What is the history of Native American law?
Native American law in Vermont is rooted in a long and complex history of government policies, negotiations, and court cases. The Native American population in Vermont was first encountered by Europeans in the early 1600s. By the mid-1700s, tribes like the Abenaki and Pennacook had been joined by refugees from the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. The tribes of Vermont found themselves in a difficult situation, due to increased settlement of Europeans and American encroachment into their lands. The Abenaki and Pennacook signed a treaty with the New Hampshire Colony in 1716, which gave the tribes a right to the land between New Hampshire and Vermont. This treaty was followed by others with the colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Despite the treaties, tensions between Native Americans and the colonists continued to rise, leading to the Revolutionary War in 1775. In the 19th century, the governments of the United States and Vermont began to increasingly intervene in Native American affairs. Issues such as land rights, language, and cultural autonomy were heavily regulated by the federal government and dealt with by the Vermont courts. In recent times, Vermont has taken a more active role in the protection of Native American rights and increasing autonomy over their own affairs. In 1997, the Abenaki Nation was recognized by the state of Vermont, and in 2019, the state officially recognized the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation. The state has also sought to protect Native American rights and culture through the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, which was established in 2009.
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