Vermont: A Study of Independence

The opening chapters take listeners back to the early 1600s, when Samuel de Champlain first glimpsed the towering, snow‑capped peaks that would become Vermont’s hallmark. His brief encounter with native guides hints at a landscape rich in fertile valleys and abundant wildlife, while also raising questions about the peoples who first called these hills home. The narrative weaves together the scant archaeological clues and the lingering names left by the Waubanakee, inviting listeners to imagine a land on the cusp of discovery.

From there, the book follows the slow, uneasy march of French and English ambitions along the shores of Lake Champlain. It portrays a frontier where forts rose and fell, treaties were signed and broken, and rival empires vied for a foothold in a region that was both a prize and a peril. Through vivid description and careful scholarship, the story captures the early struggles that shaped Vermont’s unique path toward independence.