Founding1787
New Jersey Ratifies the Constitution
New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, doing so unanimously. New Jersey had advocated strongly for equal representation of states during the Constitutional Convention, leading to the Great Compromise creating the Senate.
Why It Matters
New Jersey's unanimous ratification reflected the success of the Great Compromise in balancing the interests of large and small states, a principle central to American federalism.