The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, central to America250’s historical story.
Congress met in the Pennsylvania State House, now called Independence Hall. The building served as the meeting place where delegates debated independence and approved the declaration on July 4, 1776.
Philadelphia was a major colonial port, commercial center, and hub of revolutionary political activity. The city hosted the First and Second Continental Congresses and later became the first capital of the United States under the Constitution.
The building’s name changed over time. During the revolutionary period it was generally known as the Pennsylvania State House; “Independence Hall” became the familiar name later. Boston was important to the opening stages of the Revolution, Williamsburg was Virginia’s colonial capital, and New York City became the federal capital in 1789, but none was the city where Congress adopted the declaration.