Vermont became the first state admitted 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 after declaring independence from competing claims by New York and New Hampshire. Its admission followed negotiations that resolved territorial disputes and secured Vermont's entry into the Union.
Congress passed the admission legislation on February 18, 1791. The state convention had voted 105–4 in January to petition Congress for admission. Vermont's constitution and government were already functioning, which made its transition into the federal Union different from the later creation of many territories.
Kentucky was the next new state admitted, becoming the 15th state on June 1, 1792. Vermont's position can be confused with Delaware, Pennsylvania, or Georgia, which were among the original thirteen states. It can also be confused with the first state to ratify the Constitution: Delaware, in 1787.