What was the first state of the Union in the United States?

Question

There were 13 original colonies, yes? What were they?

Answer 1

Technically, the 13 original colonies became states at the same time with the unanimous declaration of independence, although some colonies had declared independence on their own beforehand. In terms of ordering, they go by when the state ratified the U.S. Constitution. In order:

1) Delaware
2) Pennsylvania
3) New Jersey
4) Georgia
5) Connecticut
6) Massachusetts
7) Maryland
8) South Carolina
9) New Hampshire

At this point, the Constitution was officially ratified.

10) Virginia
11) New York

These eleven states participated in the first elections under the Constitution.

12) North Carolina
13) Rhode Island

The last two ratified the Constitution during the First Congress.

Answer 2

Delaware was the first state to approve the Constitution, therefore the first state to join the Union. The thirteen original colonies were: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York,and New Hampshire. Vermont was not among the 13 original colonies and both NY and NH claimed its territory. It carried on as an independent republic until after the end of the revolution.

Answer 3

Arguably, it is the Declaration of Independance that first established the colonies as independant states from Britain and members of the United States of America instead. Since it was the same meeting that ratified it, you could say that there is no 'first' state, and that all thirteen become independant at the same time.

But if you want to get REALLY technical, everybody didn't sign that piece of paper at the EXACT same time... somebody had to sign first, right? Everybody knows who that person was - it was John Hancock (who is reputed to have said, "I'll write it big so King George can see it without his spectacles!", though others suggest he just always signed his name big).

John Hancock got to sign first because he was the President of the Continental Congress which helped put the thing together. But by the rules of the time, he was at that meeting because he was sponsored by a state, and that state was Massachusettes.

So arguably Massachusettes was the FIRST state to join the United States, though only by a matter of seconds, really.

After John Hancock, the document was signed in order from north to south, so the second state to sign was New Hampshire, and so on down the list.

Now, there will be some who will say that it's the Constitution of the United States that actually established the country per se, but if you look at the Declaration of Independance you see it is already a document indicating group political action and that their purpose is to form 'a more perfect union'. I submit, therefore, that THIS is the genesis of the United States, even though it did not get its name until later.

Answer 4

First State: Delaware (December 7, 1787)

_______________

13 Original Colonies

1) Province of Georgia
2) Province of South Carolina
3) Province of North Carolina
4) Colony and Dominion of Virginia
5) Province of Maryland
6) Delaware Colony
7) Province of New Jersey
8) Province of Pennsylvania
9) Province of New York
10) Connecticut Colony
11) Province of Massachusetts Bay
12) Province of New Hampshire
13) Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Answer 5

The first state of the Union was a state of war against England.

Answer 6

Delaware was the 1st state.
Here's the 13 original colonies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_colonies

Answer 7

For $500, George Washington

Answer 8

Connecticut: 5th to become a state 1788; settled by Puritans from Massachusetts; state laws were model for US Constitution; nickname is Constitution State

Delaware: 1st state 12-7-1787; Delaware's Blue Hen army (named for their leader's pet fighting Blue Hen rooster) turned away advancing British in initial skirmish with great speed and bravery; the 13-star flag was flown in battle here first

Georgia: Last colony settled but was 4th to ratify Constitution and become state; named after King George II

Maryland: Named for Queen Henrietta Maria of England; Known for its valiant army; statehood 4-28-1788; part of state became Washington D C

Massachusetts: Plymouth Rock home; became a state 2-6-1788; once had a carved wooden codfish on the wall of the State House because codfish were a big state industry

New Hampshire: named for Hampshire County in England; became state 6-21-1788; was heavily explored by both French and English

New Jersey: Land was given to the Governor of the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel for this colony; it would be the site of over 100 battles and skirmishes before the Revolution ended

New York: Named for the Duke of York (brother of King Charles II); statehood 7-26-1788; US Congress met here after Revolution

North Carolina: Home of Roanoke Island's Lost Colony; first child born in America was John White's granddaughter Virginia on 8-18-1587; statehood 11-21-1789

Pennsylvania: means Penn's Woods, named for William Penn; nickname Keystone State because it is the center of the arch of thirteen colonies; 2nd state 12-12-1787; settled by various religious groups who greatly enhanced colonial life with inventions such as the Conestoga wagon

Rhode Island: smallest colony and state; not an island, was maybe named for Isle of Rhodes in Aegean Sea; 1st declare independence from England but last of thirteen to become a state because of concerns over being fairly represented in spite of size

South Carolina: once part of "Carolana" with NC; nickname Palmetto State because fortress of palms kept British warship away from Charleston harbor in 1776 battle; statehood 5-23-1778

Virginia: home to four of the first five US presidents, and eventually home to four more; site of 1st permanent settlement in Jamestown 1607

Answer 9

Delaware was the first state.

Answer 10

delaware
pennsylvania (my home state)
new jersey
georgia
connecticut
north carolina
south carolina
new york
new hampshire
maryland
rhode island
massachussets
virginia