Vermont became the first state added to the United States after the original thirteen states.
Congress admitted Vermont as the 14th state on March 4, 1791. Vermont had operated as an independent republic for years, issuing its own constitution and maintaining separate institutions while its territory was disputed by New York and New Hampshire. A settlement with New York helped clear the way for admission to the Union.
Kentucky followed as the 15th state on June 1, 1792. Congress had authorized Kentucky's admission before Vermont's, but Vermont formally entered the Union first. That timing explains why Vermont, rather than Kentucky, holds the distinction of being the first state beyond the original thirteen.
Vermont's name is associated with the Green Mountains, from the French “vert mont.” Its admission demonstrated that the new federal Union could expand beyond the states that had declared independence in 1776.