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The controversy came from New York claiming that the original charter of Mass from the Atlantic to a certain point east of the Hudson meant that areas north of Mass belonged to it, as far east as New Hampshire (Conn River)
New Hampshire, interpreted the original charter as meaning the NY line continued north from the NW corner of Mass, and everything east belonged to it.
I forget the year, but the King of England eventually declared that NH included what we now know as Vt.
This was a problem for the Allen brothers of New York who had been investing heavily in the disputed territory and selling land - much of which was already settled by persons who had bought it from NH grantees (including my ancestors). Many settlers solved their "title" problem by paying both claimants, thus having clear title. Some could not afford to do so and lost their land and died early in poverty.
The Allen brother's solution was to gather together a bunch of their ruffian, bully companions and raise an illegal "army" which would later be remembered as the heroic Green Mountain Boys.
As this group was advantageous to the equally illegal colonial belligerents to the legal king's government (who are now revered as patriots)(including my ancestors) their actions were legitimized.
My disenfranchised ancestors (who could not afford to buy their land a 2nd time from the Allens) were awarded their land for service to the colonial insurgents; so, we are still Vermonters.
Footnote: private ownership of firearms has been illegal under British law for all commoners (e.g. American colonists) since they were invented. The law was not enforced in the colonies as there were not enough "lords" here to provide the firearms necessary to survive. It was for this reason that many colonies refused to ratify the constitution unless it was amended to specifically allow the "right to bear arms" - else english common law (upon which the constitution was founded) might forbid the people's future right to possess the means by which it had just overthrown what they believed to be a government that restricted their freedom to seek a better future.
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