The
Vermont region was explored and claimed for France by Samuel de
Champlain in 1609 and the first French settlement was
established at Fort Ste. Anne in 1666.
The first English
settlers moved into the area in 1724 and built Fort Dummer on
the site of present-day Brattleboro. England gained control of
the area in 1763 after the French and Indian Wars.
First
organized to drive settlers from New York out of Vermont, the
Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen, won fame by capturing
Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775, in the early
days of the Revolutionary War.
In 1777 Vermont adopted its first
constitution abolishing slavery and providing for universal male
suffrage without property qualifications.
Vermont
leads the nation in the production of monument granite, marble,
and maple syrup. It is also a leader in the production of talc.
Vermont's rugged, rocky terrain discourages extensive
agricultural farming, but is well suited to raising fruit trees,
and to dairy farming.
Principal
industrial products include electrical equipment, fabricated
metal products, printing and publishing, and paper and allied
products.
Tourism is
a major industry in Vermont. Vermont's many famous ski areas
include Stowe, Killington, Mt. Snow, Bromley, Jay Peak, and
Sugarbush. Hunting and fishing also attract many visitors to
Vermont each year. Among the many points of interest are the
Green Mountain National Forest, Bennington Battle Monument, the
Calvin Coolidge Homestead at Plymouth, and the Marble Exhibit in
Proctor.
Nickname: Green Mountain State
Origin of name: From the French
"vert mont," meaning "green mountain"
10 largest cities (1999 est.):
Burlington, 38,332; Rutland, 16,649; South Burlington, 14,257;
Barre, 9,106; Essex Junction, 8,748; St. Albans, 7,715;
Montpelier, 7,686; Winooski, 6,609; Newport, 4,261; Bellows
Falls, 3,149
Land area:
9,249 sq mi. (23,956 sq km)
Geographic center: In
Washington Co., 3 mi. E of Roxbury
Number of counties:
14
Largest county by population and area:
Chittenden, 143,947 (1999 est.); Windsor, 971 sq mi.
The
Vermont region was explored and claimed for France by Samuel de
Champlain in 1609 and the first French settlement was
established at Fort Ste. Anne in 1666. 
The first English
settlers moved into the area in 1724 and built Fort Dummer on
the site of present-day Brattleboro. England gained control of
the area in 1763 after the French and Indian Wars.
First
organized to drive settlers from New York out of Vermont, the
Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen, won fame by capturing
Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775, in the early
days of the Revolutionary War. 
In 1777 Vermont adopted its first
constitution abolishing slavery and providing for universal male
suffrage without property qualifications.
Vermont
leads the nation in the production of monument granite, marble,
and maple syrup. It is also a leader in the production of talc.
Vermont's rugged, rocky terrain discourages extensive
agricultural farming, but is well suited to raising fruit trees,
and to dairy farming. 
Principal
industrial products include electrical equipment, fabricated
metal products, printing and publishing, and paper and allied
products.
Tourism is
a major industry in Vermont. Vermont's many famous ski areas
include Stowe, Killington, Mt. Snow, Bromley, Jay Peak, and
Sugarbush. Hunting and fishing also attract many visitors to
Vermont each year. Among the many points of interest are the
Green Mountain National Forest, Bennington Battle Monument, the
Calvin Coolidge Homestead at Plymouth, and the Marble Exhibit in
Proctor.