Which state adopted the first constitution among the former American colonies?

New Hampshire adopted the first constitution among the former American colonies.

On January 5, 1776, the New Hampshire Congress met in Exeter and established a civil government. This action came before the Declaration of Independence and replaced royal administration with a locally controlled system during the crisis with Britain.

The temporary constitution created a two-part legislature consisting of an elected Assembly and a Council. It deliberately provided no chief executive, reflecting colonial resistance to the authority associated with royal governors. The document was designed for wartime self-government rather than as a permanent constitution.

New Hampshire later adopted a more comprehensive constitution in 1783, which became effective in 1784. The 1776 document is therefore important as the first state constitution, but it should not be confused with New Hampshire’s later permanent constitutional framework.