New Hampshire Colony

New Hampshire Colony

Pannaway Plantation

New Hampshire was founded in 1622 when John Mason and Ferdinando Gorges were given a land grant by the Council for New England. Only three years after the Pilgrim's landed at Plymouth, the first settlers arrived near present-day Portsmouth in 1623. They were fisherman. Before long, the settlers built a fort and fish-processing buildings. They named the area Pannaway Plantation. Eventually, some of the settlers moved from Pannaway Plantation and in 1629, founded the settlement of Strawbery Banke. Strawbery Bank would eventually become Portsmouth.

Upper Province of Massachusetts

In 1641, the Massachusetts colony claimed the territory that was New Hampshire. New Hampshire became known as the "Upper Province" of Massachusetts. It remained the Upper Province until 1679 when it became a "Royal Province". Once again, it was reunited with Massachusetts in 1698. Finally, in 1741, New Hampshire gained its independence and elected its own governor - Benning Wentworth, who governed the colony until 1766.

Discussion Questions

  1. Who were the founders of New Hampshire and why did they settle there?
  2. What was Pannaway Plantation and what made it important?
  3. How did New Hampshire’s relationship with Massachusetts change over time?
  4. Why was Benning Wentworth an important leader in New Hampshire’s history?

Glossary

  • Land Grant – A gift of land by a government to individuals or groups.
  • Royal Province – A colony ruled directly by the king.
  • Upper Province – A name given to New Hampshire when it was part of Massachusetts.
  • Strawbery Banke – The original name of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Pannaway Plantation

New Hampshire was founded in 1622 when John Mason and Ferdinando Gorges received a land grant from the Council for New England. In 1623, just three years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, the first settlers arrived near what is now Portsmouth. They were mostly fishermen who built a fort and fish-processing buildings. They called the area Pannaway Plantation. In 1629, some settlers moved and started a new settlement called Strawbery Banke, which later became Portsmouth.

Part of Massachusetts

In 1641, Massachusetts took control of New Hampshire and called it the "Upper Province." New Hampshire stayed part of Massachusetts until 1679 when it became a Royal Province. It briefly rejoined Massachusetts in 1698, but finally gained full independence in 1741. That year, Benning Wentworth became the colony’s first governor and led until 1766.