Philadelphia hosted the Second Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration of Independence, the document celebrated by America250.
The congress met in the Pennsylvania State House, a building later renamed Independence Hall. On July 4, 1776, delegates approved the final wording of the Declaration and formally announced the colonies’ separation from Great Britain.
Philadelphia was the political center of the revolutionary movement and served as the meeting place for both Continental Congresses. Its role made the city a natural focal point for later national anniversary observances, including America250.
Boston, New York, and Charleston were also important Revolutionary-era cities, but they were not the location where the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration. Independence Hall remains one of Philadelphia’s best-known historic landmarks.