Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution after the independence era honored by America250. Its ratifying convention approved the Constitution unanimously on December 7, 1787.
Delaware’s early ratification earned it the nickname “The First State.” Pennsylvania followed on December 12, 1787, and New Jersey ratified on December 18. The Constitution ultimately required ratification by nine states before it could take effect.
The timing distinguishes this question from the 1776 independence story. The Declaration announced separation from Great Britain, while the Constitution created a new framework for the federal government. The two documents were adopted eleven years apart.
Delaware’s ratification was not the final one. Rhode Island became the last of the original thirteen states to ratify, doing so on May 29, 1790. New Hampshire was the crucial ninth state, ratifying on June 21, 1788, which placed the Constitution into effect.