History of slavery in Vermont facts for kids
Vermont was one of the first places in America to officially ban slavery. Even though a small number of enslaved people lived there in the 1770s, Vermont completely outlawed slavery when it became a state in July 1777. Its new Constitution said that enslaved men would become free at age 21, and enslaved women at age 18. Vermont's leaders not only banned slavery but also gave African American men the right to vote.
However, some historians say that Vermont's declaration was not entirely perfect. The way it was written allowed some slavery practices to continue for a while.
Vermont's Constitution, in a section called "A Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the State of Vermont," clearly stated:
... no male person, born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person, as a servant, slave or apprentice, after he arrives to the age of twenty-one Years, nor female, in like manner, after she arrives to the age of eighteen years, unless they are bound by their own consent, after they arrive to such age, or bound by law, for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like.
Vermont's Early Days and Slavery
The state of Vermont was formed in 1777. Its first settlers bought their land from the governor of New Hampshire. They did not want the government of New York to control their area. These settlers, who called their land "Vermont," wanted a government that would represent their interests, including ending slavery.
After 1777, Vermont was not allowed to join the United States for a while. It acted like its own country, called the Vermont Republic, until it became the 14th state in 1791. When Vermont joined the U.S., it became subject to the Constitution of the United States. This meant that if enslaved people escaped to Vermont, they had to be returned to their owners. Later, laws like the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 and 1850 also allowed slave owners to get back enslaved people who had fled to Vermont.
Some people in Vermont did not follow the ban on slavery. For example, Harvey Amani Whitfield's book, The Problem of Slavery in Early Vermont, mentions that Vermont Supreme Court Judge Stephen Jacob and Levi Allen (who was the brother of military leader Ethan Allen) were among those who broke the law.
In 1858, Vermont passed the "Freedom Act." This law said that any enslaved person who reached Vermont would automatically become free.
The 1790 Census Error
The first official count of people in the United States, called the 1790 census of the United States, did not reach Vermont until 1791. This was because Vermont did not consider itself part of the U.S. until it officially joined in 1791.
The 1790 census report said there were 16 enslaved people in Vermont. It said they were all in Bennington County. However, this was a mistake!
Historians later found out that a simple error happened when the census results were put together. A clerk accidentally put the number of "free colored" people into the column for "slaves." So, the 16 people listed as "slaves" were actually free Black people.
This mistake was not corrected for 80 years! Even though people in Vermont knew it was wrong, the official report stayed that way for a long time. The Vermont Gazette, a newspaper from that time, even printed in 1791 that there were "To the honor of humanity, no slaves" in Bennington County.
However, some historians, like Ira Berlin in his 1998 book Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America, still used the incorrect 1790 census figure of 16 enslaved people.
Additional Reading
- Harvey Amani Whitfield, The Problem of Slavery in Early Vermont, Vermont Historical Society (2014).
