Discover the 10 Oldest States in the United States

The United States was formed following the American Revolutionary War. This conflict began with the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and ended in 1783. However, the U.S. wasn’t truly formed until the official ratification of the Constitution of the United States in 1788. After that, former colonies that accepted and confirmed the Constitution became states. Take a look at the 10 oldest states in the United States, the ones that accepted the Constitution first!

What Are The 10 Oldest States in the U.S.?

The early states did not simply appear out of thin air. Instead, they were previously one of the 13 colonies. Since this list is going to look at the oldest states in the United States, it’s only proper to consider them by the date they joined the union and not the date the original colony was founded or when the state broke away from the British.

Specifically, we’re going to list the states according to the day they joined the U.S. by ratifying the Constitution of the United States. The list is not going to focus on when they declared independence from the British.

People are often confused about how Delaware and other states apparently became a part of the union before the official ratification of the Constitution and the formation of the new government as the United States.

Well, representatives in nine states needed to ratify the document before the government could take effect under the new laws. Once nine states committed to the Constitution, the whole thing became official.

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10. Virginia

Virginia became a state on June 25, 1788, and it just missed out on being the crucial ninth state to ratify the Constitution. The Virginia Ratifying Convention consisted of 166 individuals that met in 1788 to determine whether to join the union. From June 2 until June 27, the group met. The vote passed with 89 voting for ratification and 79 voting against it. The decision was published on June 25, 1788.

9. New Hampshire

New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. The motion needed two-thirds of the former colonies to accept the document, rounded up to nine states. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire’s government voted to become the ninth state in the union, replacing the Articles of Confederation with the United States Constitution as the fundamental law of the country.

8. South Carolina

South Carolina became the 8^th former colony to ratify the constitution on May 23, 1788. The vote was 149 representatives in favor of the ratification and 73 against it. Interestingly, the state would only stay a part of the union for 72 years before becoming the first to secede from the U.S. in 1860.

7. Maryland

The state of Maryland became the seventh-oldest state in the United States on April 28, 1788. The vote was 63 for ratification and 13 against ratifying the Constitution. Even the Anti-Federalists were more interested in amending the document than denying it entirely.

6. Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts as it exists today came into being on February 6, 1788, after an arduous process. The final vote in favor of the Constitution was 187 to 168. The agreement to support the Constitution came on the heels of a compromise between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, including Sam Adams and John Hancock.

5. Connecticut

Connecticut became the fifth state to ratify the Constitution on January 9, 1788. The measure passed with a vote of 128 to 40. Connecticut, as a small state, was having some trouble with the economic aspects of the Articles of Confederation. The state benefitted from the new laws, helping Connecticut recover from the recent war and build up its economy.

4. Georgia

Georgia became the fourth oldest state in the United States when it ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788. The 26 delegates from the state voted unanimously to accept the new laws. The state would then amend its laws to stay closer in line with the federal document.

3. New Jersey

New Jersey was the third state to accept the United States Constitution, mere weeks after the first two states. The delegates that attended the vote, 38 out of the 39 total, unanimously agreed to ratify the document.  

2. Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the Constitution on December 12, 1787. At the time, this was also the largest state to ratify the constitution. The vote faced serious competition from Anti-Federalists. However, the ratification effort passed by a vote of 46 to 23.

1. Delaware

The oldest state in the United States is Delaware. Delaware was the first state to ratify the constitution on December 7, 1787. The vote was passed unanimously by 30 delegates. As a result, Delaware has been called the “State that Started a Nation” since it was the first one to put its faith in the new federal government.

The 10 oldest states in the United States accepted the Constitution for different reasons. Some of them would later abandon that government and its laws during the Civil War. However, the Constitution and its many amendments continue to be the law of the land today.

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