New Hampshire
| Capital | Concord |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Granite State |
| Official Language | English |
| Governor | Maggie Hassan, D |
| Senator | Jeanne Shaheen, D (202) 224-2841 [no contact info] |
| Senator | Kelly Ayotte, R (202) 224-3324 [no contact info] |
| Ratification of Constitution/or statehood | June 21, 1788 (9th) |
| Flag of New Hampshire | Motto: Live Free or Die |
New Hampshire is an American state, and was one of the first 13 states. It was the 9th state to ratify the Constitution of the United States of America. New Hampshire is best known for holding the first primary election for president in the nation, a position that it maintains every four years. Its largest city is Manchester and its capital is Concord. Its highest point is Mount Washington, the highest point in New England at 6288' (1917m) and one of the windiest places on Earth.
New Hampshire had a fairly conservative foundation for example the "Live Free or Die" motto. The state has no personal income tax and no general sales tax. It is the first state to hold primary elections for US Presidential candidates. Recently, it was counted on as a solid center-left state with Democrat majorities in government and the population has more registered Democrats than Republicans. Its electoral votes went to Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election and on June 3, 2009, the New Hampshire legislature passed a bill which made it the sixth state to allow gay marriage. However, during the 2010 Midterm Elections, Republicans won the U.S. Senate seat and both House seats, and gained clear majorities in both chambers of the State Legislature from the Democrats.
Dartmouth College, the smallest of the Ivy League universities, is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. Despite its small size, it is a full-scale university, with medicine, engineering and business schools.
Contents
Politics
New Hampshire is a swing state in presidential elections. By state law, it is the first state in the union to hold its primary election for President of the United States although the Iowa caucuses generally precede it. The village of Dixville Notch, in the north of the state, is traditionally the first community to declare its result in the Presidential Election.
Elected Officials
Federal
- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D)
- Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R)
- Rep. Carol Shea-Porter [D, NH-01]
- Rep. Ann Kuster [D, NH-02]
Statewide
- Governor John H. Lynch (D)
Notable residents
- Dan Brown, author of controversial novels, one of which, The Da Vinci Code, made spurious claims attacking the Catholic Church.
- New Hampshire was the birthplace and home of President Franklin Pierce.
- Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop of an Episcopalian church, is the current bishop of the diocese of New Hampshire.
- Alan Shepard, astronaut - first American in space, commander of Apollo 14, and one of the men who have walked on the Moon.
- David Souter, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1990-2009, who switched positions from conservative to liberal early in his term on the bench.
See also
- Free State Project of New Hampshire and its "vote with your feet" strategic relocation offshoot The Free State Wyoming Project
- State Governors
References
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