Rhode Island was the only state that did not send delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Rhode Island opposed the convention because many of its leaders feared that a stronger federal government would threaten state authority and individual economic interests. The state had also resisted efforts to revise the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous approval for major changes.
Delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia from May to September 1787. Although the gathering was officially called to revise the Articles, it produced an entirely new governing document: the United States Constitution.
Rhode Island eventually joined the Union under the Constitution, but only after the document had already taken effect. It became the thirteenth state to ratify, approving the Constitution on May 29, 1790. This delay gave Rhode Island a reputation for independence during the founding era, but it also meant the state had no delegate at the convention that drafted the new system.