The Declaration of Independence was debated and adopted in Independence Hall, then known as the Pennsylvania State House. The building stands in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the Second Continental Congress met during the American Revolution.
Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776, after debating revisions to the draft prepared chiefly by Thomas Jefferson. The same building later hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787, making it central to both the Declaration and the Constitution.
The structure was completed in 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House. Its Assembly Room became the setting for major revolutionary decisions, including the appointment of George Washington as commander of the Continental Army in 1775.
The name Independence Hall became common after independence. The building is part of Independence National Historical Park and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Liberty Bell, another famous symbol associated with the city, is displayed nearby rather than inside the Assembly Room.