Philadelphia hosted both the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress during the American Revolution.
The First Continental Congress met at Carpenters’ Hall from September to October 1774. The Second Continental Congress first convened in May 1775 and met at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall. Philadelphia therefore served as the political center of the colonies during the transition from protest to revolution.
The Second Continental Congress directed the Continental Army, appointed George Washington as commander in chief, conducted diplomacy, and issued the Declaration of Independence. It also oversaw the Articles of Confederation and the early wartime government.
Philadelphia’s role is sometimes confused with Boston, where major protests and early fighting occurred, or New York, which later served briefly as the national capital. The city’s founding-era buildings and documents make it one of the principal historic settings associated with America250.