plaques, including one for John Dunlap’s shop (near 138 Market Street), which printed copies of the Declaration of Independence throughout the night of July 4, 1776 to spread news of independence. 

Good for: Learning how news spread before telephones, radios, televisions and the internet
Know before you go: Watch park rangers set type, then crank the arm of a (reproduction) 18th-century press — while answering questions — at the Franklin Court printing office.

For centuries, the land now known as Philadelphia was home to and cared for by native peoples, including the Lenape, whose name means “original people.”

Settler William Penn greeted Chief Tamanend and local Lenape in friendship, attempting, although ultimately failing, to form a sustainable equality with the Indigenous people. 

Penn’s treaty with Tamanend likely didn’t look like the apocryphal scene that’s portrayed in Benjamin West’s 1771 painting by the same name. But his willingness to live peacefully with the original population, combined with Tamanend’s esteem as a leader, puts them ahead of their time.

The City of Philadelphia commissioned this statue in 1994 to honor the Lenape people and their chief. 

Good for: Remembering native peoples
Know before you go: Tamanend rises 21 feet high from a 16-foot base. 

As Ben Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention — in which delegates would vote to approve or reject the new law of the land — Elizabeth Powel asked him, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” He replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” 

After working at Independence Hall during the day, delegates to the Convention often gathered at the home of Elizabeth and her husband, Samuel Powel. Elizabeth was a friend and advisor, and notably helped convince President George Washington to return to office for a second term. 

The house drips elegance and comes to life through the Powels’ stories of political savvy and lavish entertainment. 

Good for: A glimpse into early American high society
Know before you go: Check the official site’s schedule for tour times.

The formation of the United States, with its then-radical notion of self-government, was a homegrown endeavor. But the emerging nation benefited from the military and philosophical expertise of Europeans who joined the cause, including Polish military engineer Thaddeus Kościuszko. 

Upon his arrival in Philadelphia in August 1776, Kościuszko’s battlefield know-how helped the American effort. He fought with an idealistic belief in democracy and enjoyed the friendship of the Founding Fathers. 

Visit his home at 3rd and Pine streets for first-floor exhibits, and his upstairs bedchamber, where he received visitors — including Thomas Jefferson. The attraction is open weekends, seasonally.

Know before you go: Check the official site for hours and days of operation.
Good for: Learning about an oft-overlooked American hero.

In 1817, 3,000 African Americans met at Mother Bethel AME Church to discuss the American Colonization Society’s plan to resettle free Blacks in West Africa. Among them: James Forten, a prosperous sailmaker and community builder. 

The group denounced resettlement and put it to a vote. Although unanimous, only a handful of participants were allowed to cast a ballot. The incident sent a message that the group stood resolutely with their loved ones still in chains, not the slaveholders; and that they were willing to challenge both adversaries and traditional leadership. 

Don’t miss: The church’s collection of beautiful stained-glass windows 
Know before you go: The church’s basement museum holds the tomb of founder Reverend Richard Allen.

When the 15th Amendment was passed in 1870 after the Civil War, Octavius Catto encouraged people to vote. On the very first election day that African Americans could legally vote — October 10, 1871 — Catto cast his ballot, but was later shot and killed just steps from his home. 

This memorial represents his contributions to athletics, education, trolley desegregation, the military and voting rights. 

The monument — the city’s first monument honoring a single Black American — came 146 years after Catto’s death. This long arc is a reminder that democracy is everlasting work and that each American citizen plays a role in bringing justice to light.

Good for: Remembering a hero   
Don’t miss: Taking a close look at the entire work of art, including a symbolic streetcar and ballot box.

When you spot William Penn’s statue atop City Hall, remember that his vision was radical: to create a safe haven for religious freedom and to encourage the participation and consent of the governed. 

Penn founded Philadelphia on the ancestral homeland of the Lenape in 1682. Penn’s tenets of representative government, outlined in his Charter of Privileges, were a precursor to the U.S. Constitution. 

Don’t miss: Take the City Hall Tower Tour on weekdays for an up-close look at the statue — and an incomparable view of the city. Tickets are required.
Know before you go: The statue would set the literal bar for building in Philly, with no building rising higher than his hat until One Liberty Place arrived in 1987.

The Freemasons were a popular fraternal order established in the 1730s, and prominent figures such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington were involved in Freemason societies. 

Opponents who feared the organization was secretly controlling the government created a political party in 1828: the Anti-Masonic Party. In 1831, the country’s first true “third party” held the first national presidential-nominating convention, a practice that the other parties soon adopted. The Anti-Masonic Party also spread its message through party newspapers — a tactic that the main parties began to use as well. 

Tour the grand, architectural wonder that is the Masonic Temple to see ornate, period-inspired meeting halls and hear anecdotes about the society.

Good for: Seeing stunning architecture and hearing historic tales
Know before you go: The National Historic Landmark has limited days and hours of operation. Check online before you go.