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New Hampshire

State History

Native Americans

The land that is today the state of New Hampshire was settled for thousands of years by various native peoples. When the Europeans arrived in the 1600s, the Algonquian peoples lived in the region including the Abenaki and Pennacook tribes. These Native Americans hunted, fished, farmed corn and beans, and lived in domed houses called wigwams.


The city of Newport
Newport, New Hampshire by Daderot

Europeans Arrive

One of the first Europeans to visit the region was English explorer Martin Pring in 1603. Other explorers followed including Captain John Smith and French explorer Samuel de Champlain. England claimed the land after John Smith's visit and soon began to colonize the area.

Colonization

The first English settlement was a small fishing outpost near present day Rye in 1623. That same year, another settlement was established called Hilton's Point. It would later become the city of Dover.

Over the next several years, more colonists came. The living was tough, but with help from the local natives they learned to survive. The colony became known for its lumber and tall trees that were good for shipbuilding. Portsmouth became a wealthy port and shipbuilding location.

In 1679, New Hampshire was officially named a province of England. It would remain under the government of Massachusetts until 1741, when it became a separate colony. In 1764, the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont (which was part of New York at the time) was established as the Connecticut River.


New Hampshire state seal
Seal of New Hampshire by Unknown

American Revolution

After the French and Indian War, the British began to tax the American colonies. The colonists did not like this and began to protest. In December of 1774, one of the first engagements of the Revolutionary War occurred when colonists from New Hampshire captured Fort William and Mary. They took the fort without firing a shot and captured much needed guns, cannon, and ammunition for the upcoming war.

Becoming a State

After the Revolutionary War, New Hampshire joined the newly formed United States. On June 21, 1788 it became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution.


The Old Man of the Mountain shown before and after it collapsed
Old Man of the Mountain by Rob Gallagher
(before and after it collapsed)

Timeline More US State History:

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New Hampshire
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Ohio
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Rhode Island
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Tennessee
Texas
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Vermont
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Works Cited

History >> US Geography >> US State History


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