What was Independence Hall originally called when it hosted the Declaration’s adoption in 1776?

Independence Hall was originally called the Pennsylvania State House when it hosted the Declaration’s adoption in 1776.

The building was constructed for Pennsylvania’s colonial legislature and was completed in 1753. It stood in Philadelphia’s State House Yard, now part of Independence National Historical Park.

The Second Continental Congress used the Pennsylvania State House for its meetings. Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence there in 1776, and the Constitutional Convention met in the same building in 1787.

The name Independence Hall became common after the American Revolution because of the building’s association with independence. Its earlier name reflects its original role as the seat of Pennsylvania’s colonial government. The building is now one of the best-known historic sites connected with the America250 commemoration.