Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, doing so on December 7, 1787. This founding milestone belongs to the broader history surrounding America250, even though the anniversary itself centers on 1776 independence.
Delaware’s ratifying convention met at Dover and unanimously approved the Constitution. Because it acted first, Delaware is often nicknamed “The First State.” Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify, followed by New Jersey.
Ratification of the Constitution was a different process from adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration announced separation from Great Britain in 1776; the Constitution created the federal government’s governing framework more than a decade later.