For America250, Philadelphia was the city hosting the Second Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration of Independence.
The Second Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. Delegates formally adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states.
Philadelphia was a major political and commercial center in British North America. Its central location helped make it practical for delegates from New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies to gather there. The city also hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
A common mix-up is confusing adoption with signing. Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, while most delegates signed the engrossed document on August 2, 1776. America250 commemorates the declaration of independence that emerged from this Philadelphia meeting.