Philadelphia hosted the Second Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration of Independence.
The delegates met at the Pennsylvania State House, the building now known as Independence Hall. Philadelphia was one of British North America’s largest and most important cities, with strong political, commercial, and printing networks. Its location made it a practical center for revolutionary coordination, even though military conflict repeatedly threatened the city.
The Declaration was debated and approved there in July 1776. The document was then sent to John Dunlap’s nearby print shop, where approximately 200 broadsides were produced for distribution. The first public readings followed on July 8 in Philadelphia, Trenton, and Easton.
Philadelphia’s role can be confused with Boston’s. Boston was a major center of resistance and the site of events such as the Boston Massacre, but the Declaration was adopted in Philadelphia. The city later hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and served as the first capital of the United States under the Constitution.