The three most important stages in the Vermont Republic are:
- The New Hampshire Land Grants (pgs. 1-1.2)
- The formation of the Green Mountain Boys (pgs. 2-2.5)
- The actual Secession of Vermont (pgs. 3-3.5)
In order to navigate the site effectively, we recommend that users start with the New Hampshire Land Grants at page number 1 and move through the site in numerical order. The last content page ends with Statehood at 3.5. Pages 1, 2, and 3 serve as introduction pages to each section, each section containing events and analysis important to our interpretation of the events that unfolded during the Vermont Republic’s secession movement.
We also have an interactive storymap and timeline that can take you through important events for each section. The storymap highlights the actual locations of some of the important events in the history of Vermont’s secession movements such as the Battle of Bennington. The timeline is a visual aid for the viewer to track the progression of important events.
The Vermont Republic is, at its heart, a secession movement. Here are some questions to think about as you move through the pages: Why did Vermont decide to secede? Was secession the best option? Why did Vermont eventually choose to join the U.S. instead of remaining independent?
There are not right or wrong answers to these questions, but they will be helpful to think about as you are reading through the website. Throughout America’s history, secession is not uncommon. In fact, America itself seceded from the British and many states today are threatening to secede on a regular basis. The history of secession is often violent and rarely successful. Vermont’s act of secession shows a different view of colonial attitudes, one that was both defiant of fellow colonists as well as the British crown. To quote the “Song of the Vermonters”,
Come York or come Hampshire, come traitors or knaves,
If ye rule o’er our land ye shall rule o’er our graves;
Our vow is recorded–our banner unfurled,
In the name of Vermont we defy all the world!