What was the first state to ratify the Constitution?
Quick answer
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, voting unanimously on December 7, 1787. That’s why Delaware’s official nickname is “The First State.” The Constitution took effect after New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, on June 21, 1788.
The order of ratification
| Order | State | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | December 7, 1787 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | December 12, 1787 |
| 3 | New Jersey | December 18, 1787 |
| 4 | Georgia | January 2, 1788 |
| 5 | Connecticut | January 9, 1788 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | February 6, 1788 |
| 7 | Maryland | April 28, 1788 |
| 8 | South Carolina | May 23, 1788 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | June 21, 1788 (made the Constitution official) |
| 10 | Virginia | June 25, 1788 |
| 11 | New York | July 26, 1788 |
| 12 | North Carolina | November 21, 1789 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | May 29, 1790 |
Why Delaware moved fast
Delaware was a small state that feared being dominated by large neighbors. The new Constitution gave every state two senators, regardless of size, which protected small states’ interests. Its convention voted 30–0 in favor.
Ratification vs the Declaration
- The Declaration of Independence (1776) announced separation from Britain. See who wrote it.
- The Constitution (written in 1787) set up the US government that still exists today. It replaced the weaker Articles of Confederation.
- The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments, was ratified in 1791, partly to win over states that worried about individual freedoms.
Delaware facts
- Capital: Dover
- It’s the second-smallest state by area, after Rhode Island.
- Many large US companies are legally incorporated there because of its business-friendly laws.
The last state to join, more than 170 years later, was Hawaii.
Still curious?
Jump to a random question from the archive.