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Several Algonquian speaking
Native American groups
inhabited New Hampshire before the Europeans settled there. The largest
of these was the Pennacook that resided in the Merrimack River Valley,
centered in what is now Concord, NH.
In 1603, Martin Pring from
Bristol, England, was the
first European to explore New Hampshire. In 1605, Samuel de Champlain,
a Frenchman, also explored the coast of New Hampshire. In 1614, Captain
John Smith, explored and also mapped the area.
In 1622, the land that is now
New Hampshire was part of a
land grant from the Plymouth Council for New England that went to Sir
Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason. In 1629, this land was
divided between the two. Captain John Mason named his portion New
Hampshire. Mason died in 1635 without seeing his portion of land.
The first settlers were English
fishermen who settled at
Odiorne’s Point in what is now Rye, NH, in 1623, under the leadership
of David Thomson. A short time later, William and Edward Hilton
established the first permanent settlement at Hilton’s Point in what is
now Dover.
As more settlers moved in to the
area, New Hampshire and
Massachusetts developed a shaky relationship. From time to time, New
Hampshire was part of Massachusetts and at other times New Hampshire
was independent, first as the “Upper Plantation” and then as the “Royal
Province”. This lasted until 1741 when New Hampshire would remain in
its “Royal Province” status until it asserted its independence and
became a state.
New Hampshire was the first
state to declare its
independence. Only one battle was fought there, but it was perhaps one
of the most significant ones, as it is said that it was the first
battle of the American Revolutionary War. The battle occurred on
December 14, 1774 at Fort William and Mary, a British fort located in
the town of New Castle in Portsmouth Harbor. Shots were fired in this
battle, but no one was injured. The citizens of nearby Portsmouth that
participated successfully raided and captured the fort and seized the
King’s gunpowder and weapons as British ships were about to arrive at
the harbor. The seized supplies would be used during upcoming
Revolutionary War battles, particularly during the Siege of Boston that
started in 1775.
On January 5, 1776, the
Provincial Congress of New Hampshire ratified the first state
constitution of the new nation.
During the 1800’s, a number of
textile mills were
established, making textiles a key industry for the state. This in turn
attracted numerous immigrants from Quebec and Ireland. New Hampshire’s
White Mountains and beaches facilitated the start of the state’s
tourism industry during this time.
New Hampshire’s presidential
primary has been the first
in the nation since 1920 by tradition. In 1977, this tradition became
New Hampshire law. This has caused the country’s and the world’s eyes
to be on New Hampshire at the start of each presidential election.
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