Philadelphia hosted the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Second Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, the building later known as Independence Hall. Congress adopted the Declaration there on July 4, 1776. Philadelphia was the largest city in the colonies and a major center of commerce, printing, and revolutionary political activity.
The building’s name changed after independence. Pennsylvania State House was its colonial-era name; Independence Hall became the familiar name because of the historic decisions associated with the site. The building also hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Philadelphia’s role makes it one of the principal historical locations associated with America250. Independence National Historical Park preserves the building and nearby sites connected with the founding era. Washington, D.C., became the national capital later and did not exist as the capital city in 1776.