Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution.
Delaware's convention approved the Constitution unanimously on December 7, 1787. Because it acted before the other states, Delaware gained the nickname “The First State,” which remains its official state nickname.
The Constitution required ratification by nine states before it could take effect among the ratifying states. New Jersey became the third state to ratify, while Virginia and New York joined later after significant political debate.
Delaware's early ratification reflected its small size and commercial connections, but it did not mean the Constitution was immediately accepted everywhere. North Carolina and Rhode Island initially withheld ratification; Rhode Island became the last state to ratify, in 1790.