The Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia, linking the city directly to America’s 250th anniversary.
Philadelphia served as the meeting place of the Second Continental Congress in 1776. Delegates gathered there to debate independence, approve the Lee Resolution, and adopt the Declaration of Independence on July 4.
The city was the largest urban center in British North America and an important hub for commerce, printing, and political discussion. Its location and established civic institutions made it a natural center for revolutionary activity. The Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, was the principal meeting site.
Philadelphia remained nationally important after independence. It hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and served as the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800. Boston and New York City were also central to the revolutionary story, but Philadelphia was the city associated with the adoption of the Declaration.