The Green Mountain Boys

Ethan Allen owned land in the New Hampshire Grants. He did not want to lose his land to the Yorkers(owners who got their land from New York). He also did not want to pay more money for his land. Other settlers felt the same way. After talking at the Catamount Tavern(an inn where men could get food and drinks) in Bennington, these men joined together to start the Green Mountain Boys.

The Green Mountain Boys wanted to scare the Yorkers and chase them away. When Dr. Samuel Adams tried to defend the Yorkers, he made the Green Mountain Boys angry. Even though Adams owned land in the New Hampshire Grants, the Green Mountain Boys put him on trial at the Catamount Tavern. They decided he was guilty. To punish him, they tied a chair to the tavern's sign and made him sit in the chair for hours. The tavern was a popular place in Bennington. The supporters of the Grants probably yelled at Dr. Adams and kept him from helping the Yorkers.

Not all of the settlers supported the Green Mountain Boys. Some people did not like that the Green Mountain Boys broke the law or threatened Yorkers. Many settlers paid money to New York to keep their land.

The Green Mountain Boys also protected Vermont during the Revolutionary War. They helped capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British. At the Battle of Bennington, the Green Mountain Boys fought with the American troops to beat the British.