
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date drafting began | 25 May 1787 |
| Date drafting ended | 17 September 1787 |
| Date of ratification | 29 May 1790 |
| First state to ratify the Constitution | Delaware |
| Date of first state's ratification | 7 December 1787 |
| Date Constitution became official framework of the US government | 21 June 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
- The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787
- The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
- The ratification process for the Constitution ended when Rhode Island ratified it on May 29, 1790
- The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788
- The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States

The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was convened in response to the growing sense that the Articles of Confederation were inadequate for governing the newly formed nation. The Articles had been tailored to a nation of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries, and it became clear that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government. Alexander Hamilton of New York led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation’s governing document.
The convention lasted until September 17, 1787, when the delegates adopted and signed the Frame of Government to replace the Articles. The ratification process for the new Constitution began that day and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
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The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been the first constitution of the United States. The Articles had been ratified by the 13 colonies in 1781, but it quickly became clear that a stronger, more centralised government was needed for future stability.
The Constitutional Convention ended on September 17, 1787, when the delegates adopted and signed the new Constitution. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut followed. It took until June 21, 1788, for the Constitution to become the official framework of the government of the United States of America, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
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The ratification process for the Constitution ended when Rhode Island ratified it on May 29, 1790
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was tasked with revising the existing government, but the delegates ended up creating a powerful central government. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and the ratification process began that day. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ratification process ended when Rhode Island became the final state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States, had been ratified by the 13 colonies by March 1, 1781. However, it quickly became clear that a stronger, more centralised government was needed for future stability. The new Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it on June 21, 1788.
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The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788
The Constitutional Convention ended on September 17, 1787, when the delegates adopted and signed the Frame of Government to replace the Articles of Confederation. On that day, the ratification process for the Constitution began, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify it on December 7, 1787. The ratification process was long and arduous, and it wasn't until May 29, 1790, that the final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution.
The Constitution stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures as they knew their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. The delegates to the convention came from wildly different interests and views, and they crafted compromises to create a powerful central government while remaining loyal to their states and wary of centralised power.
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The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States
The drafting of the new constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention's delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. The new constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and the ratification process began that day.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
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Frequently asked questions
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time.
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787.
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, which was the first constitution of the United States.
Ratification by the 13 colonies took more than three years and was completed on March 1, 1781.
38 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
























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