The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the event commemorated by America250.
Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House, a building later renamed Independence Hall. The adoption occurred on July 4, 1776, after delegates debated and edited a draft prepared by a committee.
Philadelphia was the meeting place of the Continental Congress during the early stages of the American Revolution. It was also a major colonial city with an established printing trade, allowing the new declaration to be reproduced and distributed quickly.
The building is often associated with the signing of the Declaration, but adoption and signing were separate stages. Congress approved the final text on July 4, while most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2. Independence Hall later became a major symbol of American founding history.