The state was named after the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. New Hampshire is located in the north-east of the USA and is part of New England, the state in which the first English settlements of the “New World” were established. English pilgrims fleeing religious persecution in their homeland settled in the colony of Plymouth in 1620. The states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut emerged. Towards the end of the 18th century it was in these states that the first attempts at independence from the British Crown emerged. New Hampshire was the first post-colonial sovereign nation in the Americas when it broke away from Britain in January 1776. It is one of the thirteen states that formed the United States of America six months later. New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify the American Constitution on June 21, 1788. Numerous textile mills sprang up during industrialization and attracted large numbers of immigrants from Quebec and Ireland. New Hampshire is the second most heavily forested country after Maine. Therefore, there are numerous wood processing companies. Many tourists come to New Hampshire to enjoy the great outdoors in the mountains of the northeastern part of the country. The main agricultural products are dairy products, plants and nurseries, cattle, apples and eggs. Industrial products are machines, electrical appliances, rubber and plastic products. Tourism also plays a major role. Check topschoolsoflaw.com for brief history of the state of New Hampshire.