Vermont
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

Part of the New England region, Vermont takes its name from the French for ‘green mountain’. By the 17th century, the area of modern Vermont was inhabited largely by Algonquian-speaking Abenaki groups and members of the Iroquois Confederacy. That century saw the arrival of French settlers in the area, followed by their Dutch and English counterparts in the 18th century. Tensions with other colonies in the region meant that, while Vermont enthusiastically took part in the American Revolution against British rule, it declared itself an independent republic in 1777. Only in 1791 did it join the United States, becoming the 14th state to do so. The 19th century saw the dairy industry become key to Vermont’s economy, with tourism assuming a central role in the 20th century.