‘A Very New Idea’ is Part 1 of a collaborative documentary series about the history and culture of Vermont. ‘A Very New Idea’ explores the roots from which the state of Vermont grew. Samuel De Champlain steps into a canoe, leading the way for Yankee immersion into native culture. We explore how settlement occurred, native peoples resistance, and the unknown history of African American settlers. Pioneer rebel Ethan Allen leads the struggle for independence, which results in Vermont’s radical constitution: it is the first to outlaw slavery. The outlaws become establishment and the development of capitalism creates class conflicts. But Vermont’s heroic role in the Civil War reminds us that Vermont’s state motto, Freedom & Unity, still charts the course of the state.