Delaware Sends Delegates to Constitutional Convention

# Delaware Sends Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

In the spring of 1787, as the young American republic struggled to find its footing in the uncertain years following the Revolutionary War, the state of Delaware took a decisive step that would help shape the very foundation of the United States government. The Delaware General Assembly, meeting in the capital city of Dover, appointed five delegates to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia: George Read, Gunning Bedford Jr., John Dickinson, Richard Bassett, and Jacob Broom. These men carried with them not only the hopes of their small state but also a firm and uncompromising mandate — they were explicitly instructed not to agree to any changes that would diminish Delaware's equal vote in the national government. This single instruction, born from the anxieties of a small state wary of being overshadowed by its larger neighbors, would prove to be one of the most consequential directives in American constitutional history.

The road to the Constitutional Convention had been a troubled one. Although the colonies had won their independence from Great Britain through the Revolutionary War, the peace that followed victory revealed deep structural weaknesses in the national government. The Articles of Confederation, ratified in 1781, had established a loose alliance of sovereign states with a weak central government that lacked the power to levy taxes, regulate commerce, or enforce its own laws. By the mid-1780s, economic turmoil, interstate disputes, and events like Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts made it painfully clear that the existing framework was inadequate. A convention was called in Philadelphia to address these deficiencies, and every state was invited to send representatives.

Delaware's delegates were men of considerable experience and political sophistication. George Read, who had served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a seasoned statesman deeply committed to the principle of equal state representation. John Dickinson, widely known as the "Penman of the Revolution" for his influential writings during the struggle for independence, brought intellectual gravitas and a reputation that extended well beyond Delaware's borders. Richard Bassett, a wealthy planter and lawyer who had served the patriot cause during the Revolutionary War, contributed both political acumen and deep connections within Delaware's leadership. Together with Bedford and Broom, these five delegates formed a delegation that punched far above its weight relative to Delaware's small size and population.

The central tension at the Constitutional Convention revolved around representation. Larger states like Virginia and Pennsylvania favored a system of proportional representation, in which states with greater populations would hold more power in the national legislature. For smaller states like Delaware, this proposal was existentially threatening. Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had enjoyed one equal vote regardless of size, and Delaware's delegates were determined to preserve that principle. Gunning Bedford Jr. reportedly went so far as to warn that smaller states might seek foreign alliances if their interests were trampled, underscoring the intensity of the debate.

The resolution came in the form of the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives would be based on proportional representation, satisfying the larger states, while the Senate would grant each state two seats and an equal vote, protecting the interests of smaller states like Delaware. Delaware's unwavering insistence on equal representation was instrumental in bringing about this solution, which remains a cornerstone of American government to this day.

Delaware's role at the Constitutional Convention illustrates a broader truth about the founding of the United States: the nation was not built by large states alone but through negotiation, compromise, and the determined voices of smaller states that refused to be silenced. Fittingly, Delaware became the first state to ratify the new Constitution on December 7, 1787, earning it the enduring nickname "The First State" and cementing its place at the very beginning of the American constitutional story.