Delaware was the first U.S. state to ratify the Constitution, approving it on December 7, 1787.
The Delaware convention met at Dover and voted unanimously, making Delaware the first state to accept the proposed federal framework. This earned it the nickname “The First State,” which remains its official state nickname.
The Constitution required ratification by nine states before it could take effect. New Jersey became the third state to ratify, while Pennsylvania was second. Delaware’s early approval reflected its small size and strong interest in a stable national government.
This milestone came eleven years after the Declaration of Independence and nine years before George Washington’s presidency began. It is therefore part of the broader constitutional history remembered during America’s 250th-anniversary observances.