On This Day, Jan. 5: New Hampshire adopts first state constitution

NH marks 250 years since adoption of first state Constitution

Secretary of State David Scanlan commemorated the milestone with a special reading of the founding document at the State Archives in Concord.

Reenactment marks 250th anniversary of first state Constitution

Complete with colonial reenactments and a boisterous ovation from onlookers, Secretary of State David Scanlan hosted a ceremony Monday marking the 250th anniversary of New Hampshire becoming the nation’s first state to adopt a Constitution and declare its independence from…

250th Anniversary of Signing First Constitution Celebrated in Concord

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.orgCONCORD – Two hundred and fifty years ago, New Hampshire became the first colony to establish an independent government from Britain.That milestone on Jan. 5, 1776 was recalled with a reading of the Constitution at the state archives, a social media post by Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte noting it as one of many of the state’s “firsts” and a gathering in front of the State House by U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-NH, as…

In Defense of the Constitution of 1776 — Minding The Campus

Note: The newest installment of The Road to the American Revolution is now live on Substack. Follow the series on Facebook, Instagram, and X to keep up with new essays and join the conversation. An excerpt from the article appears below. Wait a minute—the Constitution wasn’t ratified until 1789! No, I’m talking about the New Hampshire State Constitution, which was enacted on January 5, […] The post In Defense of the Constitution of 1776 appeared…

On This Day, Jan. 5: New Hampshire adopts first state constitution

On Jan. 5, 1776, New Hampshire became the first American state to adopt its own constitution.

The Story of the First State Constitution

New Hampshire’s 1776 constitution and the story behind it set the stage for subsequent state constitutions over the next 250 years.