Vermont Republic (1777-1791)
Republic of New Connecticut (January-June 1777)
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Motto:
Freedom and Unity
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Capital
| Windsor
, then
Castleton
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Official languages
| English
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Government
| Republic
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Legislature
| House of Representatives of the Freemen of Vermont
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? Declared independence
| January 1777
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? July 2, 1777
| Constitution adopted
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Currency
| Vermont copper
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Today part of
|
United States
Vermont
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The
Vermont Republic
was a country that existed from 1777 to 1791. It was located on land that was claimed by
New York
and
New Hampshire
. It had its own postal system, military, and
currency
. Even though it had a government, it was not respected by Great Britain or the
Continental Congress
.
[1]
New York and New Hampshire both claimed that Vermont was in their control. This argument was caused by the
New Hampshire Grants
. The governor of New Hampshire wrote 135 grants giving 6 square miles of land each to create towns. New York also made grants in the same areas.
In January 1777 it was made independent as "New Connecticut". In June, the name was changed to "Vermont". On July 2, 1777, representatives of nearby Vermont towns met in
Windsor
. They wanted to leave New York and form their own country under a new
constitution
. The Vermont Constitution was designed to be like the Pennsylvania Constitution, and was very democratic. Adult slavery was banned in Vermont. This made Vermont the first state to not allow slavery. They gave all adult males the right to vote. In the past, only people who owned land could vote.
[2]
The constitution outlined how
eminent domain
would work in Vermont, which is where the government can take private property if they pay the owners. It also ordered
public schools
to be made.
Vermont sent representatives to the United States, the Netherlands, and France to try to discuss peace and trade. They wanted to join the United States as the fourteenth state. Money made in 1785 and 1786 said "STELLA QUARTA DECIMA" on it, which means "the fourteenth star" in
Latin
.
New York did not want Vermont to become a state because they still said the land was their own. In 1790, representatives of both states met and decided that Vermont would pay $30,000 to New York in exchange for New York respecting the border between the two states at
Lake Champlain
. After this,
Vermont
became the 14th
state
in 1791. At that time, the population was about 85,000.
The Green Mountain Boys were the
militia
and only military force of Vermont. They began in 1775 after an argument about land between New York and New Hampshire.
[3]
The militia was lead by Major General
Ethan Allen
, who was born in Vermont and was in the military from 1757 (British Army) until 1780 (Vermont militia).
In 1780, 300 soldiers of the Green Mountain Boys defended against 307 British and
Iroquois
soldiers in the
Royalton raid
. The British and Iroquois attacked Vermont as a part of many raids by the British in the
American Revolutionary War
.
[4]
The Green Mountain Boys fought with the
Continental Army
in the
Battle of Ticonderoga
and the
Battle of Bennington
.