Vermont's History

Several Native Indian tribes originally occupied Vermont, until European explorers discovered it in the 1500s. After colonization in Quebec, Samuel de Champlain ventured south in 1609, ultimately claiming the area and giving his name to the picturesque lake he found. In 1666 the French settled on Isle La Motte on Lake Champlain, though the settlements were abandoned in later years.

 

Over time the Dutch, and eventually the Brits discovered Vermont’s natural splendor. The English built Fort Drummer in 1724, which became the first official settlement in Vermont. After the French were defeated in the French-Indian war, the 1763 Treaty of Paris officially gave control of the land to the British.

 

Settlers poured into Vermont after the governor of New Hampshire begin giving away land in 1749 to those willing to tame Vermont’s wilderness. A couple of decades later New York State courts declared the land grants void, allowing New Yorkers to invade the land and claim it for themselves.

 

Understandably displeased by this decision, local son Ethan Allen formed an informal militia dubbed the Green Mountain Boys to successfully drive out the encroaching New Yorkers. With the onset of the American Revolution, Allen and his boys turned their attention to defending their newly formed nation. Their efforts were a ultimately a key part in routing the British.

 

After America’s war victory, Vermont continued to self-govern, opting not to immediately join the Union. They succumbed eventually, however, and Vermont became the 14^th state in 1791, the first added after the original 13.