Philadelphia hosted the Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration commemorated by America250.
In 1776, the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia served as the meeting place of the Second Continental Congress. The building is now known as Independence Hall. Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration there on July 4, 1776.
Philadelphia was the largest city in British North America and a major center of printing, commerce, and political debate. Its central location among the colonies helped make it a practical meeting place for delegates. The city also hosted the Constitutional Convention in 1787, another major event in United States history.
Washington, D.C., was not founded until after independence and did not become the national capital until 1800. Boston was crucial to the Revolution, especially during the early resistance to British rule, but it was not the city where Congress adopted the Declaration. The Independence Hall site remains a major focus of America250 history and tourism.