Tuesday, January 15, 2008

New Connecticut (Vemont) Declares Independence


In 1777, the great state of Vermont decided to declare its independence not only from Great Britain, but from the neighboring state of New York. For years, the settlers in the Vermont area had been asserting their right to break from New York, but were unable to do so. Thanks to the efforts of Ethan Allen and his "Green Mountain Boys," Vermont was perfectly positioned to declare its independence.

Origionally named New Connecticut, the state adopted the name Vermont, which is an inaccurate translation of the French phrase "green mountain."

Vermont was also the first state to draft a constitution. Its constitution was one of the most radical to say the least. It guaranteed every male (reguardless of property status) the right to vote, it abolished slavery (making Vermont the first state to do so), and it gave some rights to women. Despite their incredible efforts to gain independence, Vermont was not recognized by the United States, and remained its own nation until 1792.

The origional flag of Vermont was the same flag that was used by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys (a picture of the flag is posted at the beginning of this article). The flag has 13 stars in a scattared pattern, which was to represent the scattered and unsettled nature of the early United States. The green color is, of course, representative of the Green Mountains of Vermont.

1 comment:

drivenwide said...

Today is a historic day and our forefathers speak through us. Our Forefathers made the treaties in good faith with the sacred Canupa and with the knowledge of the Great Spirit,” shared Garry Rowland from Wounded Knee. “They never honored the treaties, that’s the reason we are here today. The four member Lakota delegation traveled to Washington D.C. culminating years of internal discussion among treaty representatives of the various Lakota communities. Delegation members included well known activist and actor Russell Means, Women of All Red Nations (WARN) founder Phyllis Young, Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr., and Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders. Means, Rowland, Martin Sr. were all members of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover.

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Bobwilliams
Connecticut Alcohol Addiction Treatment