Emancipation of Slaves Under the Constitution, by Professor John P. Kaminski. This short video illustrates the approaches taken by the various states towards freeing their slaves. Pennsylvania and New York were among the first to provide a path to gradual emancipation, due in large part to the influence of Quakers and Methodists. Professor John Kaminski discusses the various criteria for manumission: the age of the individual; what percentage of the individual’s racial background was African-American; and how well prepared the individual was for life as a freeman. Emancipation of Slaves Under the Constitution by Professor John P. Kaminski, Director, Center for the Study of the American Constitution, University of Wisconsin-Madison. American History Videos are sponsored by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation. These videos are offered to help teachers, students and the general public learn more about America's founding and the Constitution of the United States. www.jamesmadison.gov.