When most people think about the founding of America, they picture Boston, Philadelphia, or maybe the battlefields of Virginia.
But hidden in the rugged hills of the Northeast, another group of patriots fought for their land, their freedom, and their future: the Green Mountain Boys.

Their story is one of rebellion, resilience, and a fierce pride that still defines Vermont today.

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🌲 Who Were the Green Mountain Boys?

The Green Mountain Boys were a militia formed in the 1760s, made up of settlers living in the area known then as the New Hampshire Grants – what would eventually become the state of Vermont.

At the time, these settlers found themselves trapped in a brutal land dispute:

• New York claimed authority over the region.
• New Hampshire had already issued land grants to the settlers.
• The people living there? They had no intention of surrendering their homes to distant bureaucrats.

Led by the fiery and charismatic Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain Boys fought to defend their land from New York authorities.
They weren’t official soldiers – they were farmers, blacksmiths, and tradesmen willing to pick up arms to protect what was theirs.

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⚔️ A Band of Rebels

The Green Mountain Boys became notorious for their guerrilla tactics.
They physically ejected New York officials, tore down fences, and sometimes used outright force to protect local settlers.

To New York’s leadership, they were lawless criminals.
To their neighbors, they were heroes.

Their unofficial slogan could have easily been:

“Live free or fight trying.”

This independent spirit would become a defining feature of Vermont’s identity for centuries to come.

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🇺🇸 Their Role in the American Revolution

When the American Revolution erupted in 1775, the Green Mountain Boys didn’t hesitate to join the fight – but on their own terms.

Their most famous achievement:

• In May 1775, Ethan Allen and a small band of Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British.
• The attack was swift, early in the morning, and almost bloodless.
• Crucially, the victory gave the Continental Army much-needed cannons and artillery, which later helped drive the British out of Boston.

Without the Green Mountain Boys, America’s early military campaigns might have looked very different.

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🛡️ Vermont’s Birth and Legacy

During the Revolution, the settlers declared their independence – not just from Britain, but from New York too.
In 1777, they formed the Republic of Vermont – a sovereign nation that existed for 14 years before Vermont officially joined the United States in 1791.

Vermont’s fiercely independent spirit, born with the Green Mountain Boys, remains alive today.
You can feel it in Vermont’s deep-rooted commitment to local governance, environmental stewardship, and a culture that proudly does things a little differently.

The Green Mountain Boys may have started as a ragtag group of land defenders, but they ended up founding a state – and influencing a nation.

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✍️ Final Thoughts

The story of the Green Mountain Boys is not just a chapter in Vermont’s history; it’s a story about the enduring power of local communities, ordinary people willing to stand up for their rights, and the rugged spirit that continues to define the Green Mountain State.

Next time you walk Vermont’s hills or drive its back roads, remember:
You’re traveling the same paths once guarded by some of America’s earliest – and fiercest – freedom fighters.