What was the name of the 1776 assembly that adopted the Declaration of Independence?

The Second Continental Congress was the assembly that adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It began meeting in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, after the American Revolutionary War had already begun.

The body coordinated the colonial war effort, selected George Washington as commander in chief, authorized the Continental Army, and handled diplomacy. In June and July 1776, it debated independence, appointed the committee that produced the Declaration, and approved the final document on July 4.

The First Continental Congress had met in 1774 to coordinate a response to British policies but did not declare independence. The Second Continental Congress operated as a revolutionary national government before the Articles of Confederation were fully in force. Its actions form the institutional background to the founding milestone celebrated by America250.