Each State was required to a hold convention to vote whether to ratify The Constitution. [FN1]. Few delegates to Philadelphia also served in their States’ conventions. [FN2]. Records of the state conventions do not support a claim that the USA either is a theocracy or Christian. 1/12

Delaware was the first State to ratify, on 12/7/87. Its report lists the names of the delegates, who voted 30-0 to ratify, two of whom had been delegates in Philadelphia. [FN3] The report refers to the date of signing at the Philadelphia convention. [FN4] 2/12

Pennsylvania voted to ratify, 46-23, on 12/12/87. [FN5] There is no mention of prayer to start any session. [FN6] James Martin, the only delegate to both conventions [FN7] said no protection for “rights of conscience” was necessary. [FN8] Religion appears in some records. 3/12

In the first of North Carolina’s two conventions, delegate Henry Abbott [FN9] said “exclusion of religious tests is by many thought dangerous and impolitic” & “pagans, deists, and Mahometans might obtain offices” and “the senators and representatives might all be pagans.” [FN10] 4/12

Abbott voted against ratification, as did a majority at that first North Carolina convention, in part because “God” was not sufficiently present. The 2nd convention did ratify. This country is not and never has been a theocracy nor Christian, even as much as the far-right might want it. 5/12

Footnotes: FN1. 09/17/1787; also, see Article VII. 6/12

Footnotes: FN2. Madison believed delegates to Philadelphia should not pass judgment on their own work as State delegates. Labunski, “James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights,” 2006, p. 22, citing to Rutland, ed., “The Papers of James Madison,” 1962, p. 244. 7/12

Footnotes: FN3. Elliot, 1: 319, and those delegates were Richard Bassett and Gunning Bedford, Jr., see Kiernan and D’Agnese, “Signing Away Their Rights,” 2011, pp. 122-125. 8/12

Footnotes: FN4. Some States used “in the year of our Lord” (Delaware, Elliot 1: 319; Pennsylvania, Id., 1:319-20; New Jersey, Id., 1:321; Georgia, Id., 1:324; South Carolina, Id., 1:325; New York, Id., 1:329; and Rhode Island, Id., 1:335. 9/12

Footnotes: FN4. (cont’d) Other States used “A.D.” (Anno Domini)” Connecticut, Id., 1:321-322; Massachusetts, Id., 1:323; some States use no tags. Maryland, Id, 1:324-325; New Hampshire, Id., 1:325-327; Virginia, Id., 1:327; North Carolina, Id., 1:333. 10/12

Footnotes: FN5. Elliot, 1: 319-320.
FN6. Elliot, 2: 415-541.
FN7. Id., 2:415-417. .
FN8. Id., 2:455. 11/12

Footnotes: FN9. Abbott was a Baptist minister and served as a delegate to both of North Carolina’s conventions. Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, MS 615.
FN10. 30 July 1788, Elliot 4:191--200, 208--9 12/12