Timeline of drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time with a quorum at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to revise the Articles of Confederation. It ended on September 17, 1787, the day the Frame of Government drafted by the convention's delegates to replace the Articles was adopted and signed. The ratification process for the Constitution began that day, and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
In addition to key events during the Constitutional Convention and afterward while the Constitution was put before the states for their ratification, this timeline includes important events that occurred during the run-up to the convention and during the nation's transition from government under the Articles of Confederation to government under the Constitution. It concludes with the unique ratification vote of the Vermont Republic, which at the time was a sovereign state outside the Union. The time span covered is, from March 25, 1785 to January 10, 1791.
1785
March 25 • Maryland–Virginia conference convenes'''March 28 • Maryland–Virginia conference concludes'''
1786
January 21 • Conference to address certain defects of the federal government calledSeptember 11 • Annapolis Convention convenes
September 14 • Annapolis Convention adjourns
November 23
December 4
'''December 30'''
1787
January 6January 17
February 3
February 10
February 21 • Convention to discuss revisions to the Articles of Confederation called
March 3
March 6
;=March 8
April 23
May 5
May 14 • Constitutional Convention scheduled to begin
May 14
May 17
May 25 • Constitutional Convention convenes
May 29
May 29
May 30
June 11
June 15
June 18
July 2
July 12
July 16
July 24
August 6
August 18
August 22
August 25
August 31
September 1–8
September 8
September 12
September 13–14
September 15
September 17 • Constitution signed and convention adjourns
September 18 • Proposed Constitution published
September 20
September 27
September 28
October 5
October 8
October 18
October 27
November 20
December 3
December 7 • Ratification by Delaware
December 11
December 12 • Ratification by Pennsylvania
December 18 • Ratification by New Jersey
December 18
'''December 25'''
1788
January 2 • Ratification by GeorgiaJanuary 3
January 9 • Ratification by Connecticut
January 9
February 6 • Ratification by Massachusetts
February 13–22
March 1
March 24
April 10
April 21
April 28 • Ratification by Maryland
May 12
May 23 • Ratification by South Carolina
June 2
June 17
June 18
June 21 • Ratification by New Hampshire
June 21
June 25 • Ratification by Virginia
July 2
July 21 – August 2
July 26 • Ratification by New York
September 13
'''December 15, 1788 – January 10, 1789 • Presidential election held'''
1789
February 4 • Electoral College convenesMarch 4 • United States Congress convenes
April 1 • House of Representatives achieves its first quorum
April 6 • Senate achieves its first quorum
April 6 • Electoral votes counted
April 21 • John Adams assumes vice presidential duties
April 30 • George Washington assumes presidential duties
September 25 • Constitutional amendments proposed by Congress
November 16
'''November 21 • Ratification by North Carolina'''
1790
February 2 • Supreme Court of the United States convenesMarch 1–6
May 24
'''May 29 • Ratification by Rhode Island'''
1791
January 6'''January 10 • Ratification and application by Vermont'''