The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.
Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House, a building later renamed Independence Hall. Philadelphia was a major political and commercial center, and the city hosted both the First and Second Continental Congresses during the crisis with Great Britain.
The building’s name reflects its later significance, but it was called the Pennsylvania State House in 1776. This naming change can cause confusion when visitors encounter references to both places. The Declaration was debated and adopted inside the same historic complex associated with the Liberty Bell.
Philadelphia’s role did not end with the Declaration. The city also hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where the United States Constitution was drafted and signed. Its concentration of revolutionary events makes Philadelphia one of the most important physical locations connected with the story celebrated by America250.