Bells were rung when the Declaration of Independence was read on July 8, 1776. While there is no record that the Liberty Bell also was rung, most historians believe it was rung with the other bells. In the 1830s, the bell was used as a symbol by abolitionist societies, who called it the "Liberty Bell". The bell got its large, well-known crack in the early 19th century. One story claims it was cracked while ringing after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835.