Why Colonists Settled New Hampshire

English colonists established the first permanent settlement at Dover (1623), drawn by multiple incentives:

Economic Opportunity

• Timber: Vast white pine forests—masts for Royal Navy, lumber for Atlantic trade.
• Fish: Cod, haddock, salmon in coastal/river waters.
• Fur: Beaver, marten, otter—lucrative European market.
• Land: Fertile intervals along rivers (Merrimack, Piscataqua, Connecticut) for farming.

Religious Freedom

Puritans from Massachusetts Bay sought autonomy. Though initially under Massachusetts' theocratic umbrella, NH developed a more tolerant reputation (Quakers, Baptists, Antinomians found refuge). Exeter (1638) founded on religious liberty principles.

Political Self-Governance

Early adoption of representative government—elected assembly (General Court) making local laws. 1679: Separate royal province from Massachusetts. 1776: First colony to adopt its own constitution.

Adventure & Frontier Spirit

Explorers, traders, younger sons seeking land unavailable in Massachusetts. The "wilderness" promised autonomy and upward mobility.

Diverse Foundations

Settlers included English Puritans, Anglicans, Scots-Irish (later), and a few French Huguenots. Their shared drive: economic independence, religious liberty, and self-rule in a resource-rich frontier.