For over one hundred centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, thousands of Native Americans lived and died in present-day Vermont. Practically nothing is known of them except for few artifacts found in the area, and the first recognized Indians known of settling in Vermont were of the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Abenaki Nations during the 1500s. These original settlers traveled and lived off of the abundance of the land; Vermont’s hills were filled with wildlife; and rivers, ponds, and lakes provided rich amounts of fish. Many towns, rivers, and lakes are derivatives of old Indian names.European explorationIn 1609, the French explorer, Samuel de Champlain, sailed into what is now known as Lake Champlain. In the summer of 1609, Vermont was first dubbed "Verde Mont," French for "Green Mountains." Champlain claimed this land in the name of France, who eventually exchanged Vermont with the British. In 1763, England was granted the land now known as Vermont via the Treaty of Paris. Claims by the ColoniesFor years during the 18th century Vermont was claimed by both New Hampshire and New York in a malicious territorial dispute. It was finally settled in 1770 when Ethan Allen and his "Green Mountain Boys" drove the New Yorkers out. Later, the Green Mountain Boys (under joint leadership of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold) also captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775 in the first act of aggression against the British in the Revolutionary War. By 1777, Vermont had achieved independence.Vermont remained an independent republic until 1791 when it became the 14th member of the United States....
