Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, a founding document linked to America250 history.
Delaware’s convention approved ratification unanimously on December 7, 1787. Because the Constitution required approval by nine states before it could take effect, Delaware’s decision made it the first state to join the new constitutional union.
Delaware’s early ratification earned it the nickname “The First State.” Pennsylvania followed on December 12, while New Jersey and Georgia ratified later that month. The process continued through 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth ratifying state and formally brought the Constitution into operation.
Ratification did not end debate. Several states demanded assurances about individual liberties, helping lead to the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. America250’s historical context therefore includes both the Constitution’s creation and the arguments over how the new government should protect rights.