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VERMONT - USA
Vermont is the 14th state of the United States,
known for its beautiful scenery, dairy products, maple syrup and progressive
politics.
History
Vermont was originally home to the tribes of the Iroquois, Algonquian and
Abenaki nations. In 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain claimed the
area of what is now Lake Champlain, giving to the mountains the appelation
that would eventually name the state: Les Verts Monts (The Green Mountains.)
In 1763, The Treaty of Paris ended the French
and Indian War, giving the area to the British. Parts of the region were at
different times controlled by the colonies (later states) of New York and
New Hampshire. Ethan Allen and his "Green Mountain Boys" fought against the
British (resulting in the famous capture of Fort Ticonderoga), then later
against these states, and in 1777 Vermont was declared an independent
republic (called "New Connecticut" in its first six months, then the Vermont
Republic from July). During this period the Constitution of Vermont was
drafted and ratified, the first written constitution in North America. This
status held until 1791, when Vermont joined the Union as the 14th member.
Thomas Chittenden was head of state for most of this period, and became its
first U.S. governor.
Vermont used a unicameral legislature until the 1830's.
Law and Government
Vermonters independently elect a Governor and Lieutenant Governor every two
years. The current governor of Vermont is Jim Douglas, who assumed office in
2003.
In the US Senate, Vermont is represented by Sen. Patrick Leahy (Dem) and
Sen. James Jeffords (Ind). Jeffords, a former Republican, left the party in
2001 as a result of political disagreements. In the House, Vermont is
represented by Independent Rep. Bernard Sanders.
Vermonters are known for their political independence and progressive views.
The Vermont government maintains a pro-active stance with regards to the
environment, social services and prevention of urbanization. The most recent
controversy to stir up major political conflict in the state was the
adoption of civil unions, an institution which grants same-sex couples
nearly all the rights and privileges of marriage. In Baker v. Vermont (1999)
the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that, under the Constitution of Vermont, the
State of Vermont must either allow homosexual couples to marry, or provide a
separate but equal status for them. The State legislature chose the second
option by creating the institution of civil union; the bill, which was
supported by about half of the state's voters, was passed by the legislature,
and signed into law by Governor Howard Dean. Some Vermonters voiced their
displeasure out loud and in the following state senate elections.
Although Vermont boasts two Senate seats and a relatively small population,
attempts by out-of-state candidates (so called "carpetbaggers" or "flatlanders")
to win a seat in Vermont have often been thwarted by locals. In 1998, a 79-year-old
local man named Fred Tuttle won national attention by defeating a
Massachusetts multi-millionare in the Republican Primary. With a campaign
budget of $201, Tuttle garnered 55% of the Primary vote, before graciously
conceding the general election to Sen. Leahy.
Vermont is the birthplace of former presidents Calvin Coolidge and Chester
A. Arthur.
Socialist Bernard Sanders (Independent) is the sole Vermont Congressman.
Geography
Vermont, part of the New England region, borders New Hampshire to the east,
New York to the west, Massachusetts to the south, and the Canadian province
of Quebec to the north. Vermont covers an area of approximately 25,000 km˛
(9,600 square miles). The Connecticut River marks the eastern border of the
state. Lake Champlain, the sixth-largest body of water in the United States,
separates Vermont from New York in the northwest portion of the state. The
Green Mountains, so named because their relatively short stature allows for
mostly no timberline, form a north-south spine running the most of the
length of the state, slightly west of its center. Several mountains do have
timberlines: Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in the state and
Killington furnish two examples. Roughly 77% percent of the state is covered
by forest, the rest in meadow, uplands, lakes, ponds and swampy wetlands.
Climate
Vermont is known for its brief mud season in spring followed by a cool
summer and a colorful autumn, and particularly for its cold winters. The
northern part of the state, including the rural northeastern section (dubbed
the "Northeast Kingdom") is known for exceptionally cold winters, often
averaging more than ten degrees (F) colder than the southern areas of the
state. Annual Snowfall averages between 60 to 100 inches depending on
elevation, giving Vermont some of the East Coast's premier ski areas and
cross-country skiing.
In the autumn, Vermont's hills experience an explosion of red, orange and
gold foliage caused by the Sugar Maple. That this famous display occurs so
abundantly in Vermont is not due so much to the presence of a particular
variant of the tree; it rather results from a number of soil and climate
conditions unique to the area.
Economy
Over the past two centuries, Vermont has seen both population explosions and
population busts. First settled by farmers, loggers and hunters, Vermont
lost much of its population as farmers moved West into the Great Plains in
search of abundant, easily-tilled land. Logging similarly fell off as over-cutting
and the exploitation of other forests made Vermont's forest less attractive.
Although these population shifts devastated Vermont's economy, the early
loss of population had the beneficial effect of allowing Vermont's land and
forest to recover from the excesses of human beings. The accompanying lack
of industry has allowed Vermont to avoid many of the ill-effects of 20th
century industrial busts, effects that still plague neighboring states.
Today, much of Vermont's forest consists of second-growth.
Of the remaining industries, dairy farming is the primary source of
agricultural income. Vermont dairy is exported to the rest of the world by
companies such as Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Cabot Cheese. Vermont's
natural beauty and social tolerance has also made it attractive to
independent thinkers, unique companies and cottage industries such as The
Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Burton Snowboards and King Arthur Flour. Tourism,
numerous summer camps, furniture-making and skiing also make up a large
component of Vermont's income. Trout fishing, lake fishing and even ice
fishing draw the outdoorsman to the state as does the excellent hiking on
the Long Trail. Several noteworthy horse shows are annual events. Golf
courses are springing up with spas to service the weary client. One major
fashion outlet mall isn't really a mall but the old town of Manchester
gentrified.
The town of Rutland is the traditional center of marble quarrying and marble
shaping in the USA. For many years Vermont was also the headquarters of the
smallest union in the USA, the Stonecutters Association, of about 500
members.
In recent years, Vermont has been deluged with plans to build condos and
houses on what was relatively inexpensive, untouched land. Vermont's
government has responded with a series of laws controlling development and
with some pioneering initiatives to prevent the loss of Vermont's dairy
industry.
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2003, Vermont's population was
estimated at 619,107 people.
The racial makeup of the state is:
96.8% White
0.5% Black
0.9% Hispanic or Latino
0.9% Asian
0.4% American Indian
0.2% from other races
1.2% belong to two or more races
The top 5 ancestry groups in Vermont are English (18.4%), Irish (16.4%),
French (14.5%), German (9.1%), French Canadian (8.8%).
The 5 largest religions in Vermont are Roman Catholic (38%), Methodist (6%),
Congregational (6%), Episcopalian (4%), Christian (4%). 22% of the
population is nonreligious.
5.6% of Vermont's population were reported as under 5, 24.2% under 18, and
12.7% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51% of the population.
Important cities and towns
Barre
Bennington
Brattleboro
Burlington (largest city)
Colchester
Essex
Hartford
Manchester
Middlebury
Montpelier (state capital)
Norwich
Rutland
St. Johnsbury
South Burlington
Stowe
Education
Colleges and universities
Bennington College
Burlington College
Castleton State College
Center for Cartoon Studies
Champlain College
College of St. Joseph
Goddard College
Green Mountain College
Johnson State College
Landmark College
Lyndon State College
Marlboro College
Middlebury College
Norwich University
Saint Michael's College
School for International Training
Southern Vermont College
Trinity College (Vermont)
University of Vermont
Vermont Law School
Vermont Technical College
Woodbury College
Miscellaneous information
State bird : Hermit Thrush
State flower: Red Clover
State tree : Sugar Maple
State mammal : Morgan horse
State insect: Honeybee
State amphibian: Northern Leopard Frog
State song: These Green Mountains (formerly Hail to Vermont!)
Professional sports teams
Vermont Expos, minor league baseball
Other places and things named Vermont
Vermont is also the name of:
A place in the State of Illinois. See Vermont, Illinois.
An eastern suburb of Melbourne in Australia. See Vermont, Victoria.
The Ship, USS Vermont was named in honor of this state.
The first automobile to make a trip across the continent was named Vermont.
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