Among its most famous contributions to the American Revolution are the “Green Mountain Boys,’’ a band of patriots led by Ethan Allen who formed a militia to fight in the war and later became among the founding fathers of the state. After 14 years as a self-declared independent republic, Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state in 1791.

In 1814, Emma Willard started teaching science and the classics to women in her Middlebury home – her efforts drawing the attention of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. She was invited to open a school in New York and later taught at the Troy Female Seminary, the nation’s first school offering women an education on a par with men – it became the Emma Willard School.

One of the first ski lifts in the U.S. opened at a farm in Woodstock, Vermont, in 1934. Its tow line was powered by a Ford Model T engine. Today, the state boasts several major ski resorts , ranging from Mount Snow in West Dover to Killington, known as “the Beast of the East,” Mad River Glen, Stowe Mountain Resort and Sugarbush. The state’s woods, hills and fields also provide some of the finest cross-country skiing across many miles of groomed trails.

The Green Mountain State derives its name from the French, “montagne verte.”

The sweetest product of Vermont’s forests is its renowned maple syrup, the purest labeled “Grade A.” Vermont leads the nation in maple syrup production, with nearly 2 million gallons a year accounting for nearly half of the total U.S. syrup crop.

A dairy-producing state, its most famous brand is Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream , a nationally known product from a company founded in the northern city of Burlington, situated on Lake Champlain, in 1978. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield sold their business to Unilever for $326 million. Another home-grown Vermont product made founder Robert Stiller a billionaire – Green Mountain Coffee Roasters , made popular nationally in pods for Keurig coffee-makers.

Dairy farming outranks all other farming in Vermont. With more than 7,000 farms in this small state, only about 800 produce vegetables and about 600 fruit. With about 900 farms raising dairy cows, they produce more than $470 million worth of milk each year – accounting for roughly two-thirds of all the state’s agricultural produce.

The median household income – $57,677 in 2016 – was slightly above the national average of $57,617.

This is a state of small towns. With nearly 43,000 residents, lakeside Burlington is the state’s largest city. Montpelier, the capital, is home to fewer than 8,000.

The state is home to strong state universities and private colleges , including the University of Vermont in Burlington, Middlebury College and Bennington College.

The state of 625,000 is 93 percent white, with less than 5 percent of residents born outside of the U.S.

The state’s historic independent streak plays out in religion as well as politics. More than one-third of Vermont adults are unaffiliated with any religion , and just over half identifying as Christian.