On blue, the state seal with frigate Raleigh encircled by laurel leaves and nine stars. The ship recalls New Hampshire’s naval history, the laurel victory, the stars its place as ninth to join the Union. A maritime emblem on landlocked cloth.
Blue field with state seal showing ship encircled by laurel and stars.
Ratio: 2:3
Flag at a Glance
- Designer
- Legislative adoption
- Ratio
- 2:3
- Text on flag
- Yes
- Animals
- None listed
- Design type
- State seal on blue field
- Complexity
- 8/10
- Readability
- 4/10
- Seal-based design
- Yes
Colors used
Flag Symbolism
U S S Raleigh
One of the first ships of the Continental Navy.
Laurel Wreath And Stars
Symbolize honor and New Hampshire as one of the first 13 states.
Design Breakdown
The New Hampshire flag can be described in a simple build order. This is useful for students learning how flags are constructed.
- Start with the base field described in the construction.
- Add the main shapes first (large stripe, field divisions, or background forms).
- Place the primary symbol(s) in their main position(s) (centre, canton, etc.).
- Finish with details like text, small emblems, and final color fills.
Construction note: Blue field with state seal showing ship encircled by laurel and stars.
What Makes This Flag Unique
A lot of state flags share common themes. This one stands out for a few reasons:
- Features a specific Revolutionary War warship
- Uses stars to explicitly indicate order of statehood
- Strongly emphasizes naval heritage
Praised and Criticised
Common praise
- Strong Revolutionary War symbolism
- Clear maritime identity
- Historical authenticity
Common criticism
- Highly detailed seal
- Includes text
- Low visibility at distance
- Similar to many other seal-on-blue state flags
Modern Discussion
Redesign debate: Yes
Common suggestions
- Remove the state seal
- Eliminate text
- Adopt a simplified ship or star-based design
For Teachers & Students
Classroom-ready prompts, printables, and citation info for studying the New Hampshire state flag.
Subjects
Learning objectives
- Explain significance of USS Raleigh.
- Identify Revolutionary War contributions of New Hampshire.
Print this
Printable classroom handouts for this flag page.
Cite this page
Copy and paste a ready-made citation.
MLA
APA
Note: Citation formats can vary by school. These are common classroom defaults.
Seal Deep Dive
State Seal
The New Hampshire state seal centered on a dark blue field.
Attributes: Frigate Raleigh, Laurel wreath, Nine stars, State name
Meaning: Maritime heritage, independence, and New Hampshire’s place as the ninth state
Frigate
The frigate Raleigh shown on the water.
Attributes: 18th-century warship
Meaning: New Hampshire’s role in the American Revolution and naval shipbuilding
Wreath
A laurel wreath encircling the seal.
Attributes: Laurel leaves
Meaning: Honor, achievement, and victory
Stars
Nine gold stars surrounding the seal.
Attributes: Nine five-pointed stars
Meaning: New Hampshire as the ninth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution
Historical Timeline
New Hampshire ratified the Constitution as the 9th state.
Official flag adopted.
Vexillology Notes
Design type: State seal on blue field
Complexity: 8/10
Readability: 4/10
Fascinating Facts
USS Raleigh was built in Portsmouth in 1776.
The laurel wreath and stars emphasize New Hampshire’s Revolutionary War contributions.
The state seal is the central feature of the flag.
The ship represents New Hampshire’s naval history.
The rising sun symbolizes the birth of a new nation.
The blue field reflects loyalty and justice.
The flag design is based on the state seal.
The current flag was officially adopted in 1909.
State Information
- Population
- 1,377,529
- Area
- 9,349
- Founded
- 21 Jun 1788
- Region
- Northeast
