today's video is sponsored by War Thunder Vermont renowned for its natural beauty and tranquil living is the second least populated state with only 647 th000 people this is despite the fact that Vermont is one of the oldest states in the country and is situated in an otherwise very densely populated part of the country so why don't more people live in [Music] Vermont true to its nickname The Green Mountain State is in fact very green and M mountain and it sits in the middle of two very large Metropolitan region New York City to the South and Montreal to the north but despite this the entire state has only a fraction of both cities populations and as usual there's a geographic reason for this but first would you say that you're more of a New York Chicago or Detroit Pizza fan regardless all types originated from someplace else and that's what we're going to talk about on today's podcast listen right here on YouTube or whatever app you prefer all links are in the description [Music] below Vermont a state nestled in the Northwest part of New England has a long and story geographic history prior to European incursions the area was inhabited primarily by the abanaki and the moan tribes both were part of the larger Algonquin speaking peoples that encompassed much of present day New England Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region and both tribes faced many threats of invasion from their iry speaking neighbors prior to European colonization the first European to lay eyes on what would become Vermont was French explorer Samuel D shampan in 1609 who ventured into the lake that now Bears his name however it wasn't until the late 1600s and early 1700s that Europeans both French and British began to establish a more permanent presence setting the stage for conflict over the control of the area during the colonial era Vermont became a Battleground in the French and Indian War a conflict reflective of the larger Imperial struggles between Britain and France following the British Victory the Treaty of Paris of 1763 awarded control of the region to the British but disputes over land claims continued particularly between New Hampshire and New York both colonies issued conflicting land grants to settlers leading to the formation of the Green Mountain Boys a militia group led by Ethan Allen this group effectively resisted New York's attempts to control the area by 1777 amidst the re revolutionary fervor sweeping the American colonies Vermont declared itself an independent republic an unusual status it maintained for 14 years during this time it adopted its own Constitution which notably abolished slavery established a system of public education and organized a government Vermont's Independence was marked by a progressive stance on social issues and robust local governance the question of joining the newly established United States was a complex one influenced by Vermont's unique position and the ongoing dispute Utes with New York however as the larger political Dynamics shifted and negotiations proceeded Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state in 1791 the first to enter after the original 13 colonies as a state Vermont continued to be a leader in Social progress playing an active role in the anti-slavery movement and other reform activities throughout the 1800s the state's economy during this time was primarily based on agriculture Timber and later manufacturing all of which were influenced significantly by the influx of Europe European immigrants today Vermont is known for its beautifully green geography so much so that its nickname is the Green Mountain State but before we get to those Green Mountains if you're enjoying this video hit that subscribe button more fun geography videos are just a single click away once again today's episode is sponsored by War Thunder the most comprehensive vehicle combat game you'll find anywhere it's totally free and available right now on PC PlayStation and Xbox now War Thunder isn't just about 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global community of over 70 million players and immerse yourself in War Thunder and I'll see you on the [Music] battlefield Vermont known for its Lush Landscapes and rugged terrain is a state that epitomizes the natural beauty of the Northeastern United States it is bordered by Canada to the North Massachusetts to the South New Hampshire to the East and New York to the west and to the credit of its nickname the state's geography is largely defined by the Green Mountains which run north south through the center of the state and are part of the larger Appalachian mountain range the Green Mountains Are characterized by their dense forests which cover a significant portion of the state and are predominantly made up of coniferous and deciduous trees these mountains are not only a central physical feature but also a critical habitat for wildlife and a population destination for hiking skiing and snowboarding contributing significantly to Vermont's tourism industry Vermont's highest peak Mount Mansfield stands at 4,395 FT and is a prominent feature of the state's landscape the mountain is renowned for its distinctive Ridge line which resembles a human profile when viewed from the East nearby camel's hump is another significant Peak easily recognized by its unique undeveloped Dome shape apart from these mountains Vermont is also home to numerous lakes and rivers Lake Champlain the sixth largest freshwater lake in the United States borders New York and partially Canada stretching down the Northwestern side of it plays a crucial role in the state's ecosystem and serves as a major water source supporting both commercial and recreational activities the Connecticut River forms Vermont's eastern boundary with New Hampshire this river is one of the major river valleys in the Northeast and supports agriculture in the surrounding fertile flood Plains Additionally the wusi river flowing across the state from the Green Mountains to Lake Champlain is vital for agriculture and has historically provided a route for transportation and power for Mills Mon's climate is classified as humid continental which means it experiences large seasonal temperature differences with warm to hot summers and cold Winters this climate is conducive to maple syrup production for which Vermont is famous the state leads the United States and maple syrup production tapping into the Abundant sugar maple trees that thrive in this climate the state's natural resources including its forests have historically been a Cornerstone of its economy supporting Industries such as Lumber and paper production however in recent years there's been a shift towards conservation and sustainable use of these resources to preserve Vermont's natural beauty and biodiversity Vermont's physical geography with its blend of mountains rivers lakes and forests not only shape its economy and way of life but also defines its character and appeal but if this geography is so appealing then why do so few people live in the [Music] state Vermont despite its Scenic geography and deep history Remains the second to least populated state in the country with only 647 th000 people less than half of New Hampshire's 1.4 million people it's also worth highlighting that this is only 71,000 more people than the state of Wyoming despite having a 99-year head start as being part of the United States and of course geography is at the heart of why Vermont simply doesn't have very many people the mountainous terrain of Vermont dominated by the Green Mountains has significantly influenced its population density these mountains while providing stunning Landscapes and opportunities for recreational activities also limit the amount of flat aable land available for agriculture and Urban Development the rugged landscape has traditionally made large- scale farming and infrastructure development difficult leading to smaller more isolated communities rather than the large Urban centers found within the Northeast Corridor of the country and while the terrain is very mountainous the underlying soil in Vermont is also not as fertile as other regions the state's primary soil tonbridge soil soil is derived from glacial deposits which is Rocky and thin on top but very hard about 20 in deep making it less ideal for farming compared to the fertile Plains of the Midwest and even other parts of the Northeast this has historically limited agricultural productivity which was a primary economic driver for Rural population growth and stability early on furthermore Vermont's primary water sources such as Lake Champlain and the wooki river flow north to the St Lawrence River in Canada rather than South towards the more less areas of the United States this Geographic directionality reduced opportunities for active trade and transport with other parts of the country which in turn limited Economic Development and population growth throughout history it has been far less profitable to ship goods through Canada than South through the ports of Boston or New York but beyond the geographic reasons Vermont's historic affiliation with New France rather than being one of Britain's 13 Original Colonies also played a role in early migration patterns ver was not settled as early or as densely as the neighboring colonies that became States during the period of French control the focus was more on fur trading then on settlement and agriculture which did not encourage large-scale European migration after becoming part of British North America in later an independent republic before joining the United States Vermont's population growth was slower compared to other states that had more established settlements and economic infrastructure under British colonial rule finally and because of all the reasons already mentioned the Industrial Revolution and the westward orientation of the United States favored regions with easier access to Transportation networks and resources conducive to large-scale Industrial Development Vermont's lack of these conditions meant that it did not experience the same industrial boom as Massachusetts or Pennsylvania the former being a densely populated region with ports and the latter containing some of the largest coal mines in the country Vermont didn't have either and as such was simply not attuned to the development of factories in the mid 1800s and without an industrial revolution large Urban centers never really materialized in the same way they did elsewhere in the country today Vermont would be led by the Burlington Metro region with about 226,000 people and that's really it for any major Urban centers Rutland and Bennington two of Vermont's larger urbanized areas outside of Burlington have only about 15,000 people each and about 87,000 vermonters live in the Lebanon Metro region that's mostly situated in New Hampshire aside from that most of Vermont's population is scattered in smaller towns across the state but lost in all of this discussion of Vermont's population is that had New York state had their way Vermont would have never existed at [Music] all New York's claim over Vermont and the subsequent delay in Vermont's admission to the United States as a full state is rooted in colonial disputes and land grant conflicts when the British established control over what is now the Northeastern United States conflicting land grants and Charters were issued by the British Crown leading to overlapping claims among the colonies In 1664 King Charles II of England granted the land that now includes Vermont to the Duke of York who later became King James II of England this grant was part of a larger territory that included all of present day New York State however in 1749 New Hampshire's Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth began issuing land grants west of the Connecticut River in territory that was also claimed by New York these grants led to the establish l m of towns that would eventually become part of Vermont New York asserting its earlier Royal Grant contested these New Hampshire grants claiming the authority over the land and demanding that settlers holding wentworth's grants pay for new grants from New York this dispute caused significant tension and led to the formation of the Green Mountain Boys a militia group led by Ethan Allen which resisted New York's attempts to enforce its claims the issue continued to Fester as Vermont declared its independence in 1777 first as the Republic of new Connecticut and shortly thereafter as the Republic of Vermont during this period Vermont acted as an independent entity establishing its own government and Constitution which notably abolished slavery despite Vermont's deao Independence New York continued to press its claim preventing Vermont's admission to the newly formed United States New York's resistance was largely motivated by economic interests and the Strategic desire to control more territory the impass was finally resolved through negotiations and financial comp compensation in 1790 Vermont agreed to pay New York $30,000 or about $1 million today to settle all land claims and in return New York dropped its objections to Vermont's statehood this agreement cleared the path for Vermont to join the union which it did on March 4th 1791 as the 14th state and the first state to enter after the original 13 colonies Vermont is a gorgeous state to see and visit but despite this natural beauty it's never really been able to materialize a large population Center and unless something dramatic changes in the future Vermont will likely always be relatively empty check out War Thunder the sponsor of today's video I hope you enjoyed learning all about Vermont and why so few people live there if you did please subscribe to my channel if you want to watch more videos click here if you want to listen to the podcast click here thanks for watching have a great week