What New Hampshire is known for

New Hampshire is situated the furthest north of the thirteen original colonies of the United States of America. It is about 180 miles long and 50 miles wide, although it is popularly known as "the Granite State" with its many mountains. The motto of New Hampshire is "live free or die." Concord is the state capital, while Manchester is the largest city in the state. New Hampshire has a population of approximately 1.36 million people. The majority of the population is Caucasian, at about 89.7%. Other ethnic groups include Asians and Hispanics.[1] The majority of the population is either unaffiliated with religion or of the Protestant faith. New Hampshire has seen recent growth in the insurance industry and in similar services. New Hampshire works in manufacturing and electronics, as well as professional and scientific services. Much of the economy is built off nature tourism and is a substantial contributor to the state's economy and seasonal sports like skiing.[2]

New Hampshire is mainly known for its forested and mountainous terrain. Its most famous attractions mostly involve the outdoors. The most common outdoor locations to visit are Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountain range. Various activities are hosted at the White Mountains. There are trails for hiking, biking through the mountains. There is rock climbing at multiple quarries and areas within the range, along with trails for ATVs and other off-roading vehicles. The highest peak east of the Rocky Mountains is Washington Peak, nestled in the White Mountains. Many people come to visit the peak to climb to the top and see the views. During the winter months and colder seasons, skiing is the most popular sport of the state and a significant attraction for the area. Visitors can canoe, kayak, and fish along the river and lake around Lake Winnipesaukee and other regions in the White Mountains. A popular activity is boating and fishing at the lake, where many types of trout can be caught. Other activities include historical sites such as the city of Dover and Portsmouth. Hampton Beach is a popular destination for coastal activities. Many of the attractions are found in the northern and eastern sides of the state. Typically New Hampshire is visited during the summer between the months of May to September, but also has a substantial amount of tourism in the winter due to the mountains and fishing.[9]

Geography

New Hampshire is a northern state in the New England region of the United States of America. Massachusetts borders it to the south and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Vermont is to the west, and Maine and the Atlantic Ocean are on the eastern border. New Hampshire is known to have the shortest coast along the ocean in all of the U.S. Measuring in at a total of 18 miles, Hampton Beach can be found as a popular destination for aquatic and recreational activities. Much of New Hampshire is comprised of forests and mountains with many rivers and lakes. It has sometimes been referred to as "the mother of rivers" due to the extensive amount of rivers that come from the White Mountains and lakes in northern New Hampshire. Major rivers include The 110-mile Merrimack River. It flows to the south through the middle of the lower region of the state, passing into Massachusetts and going towards the ocean. Another prominent river is the Connecticut River; it starts in New Hampshire's Connecticut Lakes and continues south, flowing down and to the west, defining the border between the two states of New Hampshire and Vermont. Interestingly the border is not in the middle of the river dividing the two sides but is divided more into a 75% to 25% ratio. New Hampshire has more control over the rivers and increases its border.[8]

The climate in New Hampshire changes throughout the year but is generally partially cloudy or cloudy most days of the year. Temperatures vary depending on the area of the state but typically consist of about 73 degrees Fahrenheit and have a high of 83 degrees Fahrenheit in the summertime. New Hampshire tends to be about 24 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months consisting of December to February, with a low of 16 degrees Fahrenheit generally during the coldest month, which is January. Typically summers tend to be more humid and wet, while winters tend to be drier. It often snows in the winter—generally more in December and January—and rains heavily from early spring to early summer. Many activities can be done year-round in New Hampshire, but many tourists typically visit the state between May and September. [5]

One of the most popular geographical areas and a large part of the state is the White Mountains. The White Mountains are filled with granite cliffs and white birch, giving the state its most famous nickname, "the Granite State." The White Mountains cover approximately one-quarter of the state. They are considered to be some of the most rugged mountains in the New England region and form part of the Appalachian mountain range. The Old Man of the Mountain was a prominent monument in New Hampshire located in the White Mountains until it deteriorated around 2003. It was said to be the profile of an old man, made in nature with no help from people or tools. The supposed face of the man has been on license plates signs and has its own monument that continues to serve as an attraction for the area.[2]

New Hampshire is home to a variety of wildlife and game. Some wildlife includes white-tailed deer, red-spotted newt, purple finch, brook trout, striped bass, and black bear. There are many different types of plants in the area and are most noted for their change in autumn to reds, yellows, and oranges. Some plants include white birch, purple lilac, pink lady's slipper, eastern hemlock, checkered rattlesnake plantain, American beech, and red maple.[6]

History

New Hampshire was inhabited for thousands of years by Algonquian-speaking peoples such as the Abenaki. Europeans arrived in the early 17th century, with the English establishing some of the earliest non-indigenous settlements.[2] The Province of New Hampshire was established in 1629, named after the English county of Hampshire. Early historians record that the first settlements in New Hampshire were founded in the year 1623, under the authority of an English land grant, Captain John Mason. Others helped in the establishment of the colonies, such as Edward Hilton, Thomas Hilton, and David Thomson, most of them fish-merchants of London, with a number of other people in two divisions to establish a fishing colony at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. At the time, New Hampshire was established for the fishing market and resources that were in high demand such as fur and lumber. England gave its subjects the opportunity to travel to New Hampshire to help in economic development and expansion projects started by King James I, giving the people opportunities to create a new life with free land in a new country under the condition that they and the land remain loyal to the crown.[3]

John Smith, who helped establish the present city of Dover, first named the state and region "North Virginia" but King James decided to later revise the region's name into "New England." To the maps of the area was added the name Portsmouth located close to Dover. Here, Captain John Mason erected and commanded a fort and named the surrounding land New Hampshire after his own English county of Hampshire. [3]

New Hampshire and its residents helped establish independence in America. As leaders in the revolutionary cause, New Hampshire delegates received the honor of being the first to vote for the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Just as it was the first to vote, it was also the first state to declare its independence and adopt its own constitution. Due to tension between the colonies and the British empire during the 1760s, New Hampshire was the place of one of the earliest acts of rebellion, with the battle and seizing of Fort William and Mary from the British empire in 1774. In the upcoming years, they participated and helped in the Revolutionary War. One event included New Hampshire’s participation in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Other notable victories (from the people of New Hampshire) included General John Stark’s victory at the Battle of Bennington and the success of Captain John Paul Jones at sea. After the war, New Hampshire was the ninth state in accepting the National Constitution.[3]

Although New Hampshire has not had a much-distinguished history in the nation since the Revolutionary War, it is unique in the fact that it is the only state to have ever hosted international affairs regarding a peace treaty. New Hampshire gained some international attention in 1905 when in the city of Portsmouth, the Naval Base hosted the signing of the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War, known as the Treaty of Portsmouth.[4]