The today's flag of Vermont was introduced on 1st of June in 1923, it was previously the flag of the Governor of Vermont. It is a plain azure blue bunting with the coat of arms of the state in the centre. This shows a gold-framed shield with a landscape. In the centre is a pine tree. It is the symbol of New England and stands for the wealth of forests in Vermont, with a cow (dairy farming) and sheaves of grain (agriculture) to the left and right of it. Pine branches appear to the left and right of the shield. They are reminiscent of the branches worn by Vermont soldiers at the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1812 during the Anglo-American War. The Green Mountains, home of the "Green Mountain Boys" (militia), appear in the background. The name of the state "Vermont" and the state motto "Freedom and Unity" can be seen on a purple banner below. At the top of the shield is a deer head, representing Vermont's wildlife. During the colonies' War of Independence against United Kingdom, a group of rebels led by Ethan Allen, known as the "Green Mountain Boys", formed in 1770 in today's Vermont – the area belonged to New York at that time. They chose a green bunting as their flag, a reference to Vermont, the "green mountains", which showed a blue upper corner with thirteen white stars. These stood for the thirteen colonies that had rebelled against United Kingdom. After Vermont became independent in 1777, this flag was most likely retained as the state flag until it joined the USA on 4th of March in 1791, possibly even longer, although this is not known for certain. The "Green Mountain Boys" troop was disbanded in 1779. The flag is still very popular in Vermont today. It is now used as the regimental flag of the Vermont National Guard and is also flown by political groups calling for secession from the USA. A state flag was officially introduced on 1st of May in 1804. It was based on the design of the flag of the USA at that time and showed fifteen horizontal stripes in red and white, and fifteen stars in the blue upper corner, corresponding to the number of members of the Union at that time. Only at the top of the flag was the name of the country added in white letters. This flag was retained until 1837 despite the changing number of member states and the changes in the design of the flag of the USA. A new flag was introduced on 20th of October in 1837. It was again based on the design of the flag of the USA and showed thirteen horizontal stripes in red and white. Only the blue upper corner showed a different image, curiously in two variants. Either a large five-pointed star with the national coat of arms in the centre, or an eight-pointed star with a kind of badge in the centre, which depicted the heraldry of the shield. Why there were two versions and whether they served different purposes is no longer known. Both versions were retained until the introduction of the current flag. Several proposals were made to change the current flag and also to make the flag of the "Green Mountain Boys" the state flag of Vermont, but none received sufficient attention.
early times/antiqutiy · settlement by Indians (Iroquois, Algonquin, Abenaki)
1602–1616 · a French expedition led by Samuel de Champlain explores the St. Lawrence River and the areas east and west of it, 1609 Champlain reached the territory of today's Vermont, later some French colonization on Lake Champlain coming from Canada
1724 · beginning of settlement by New Englanders from Massachusetts, near today's Brattleboro
since 1741 · Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York lay claims to the territory
1754–1763 · Seven Years' War, conflict between Britain and France, France has to cede all areas in Canada and east of the Mississippi to United Kingdom in 1763
26th of July in 1764 · the territory of today's Vermont becomes awarded by a court order to the New York colony
1775–1783 · Independence War of the colonies against United Kingdom: 10th of May in 1775 capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, 1775/1776 the country is twice crossed by troops of the American General Montgomery, 1777 the country is crossed by troops of the British General Burgoyne
4th of July in 1776 · the USA declare its independence from United Kingdom
17th of January 1777 · the country declares its independence from New York, foundation of the state of New Connecticut with a republican constitution in the territory of today's Vermont, the United Colonies (USA) and the New York State did not recognize
4th of June in 1777 · renamed in Republic of Vermont
1781 · Massachusetts surrenders its territorial claims
1782 · New Hampshire surrenders its territorial claims
1790 · New York surrenders its territorial claims against a payment of $ 30.000
There is a theory that the Frenchman Samuel de Champlain, when he was the first European to visit the country in 1609, called it "Les Verts Monts", the "Green Mountains". Even after 1763, when the French had to vacate the area, the name would have been retained, but was anglicised to today's "Vermont". When the country became independent in 1777, however, it was called "New Connecticut" (for six months). Curiously, the "Green Mountains" were first mentioned in 1772 in connection with the "Green Mountain Boys". The name "Vermont" does not appear for the first time in English publications until 1778. Similarly, no French document before 1760 mentions a name that even resembles "Vermont". It must therefore be assumed that the English name "Green Mountains" first came into use at the beginning of the 1770s, which was adopted by the French inhabitants as "Verts Monts" and then developed into the country's name of 1777.
