Rhode Island did not send delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, shortly after the events commemorated by America250.
The convention met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, but it ultimately produced an entirely new Constitution. Delegates from twelve states attended. Rhode Island refused to participate, largely because its political leaders opposed a stronger central government and feared that the convention would expand federal authority.
The absence did not prevent the Constitution from being drafted or signed. Thirty-nine delegates endorsed the document on September 17, 1787. Article VII required ratification by nine of the thirteen states, rather than unanimous approval, so Rhode Island could not block the Constitution permanently.
Rhode Island eventually ratified the Constitution in 1790, becoming the thirteenth and final state to do so. Its late ratification reflected the intense national debate between Federalists, who supported the new framework, and Anti-Federalists, who criticized its concentration of power.