[BroJoeK]

Bull Snipe: "At the time the Constitution of the United States was ratified and became our instrument of Government, slavery was legal in all 13 states."

No, not entirely. The new Constitution was ratified in 1788.

1. In 1783 Massachusetts abolished slavery.

2. In 1780 Pennsylvania began gradual abolition.

3. In 1778 Vermont began gradual abolition.

4. In 1783 New Hampshire began gradual abolition.

5. In 1784 Connecticut and Rhode Island began gradual abolition.

6. In 1787 Congress abolished slavery in Northwest Territories which would soon become the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin & Minnesota.

So, I think it's more accurate to say that by 1788, Americans had formally abolished slavery in what would become seven states and another five states had already begun legal gradual abolition.

In 1788, eight states had taken no action on abolition, and six of those never did before the Civil War.

[DiogenesLamp]

In 1783 Massachusetts abolished slavery.

Through the same sort of legal bullsh*t Judicial activism that gave Massachusetts "Gay Marriage."

Courts decreeing laws.

[Bull Snipe]

My bad, thanks for the info.