Delaware became the first U.S. state by ratifying the Constitution in 1787.
Delaware delegates unanimously approved ratification on December 7, 1787, at the Golden Fleece Tavern in Dover. This earned Delaware the nickname “The First State,” which remains its official state nickname. The vote came before ratification by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and the other states.
Delaware’s position reflected its small size and commercial interests. The state had been one of the Thirteen Colonies and had declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. Its delegates at the Constitutional Convention included George Read, John Dickinson, and Jacob Broom.
Delaware’s early ratification helped create momentum for the new federal system, although the Constitution required approval from nine states before taking effect. The ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified it in June 1788. Delaware’s first-in-the-nation ratification is commemorated in its state symbols and public institutions.