The Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia, a central event remembered by America's 250th anniversary.
The Second Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia when it adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The building was later renamed Independence Hall and became one of the most recognizable sites associated with American independence.
Philadelphia was an important political and commercial center in colonial British America. It hosted both Continental Congresses and served as the meeting place where delegates debated separation from Great Britain. The city also became the temporary national capital under the early federal government.
A common mix-up is confusing Philadelphia with Washington, D.C. Washington became the permanent national capital in 1800, more than two decades after the Declaration. New York City was the federal capital when George Washington was inaugurated in 1789.