Vermont was the home
to several Algonquian tribes, particularly the Abenaki.
Sometime between 1500 and 1600, the Iroquois began
moving into the area and pushed many of the smaller
tribes out. They used the area as their hunting grounds
and continued warring with the Abenaki.
After the French and
Indian War, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York
all claimed the area now known as Vermont. Although
these were disputed lands, New Hampshire's governor,
Benning Wentworth, issued land grants for towns in
Vermont. At the same time, New York was issuing patents
for these same lands. In 1764, King George III, decreed
that New York held title to the lands and those who had
received their grants from New Hampshire were required
to re-buy their lands from New York, which some did, but
at inflated prices. In 1770, in an effort to protect
their lands, Ethan Allen, with his brothers Ira and Levi
and Seth Warner, created and led an informal militia
known as the Green Mountain Boys. On 15 Jan 1777, the
Green Mountain Boys declared their independence from the
colonies with the name of the Republic of New
Connecticut.
On 2 Jun 1777, a
delegation met and changed the name to the Republic of
Vermont. The first constitition was adopted on 8 Jul and
provided for support of public schools, abolished
slavery and gave all men the right to vote regardless of
land ownership. For fourteen years, this republic
functioned.
After the end of the
Revolutionary War, most Vermonters realized that they
needed to be a part of a stronger, larger federal
government. Overtures were first made with the British
government at Quebec, but ultimately, Vermont became the
fourteenth state on 4 Mar 1791.
Vermont is bordered
by the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. It's northern border
is shared with Quebec, Canada. It was named by the
French for the Green Mountains. Montpelier is the state
capital.
State Nickname -
Green Mountain State
State Song
These Green Mountains
Unofficial State Song Moonlight
in Vermont
State Bird - Hermit
Thrush
State Beverage Milk
State Pie Apple Pie
State Fruit Apple
State Flower Red Clover
State Mammal Morgan Horse
State Insect - Honeybee
State rock Granite, Marble and
Slate
State Tree Sugar
Maple
State butterfly Monarch
Butterfly
State fish cold
water Brook Trout
State fish warm
water Walleye
Pike Flag of
the Green Mountain Boys
State
Fossil White Whale
