The independent republic that existed within the American Revolution

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before it was the 14th U.S. state, Vermont was a defiant, unrecognized nation. For fourteen years, this borderland territory operated under its own constitution, navigating a high-stakes diplomatic game between the Continental Congress, New York, and even the British Crown.

The origins of the Vermont Republic lay in a chaotic land dispute. In the decades preceding the American Revolution, both New Hampshire and New York issued overlapping land grants in the region. This friction frequently escalated into armed conflict, particularly as settlers resisted New York’s authority. To defend their interests, many inhabitants joined the Green Mountain Boys, a militia led by Ethan Allen, who actively repulsed New York-backed settlers known as Yorkers between 1770 and 1775.

In 1777, the region officially broke away, establishing an independent republic. While the Green Mountain Boys played a vital role in the broader Revolution—notably through their May 1775 assault on Fort Ticonderoga and their support at the Battle of Bennington—the Continental Congress refused to recognize Vermont's sovereignty. American leaders feared that acknowledging a new, separatist state would embolden other movements and alienate New York, a crucial ally in the war effort.

This lack of recognition forced Vermont into aggressive, sometimes desperate, diplomacy. The republic's leaders even entered negotiations with the British in Canada, exploring the possibility of joining the Province of Quebec. Ultimately, the path to statehood was paved by New York finally abandoning its territorial claims in 1790. In 1791, after fourteen years of autonomy, Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state.

The republic’s identity was deeply embedded in its legal and economic symbols. Its currency, the Vermont copper, bore the Latin inscription 'Vermontis Res Publica,' meaning Republic of Vermont. While the 1777 constitution was progressive in forbidding adult slavery, it maintained controversial allowances for the enslavement of certain women and men under specific ages.

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