Flag of New Hampshire

State: New Hampshire

Proportions: 2:3, 3:5 or 5:8

New Hampshire Flag Description:
The flag of New Hampshire consists of a blue base with the state seal in the center.

New Hampshire Flag Meaning:
Around the outside of the state seal is a series of laurel wreaths and nine gold stars which represent New Hampshire as the ninth state to join the Union. The body of the seal symbolizes the importance of shipbuilding in early New Hampshire.

The ship in front of the rising sun is the frigate Raleigh. The Raleigh was one of the first war ships to be commissioned by the American navy and was built in New Hampshire in 1776, the year the state gained independence. The United States flag is flying at the stern of the ship. The Atlantic Ocean surrounds the ship and the shores of New Hampshire's coastline. The rock in the foreground is granite; symbolic of the state's nickname and character of its people.

New Hampshire Flag History:
The basic design of the flag originated in 1909. The current flag dates from Jan. 1, 1932. New Hampshire is the ninth state of the union, gaining statehood on June 21, 1788. It is one of the original 13 colonies that united to form the union of the United States. The design of the current state seal was adopted in 1784. New Hampshire Legislature modified it in 1931.

Interesting New Hampshire Facts:
New Hampshire's state nickname is the Granite State.

New Hampshire's state motto is: Live Free or Die.