Quiz challenge
Which state is known as the First State?
Select an answer to continue.
The correct answer is A) Delaware.
Delaware is universally recognized as the First State because its delegates were the very first to ratify the United States Constitution on December 7, 1787.
When the Constitutional Convention concluded in Philadelphia in September 1787, the work of shaping a brand-new American government was far from finished. The landmark document required formal approval from individual state conventions across the country before it could take full legal effect. One colony moved faster than all the rest, quickly scheduling a special convention in December of that year to debate and vote on the proposal. By acting ahead of its neighboring states, this small coastal state earned a permanent place in national history and an official legal nickname that remains a point of deep state pride today.
The correct answer
A) Delaware
Delaware is universally recognized as the First State because its delegates were the very first to ratify the United States Constitution on December 7, 1787.
In November 1787, Delaware voters elected thirty delegates—ten from each of the state's three counties—to assemble at Battell's Tavern on the Dover Green for a special ratifying convention. Small states had initially expressed deep reservations about replacing the Articles of Confederation, fearing that a powerful federal legislature might allow larger, more populous states to dominate national policy. However, the proposed Constitution included the Great Compromise, creating a dual system of representation that included a Senate where every state received equal standing regardless of geographic or population size. Satisfied with this structural balance, the thirty delegates debated briefly before voting unanimously, thirty to zero, to approve the document on December 7, 1787. This historical milestone placed Delaware at the very head of the ratifying order, earning it the iconic national title that state lawmakers formally codified in 2002.
More context
Delaware's speedy ratification was heavily influenced by economic, political, and security considerations. Operating under the older Articles of Confederation, small states struggled with trade disputes, military vulnerabilities, and limited tax revenue compared to larger neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Virginia. The new Constitution promised unified interstate commerce regulations and a strong federal defense while guaranteeing equal Senate representation for smaller states. Delaware's early vote also established long-standing traditions in American public life. To this day, Delaware is granted the place of honor in national processions, leading state delegations in presidential inauguration parades and voting first during ceremonial roll calls. Although citizens informally called Delaware the First State for generations, the state legislature officially codified the phrase as the legal state nickname in May 2002, following an educational initiative championed by local elementary school students.
Quick facts
- Delaware ratified the U.S. Constitution with a unanimous thirty to zero vote on December 7, 1787.
- Every year on December 7, the state officially celebrates Delaware Day to honor its historic vote.
- Delaware occupies the first position among states in presidential inauguration parades and national civic processions.
- The phrase The First State became Delaware's official legal state nickname in May 2002.
Sources
- About Delaware Day — State of Delaware Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787.
- Ratification Document — Delaware Public Archives Delaware delegates met in Dover and voted unanimously to ratify the Constitution.
- Observing Constitution Day — National Archives Delaware was the first of thirteen states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
