Vermont Was A Country For 14 Years (Almost Joined Canada) Vermont was an independent sovereign

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Vermont was an independent country for 14 years and almost didn't join the United States. Not a territory, not a colony, an actual sovereign nation, the Vermont Republic, 1777 to 1791.

[00:00:15]They had their own currency, postal system, and government and they were seriously considering joining Canada instead. Here's what happened. During the Revolutionary War, New York and New Hampshire both claimed Vermont's territory. Vermont said screw both of you, declared independence, and became their own country.

[00:00:36]They wrote a constitution that banned slavery before any other government in North America, minted their own coins, operated independently while the revolution happened around them.

[00:00:48]The Continental Congress refused to recognize Vermont. New York lobbied against admission because they wanted the land. So, Vermont started negotiating with British Quebec about joining Canada. This wasn't a bluff.

[00:01:01]They had serious talks. The British were interested. Vermont had strategic value and resources. Then in 1791, New York finally dropped their claim and Vermont agreed to join the United States as the 14th state.

[00:01:16]But it was close. Vermont came within diplomatic negotiations of being Canadian territory instead. If those talks had succeeded differently, Vermont would be part of Canada right now.

[00:01:28]Burlington would be a Canadian city.

[00:01:31]Bernie Sanders would be a Canadian politician.

[00:01:34]Maple syrup would have a different flag on it. Vermont's entire existence in America was basically a negotiation fallback plan.