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The Vermont region was explored and claimed for
France by Samuel de Champlain in 1609, and the first French
settlement was established at Fort Ste. Anne in 1666. The first
English settlers moved into the area in 1724 and built Fort
Dummer on the site of present-day Brattleboro. England gained
control of the area in 1763 after the French and Indian Wars.
First organized to drive settlers from New York out of Vermont,
the Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen, won fame by
capturing Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775, in
the early days of the Revolutionary War. In 1777 Vermont adopted
its first constitution, abolishing slavery and providing for
universal male suffrage without property qualifications.
Vermont leads the nation in the production of monument granite,
marble, and maple syrup. It is also a leader in the production
of talc. Vermont's rugged, rocky terrain discourages extensive
agricultural farming, but is well suited to raising fruit trees
and to dairy farming.
Principal industrial products include electrical equipment,
fabricated metal products, printing and publishing, and paper
and allied products.
Tourism is a major industry in Vermont. Vermont's many famous
ski areas include Stowe, Killington, Mt. Snow, Okemo, Jay Peak,
and Sugarbush. Hunting and fishing also attract many visitors to
Vermont each year. Among the many points of interest are the
Green Mountain National Forest, Bennington Battle Monument, the
Calvin Coolidge Homestead at Plymouth, and the Marble Exhibit in
Proctor. |
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