3. The First Emancipation Proclamation Came from Vermont
Vermont’s 1777 constitution was the first in North America to ban adult slavery, declaring that no male person, born in this country or brought from overseas, should be held to serve any person as a servant, slave, or apprentice after reaching the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by their own consent or by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like (zinnedproject.org).However, this provision did not fully abolish slavery, as it allowed for involuntary servitude under certain conditions, such as for the payment of debts. Despite these limitations, Vermont’s action set a significant precedent for abolition in North America.
