American Bells Research Paper

Words: 447
Pages: 2

INTRODUCTION
Bell is used to herald significant events. Bells call the faithful to worship and toll the time. The sound of a bell can express great joy, sound a warning, or signal mourning. Bells have also been rung to bring on or stop the rain, keep evil spirits at bay, invoke curses, and lift spells.
Bells hold an honored place in religious ceremonies. In both Buddhism and Christianity, bells are blessed before each ceremony. In Roman Catholicism, bells are symbols of paradise and the voice of God. The Russian Orthodox and the Chinese employ bells to speak to spirits or God.
Bells are also revered as patriotic symbols, and it was not unusual for invading conquerors to capture and silence the town bell. In the U.S., the great symbol of the American republic is the Liberty Bell.
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was particularly known for its superior bell founding. European bell founding occurred much later and originated in medieval monasteries. The first European bells resembled cow bells: iron plates that had been hammered square and then riveted together. By the 15th century, founders began to experiment with bell shape and tone. Secular bellmakers gained prestige in the Renaissance with the flourishing of Gothic architecture which featured grand bell towers.
In the 17th century, Belgium and the Netherlands emerged as the leaders in bell founding. Dutch brothers Francois and Pierre Hemony are generally credited with developing the bell into a sophisticated musical instrument. The Hemonys worked with a blind musician named Jacob Van Eyck on a tuning system for the five separate and distinct tones contained in each bell's ring. After the deaths of Francois and Pierre and that of their star pupil, Caes Noorder, in the 18th century, the art suffered a decline. It was not until the 20th century that tuning techniques once again gained