Omar Bennett
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, unanimously approving the document on December 7, 1787. This was a significant moment in the history of the United States, as it set in motion the process of establishing a stronger, more centralized government to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had been in place since 1781. Delaware's swift and unanimous approval of the Constitution also carried symbolic weight, as it demonstrated the state's eagerness to embrace a new era of governance for the young republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date Delaware ratified the Constitution | December 7, 1787 |
| Date Delaware Day is celebrated | December 7 |
| Year Delaware's current constitution was adopted | 1897 |
| Number of delegates elected to a state convention to consider ratification | 30 |
| Number of delegates from each county | 10 |
| Date the delegates were elected | November 26, 1787 |
| Location of the convention | Battell's Tavern (also known as the Golden Fleece Tavern), Dover |
| Date the ratification document was signed | December 7, 1787 |
| Number of states needed to ratify the Constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Date the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America | June 21, 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
Delaware's unanimous vote
The road to ratification began with the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, where delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island was absent) met to draft a new constitution. The existing Articles of Confederation had given too much power to individual states, weakening the national government. Delaware, in particular, was unhappy with this arrangement, and its delegates played a key role in proposing solutions to address the issue of small versus large-state representation.
Following the convention, the proposed constitution was presented to each of the states for ratification. Delaware's legislature selected 30 delegates, ten from each county, to meet in a ratification convention. The convention took place in Battell's Tavern in Dover, as the State House had not yet been constructed. The delegates from Delaware unanimously approved the new constitution, and their approval was hand-scripted on a large piece of parchment, now known as the Ratification Document, which was signed and sent to the national government.
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No opposition to the Articles
Since 1933, the governors of Delaware have proclaimed December 7 as Delaware Day to commemorate the day in 1787 when Delaware became the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution. This made Delaware the first state in the New Nation.
Delaware's unanimous and swift ratification of the United States Constitution is notable given the absence of opposition to the Articles of Confederation. In many states, supporters of the Articles worked hard to block ratification, but in Delaware, all of the normally combative political factions favored the new constitution.
The Articles of Confederation, which had been the constitution of the United States since 1781, gave a lot of political power to individual states, which made the national government unimportant. This was unacceptable to Delawareans and many other Americans. The proposed constitution of 1787 was an entirely new document that gave considerable power to the national government.
On November 26, 1787, Delaware elected thirty delegates to a state convention to consider ratification. The delegates met in Dover at Battell's Tavern (also known as the Golden Fleece Tavern) and unanimously approved the new constitution, making Delaware the first state to ratify. The delegates' signatures were sent to the national government, and Delaware's example encouraged other states to follow suit.
Delaware's willingness to seize the initiative was significant. As a small state surrounded by much larger states, there was a fear that those larger states would take advantage of Delaware. Ratifying the Constitution was seen as a way to join in a union with the larger states and ensure the state's survival.
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Delaware's delegates
The delegates, including prominent figures such as Dickinson, quickly and unanimously approved the new Constitution. Delaware's ratification was significant as it was the first state to do so, and it did so without any recorded opposition. The delegates' decision was influenced by the desire for a stronger national government than what was provided by the Articles of Confederation, which had been in place since 1781. Delawareans, along with many other Americans, felt that the Articles gave too much political power to individual states, rendering the national government ineffective.
The delegates from Delaware also contributed to the Constitutional Convention by proposing solutions to address the representation of small versus large states. Dickinson, known as the "Penman of the Revolution," proposed that the Senate provide for every state to be equal, and that state legislatures pick the Senators. This proposal was important for Delaware, a small state in area and population without a major economic centre.
The delegates' unanimous approval of the Constitution on December 7, 1787, was recorded in a document known as the Ratification Document. Delaware's swift action set an important precedent for other states, as noted by a contemporary French observer: "Delaware has the advantage of having given the first signal of a revolution in the general government of the United States, and its example can only produce a good effect in other state conventions."
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A stronger national government
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution, doing so on December 7, 1787. The state's citizens desired a stronger national government than the Articles of Confederation provided. The Articles gave so much political power to individual states that the national government was rendered unimportant. This was unacceptable to Delawareans and many other Americans.
The Articles of Confederation had been the constitution of the United States since 1781. However, the Articles were tailored to a newly formed nation made up of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. It became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government.
New York's Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were invited to convene in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to participate in the Constitutional Convention.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia completed their work on the new United States Constitution, and it was presented to each of the states for ratification (approval). Delaware's legislature directed that ten delegates from each county be selected at a special election held on November 26, 1787, and that these delegates meet the following week in a ratification convention. The thirty delegates quickly and unanimously approved the new constitution.
Delaware's unanimous vote to ratify the Constitution was significant. It demonstrated the state's willingness to seize the initiative and set an important precedent for other state conventions to follow. Delaware's example helped to build momentum for the adoption of a stronger national government under the new Constitution.
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Delaware's constitution
Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, on December 7, 1787. The state's thirty delegates met in Dover at Battell's Tavern (also known as the Golden Fleece Tavern) and unanimously approved the new constitution. This was a significant moment in the formation of the United States, as it was the first signal of a revolution in the general government of the country. Delaware's quick and unanimous approval of the Constitution was important in encouraging other states to follow suit.
At the time, the Articles of Confederation had been the constitution of the United States since 1781. However, these articles gave too much political power to individual states, rendering the national government relatively unimportant. This was unacceptable to Delawareans and many other Americans, who desired a stronger national government. Delaware's constitution, which was written by a state convention after the Declaration of Independence, prohibited the entry of anyone from Africa or other places for the purpose of holding individuals in slavery.
The delegates from Delaware were sent to Philadelphia with instructions to offer amendments to the Articles of Confederation. One of the most prominent delegates was Dickinson, known as the "Penman of the Revolution." He proposed a solution to address a proposal that the two houses of Congress be represented according to population, suggesting that the Senate provide for every state to be equal and that state legislatures pick the Senators. Delaware was a small state, with no major economic centre or product, but it had a large coastline.
Delaware Day is celebrated on December 7 each year to commemorate the state's ratification of the Constitution. The day was established in 1933 by a statewide effort led by Delaware educator and legislator E. Paul Burkholder and the Rotary Club of Georgetown, who secured more than 6,000 signatures on petitions. As a result, a House Joint Resolution was passed and approved, and the first Delaware Day was celebrated on December 7, 1933, by proclamation of Governor C. Douglass Buck.
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Frequently asked questions
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution because there was no overt opposition to the new constitution in the state. All of Delaware's normally combative political factions favored the new constitution.
Delaware ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787, becoming the first state to do so.
Delaware's ratification of the Constitution was very important as it set a precedent for other states to follow. A contemporary French observer living in New York City wrote, "Delaware has the advantage of having given the first signal of a revolution in the general government of the United States, and its example can only produce a good effect in other state conventions."
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