![]() ![]() In addition, Vermont, which became the fourteenth state to join the Union, had abolished slavery in its constitution in 1777. For instance, by the mid-1780s five of the original thirteen states ( New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) had abolished slavery in their state constitutions. States began moving toward abolition of slavery during the American Revolution. In order to understand the balance of power between the slave and free states, the original thirteen states are the proper starting point. ![]() The delicate balance eventually crumbled and led to the Civil War. While a balance was maintained for much of the antebellum period, the various compromises conceded much to the South. The maintenance of the balance was tied to the Constitution and how the document organized Congress. Various compromises allowed new states to enter the Union after the original thirteen in order to keep the balance. There are several aspects of American history that explain the relative balance between states that abolished slavery and those that retained it during much of the time between the ratification of the Constitution and the Civil War. ![]() Balance between Free and Slave States: An Overview ![]()
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