Delaware vs. Pennsylvania: how the First State won the race to ratify the Constitution

Delaware’s Historic Race to Ratify the Constitution First

The Golden Fleece Tavern site in Dover holds the key to understanding how America’s smallest state made the biggest first move.

In December 1787, thirty Delaware delegates gathered at Elizabeth Battell’s tavern to decide their state’s future. They had good reason to worry about big states like Virginia and Pennsylvania pushing them around.

But these delegates saw something bigger than their fears.

After just five days of discussion, they voted 30-0 to ratify the Constitution, beating every other state and earning Delaware its nickname as “The First State.”

Here’s how those thirty men changed American history forever in a Dover tavern.

Five Delaware Men Signed the Constitution in September 1787

Richard Bassett, Gunning Bedford Jr. , Jacob Broom, John Dickinson, and George Read signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787.

These five men spoke for Delaware at the Philadelphia Convention. After months of talks, they joined other states in approving the final document.

The Constitution went to all states on September 28, 1787. Delaware needed to set up a special meeting to vote on it.

The papers arrived in Dover at the Golden Fleece Tavern, where government business often took place.

State Called for Special Voting Meeting in November 1787

Delaware set up elections for November 26, 1787, to pick people for a ratification meeting. Each of Delaware’s three counties chose ten representatives, making thirty total.

The meeting started December 3, 1787, in Dover. Leaders picked candidates who wanted a strong national government with Federalist views.

Most came from well-known families and owned businesses that would do better with a unified country. The state wanted people who saw how a federal system could help small Delaware.

Local Tavern Hosted the Historic Vote

Thirty elected men showed up at Elizabeth Battell’s Golden Fleece Tavern on December 3, 1787. The tavern served as Delaware’s temporary capitol since the new State House wasn’t ready until 1791.

Built in the 1730s, the Golden Fleece was the biggest building in Dover and hosted most government meetings. The two-story brick building had a special room for official business.

The men picked James Latimer to lead the meeting as president.

Small State Worries Led to Important Deal

Delaware’s five men at the Philadelphia Convention fought hard for small state rights. John Dickinson helped create the Great Compromise, giving all states the same number of Senators.

During heated talks, Gunning Bedford Jr. warned that small states might look for help from other countries if bigger states tried to boss them around.

Delaware’s men came with strict orders not to back any plan that gave bigger states more power. The deal they helped make protected Delaware while creating a strong central government.

Philadelphia Ties Shaped Delaware’s Support

Delaware’s leaders backed nationalism, with many coming from Federalist Philadelphia.

They knew a small state like theirs could get protection and business benefits from joining a strong federal government. No one at the meeting spoke against joining or raised big concerns.

The thirty men included the most respected citizens from Sussex, Kent, and Newcastle counties. Many owned businesses that would do better with stable money and trade rules the Constitution promised.

Candles Lit Five Days of Quick Talks

The meeting ran from December 3-7, 1787, in the main room of the Golden Fleece Tavern. Elizabeth Battell, who owned the tavern, provided firewood and candles for the five days.

Her bill for “firewood and candles for 5 days for the Convention” still exists today. The men moved through their business quickly, with little debate on record.

They read the Constitution out loud, talked about it, and soon agreed.

Unlike later state meetings that faced strong opposition, Delaware’s men found common ground easily.

Thirty Votes Made Delaware First to Join

All thirty men voted yes for the Constitution on December 7, 1787, with no one against it. The vote was 30-0, with everyone there saying yes.

Delaware became the first state to join, beating Pennsylvania by five days.

People joked that “Delaware was the whole country for five days” until Pennsylvania joined on December 12. News moved slowly back then, but word of Delaware’s action soon spread to other states thinking about joining.

Signatures on Paper Almost Lost Forever

The men signed a formal document stating they “fully, freely, and entirely approve” the Constitution. The paper listed all thirty names from Sussex, Kent, and Newcastle counties.

Workers almost threw away the original document when they found it in the Old State House attic in 1987. Former Secretary of State James Hughes saved it until Delaware started state archives in 1905.

Today, this piece of American history stays safely kept, showing the signatures of the men who made Delaware the First State.

Golden Fleece Became Birthplace of the First State

Delaware got its “First State” nickname right after the December 7 vote. News spread quickly that tiny Delaware beat larger states to approve the Constitution.

The Golden Fleece Tavern became known as the birthplace of the First State. The meeting marked the high point of the tavern’s role as Delaware’s “Capitol Tavern.”

People celebrated in Dover streets when they heard the news. The quick approval showed Delaware wanted to join the new union.

Tavern Later Approved Bill of Rights Before Demolition

The Golden Fleece continued hosting important government meetings until the State House finished construction in 1791.

The tavern later saw the approval of the Bill of Rights in January 1790, adding to its historical significance. Workers demolished the building around 1830 and replaced it with the Capitol Hotel.

Historical markers now stand at the site where the First State was born.

Though the original building disappeared long ago, its place in American history remains secure as the location where the Constitution first became law in any state.

Visiting First State National Historical Park

First State National Historical Park has six free sites across Delaware where you can learn about the state’s historic ratification vote.

Start at the Sheriff’s House Welcome Center in New Castle, open Thursday through Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm. Dover Green has 79 historic buildings including the Old State House where delegates voted.

You can take walking tours with costumed interpreters and visit John Dickinson Plantation for house tours about the “Penman of the Revolution.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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