Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, a founding fact recalled by America250.
Delaware’s convention approved ratification unanimously on December 7, 1787. Because it acted before every other state, Delaware earned the nickname “The First State.” The convention met at Dover, and the state’s three counties were represented in the vote.
The Constitution did not take effect immediately after Delaware’s action. Article VII required ratification by nine states, and that threshold was reached when New Hampshire ratified on June 21, 1788. The new federal government began under the Constitution in 1789.
Delaware’s early ratification reflected its small size, commercial ties, and interest in a stronger national framework, but the overall ratification debate was contentious. States argued over federal power, taxation, representation, and individual liberties. The promise to add a Bill of Rights helped secure support in several closely divided states.
The state’s first-place status is about ratification, not admission to the Union; the United States did not admit states through the later territorial process used for many western states.