Maple syrup and splendid mountain views might come to mind when thinking about Vermont. However, the freedom Vermont represents stems from a history that includes its fight in the Revolutionary War and concerns for individual rights.
Here are eight events that helped shape the state of Vermont:
1. In the early days of the American Revolution, a group of rebels led by Ethan Allen celebrated a victory over the British by capturing Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake Champlain in 1775. The victories boosted the morale for other colonists.
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2. Vermont’s first constitution, adopted in 1777, abolished slavery and also provided for voting privileges among men who did not own property.
3. Vermont continued its reputation for individualism by organizing itself as an independent republic separate from the original 13 colonies, calling itself "New Connecticut" in 1777. The Continental Congress did not recognize the move. Vermont was admitted to the U.S. as the 14th state in 1791.
4. The building of the Champlain-Hudson Canal in 1823 along with the construction of railroad lines later on opened up competition with the rest of the country. This hurt many small farms and businesses, whose owners fled the state. However, this gave more control to the remaining farmers who increased their profits with holdings in wool and dairy products.
5. Tourism thrived after World War II, especially in ski resort areas such as the Green Mountains. Vermont's fascination with skiing went back to 1934 when one of the first ski lifts in the U.S. was developed in Woodstock,
according to History.com.
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6. The building of highways and influx of more people to the state in the years that followed changed many parts of Vermont from a rural to suburban environment in the 1980s. The political landscape also changed as Democratic voters increased in number in a state once dominated by Republicans.
7. Vermont led the nation with the highest percentage of women in its state legislature by the 1990s. State lawmakers also took the lead in banning smoking in public buildings, as well as in most restaurants and hotels, in 1993.
8. Vermont history continued with its focus on citizens' rights. The state recognized civil unions between same-sex couples in 2000. The state legislature approved marriage rights for same-sex couples in 2009.
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