The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration celebrated by America250 in Philadelphia.
Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House, the building now known as Independence Hall. Philadelphia was a major political and commercial center in the colonies and served as the meeting place for both Continental Congresses during important stages of the Revolution.
The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776, after Congress debated and edited a draft prepared by a five-member committee. The document's formal title identified it as a declaration by representatives of the United States of America.
Philadelphia's role extends beyond the Declaration. The Constitutional Convention also met at Independence Hall in 1787, where delegates drafted the United States Constitution. Boston was central to the early resistance, while Washington, D.C., became the federal capital later.