Delaware was the first U.S. state to ratify the Constitution, a founding milestone remembered during America250.
Delegates at Delaware’s ratifying convention approved the Constitution unanimously on December 7, 1787. Because Delaware acted before every other state, it earned the nickname “The First State,” a title later made official by state tradition.
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify, followed by New Jersey and Georgia. The Constitution required approval by nine states before it could take effect, and New Hampshire supplied the decisive ninth ratification on June 21, 1788.
Delaware’s first place does not mean it was the first colony to declare independence or the first state admitted to the Union. It was one of the original thirteen states, and its rapid ratification reflected strong support among delegates at the convention in Dover. The state’s small size also helped make its ratification convention relatively quick.