Date on Senior Honors Thesis
5-2017
Document Type
Senior Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.A.
Department
History
Degree Program
College of Arts and Sciences
Author's Keywords
Federal government; history; 18th century; New York; Continental Congress; New Hampshire; Congress
Abstract
Vermont’s declaration of independence in 1777 created a unique and unprecedented situation in the brief history of the United States. Individuals in the newly independent New York and New Hampshire each claimed portions of present-day Vermont as part of their own state, and while Vermonters wished to become the fourteenth state in the brand-new country, the Continental Congress was in no hurry to take action. This paper analyzes how the Vermont issue affected the broader debate over the nature and limits of American federalism and the channels and limits of congressional power.
Recommended Citation
Abrahamson, Jacob Michael, ""The only true American republic" : Vermont independence and the development of constitutional government in the early United States." (2017). College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses. Paper 145.
http://doi.org/10.18297/honors/145
Lay Summary
While Vermont may now be known mostly for Ben & Jerry's, in the early United States it was known as a hotbed for revolutionary sprit. Technically a part of New York, its residents made an effort to become their own sovereign jurisdiction. Delegates to the Continental Congress were tasked with settling a bitter debate between Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire over their power to become a new state. Ultimately unable to settle the issue, a new Constitution proved to be the only solution. This paper analyzes how the leaders of the era used the Vermont controversy to develop institutions of American government.
