NEW ENGLAND GAZETTEER.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

• This state is hounded north by Lower Canada, east by Maine, south-
east by the Atlantic and the State of Massachusetts, south by Massa-
chusetts, and west and north-west hy Vermont. Situated between 42°
40' and 45° 16' N. lat., and 72° 27' and 70^Q 35' W. Ion. Its length is
168, and its greatest breadth about 90 miles, an.cHt comprises an area of
about 9,280 squar.e -miles.

The first discovery of-^few Hampshire was in 1614, and the first set-
tlements made by Europeans were at Dover and Portsmouth, in 1623;
only three years after tbe landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. The
next settlements were at Exeter and Hampton, in 1638. The inhabit-
ants of these and all the early settlements, until after the cession of Can-
adVto England by France, were greatly annoyed by the Indians, who
existed in large and powerful bodies in this then wilderness. In the re-
peated and general wars with the Indians, New Hampshire suffered more
than any other of the colonies. This colony was twice united with that
of Massachusetts, and the final separation did not take place until 1741,
when the boundaries of the two colonies were settled. In the revolu-
tionary contest, New Hampshire bore a distinguished and honorable part.
The blood of her sons was freely shed on most of the battle fields of the
revolution. As early as June 15, 1776, New Hampshire made a public
Declaration of Independence, and in December of that year, the
delegates of the people adopted a temporary form of Government, which
was continued until 1784, when the first constitution was adopted. This

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