Teacher Resources
Exeter
This lesson uses New Hampshire's January 5, 1776 constitution — the first adopted by any colony — to examine how the transition from colonial to republican government actually worked. Students analyze what institutional capacity a community needed to assume self-governance, why New Hampshire moved before the Continental Congress authorized it, and what the document itself reveals about the revolutionaries' assumptions about representation and legitimacy. The lesson challenges students to think about the Declaration of Independence not as a beginning but as a codification of changes already underway in places like Exeter.
Grade Range
8-12
Duration
2-3 class periods
Included
3 Resources
What's Included
Everything
You Need
- 5 primary sources with analysis prompts
- Quiz with answer key (5 questions)
- 3 printable handouts
Lesson Overview
This lesson uses New Hampshire's January 5, 1776 constitution — the first adopted by any colony — to examine how the transition from colonial to republican government actually worked. Students analyze what institutional capacity a community needed to assume self-governance, why New Hampshire moved before the Continental Congress authorized it, and what the document itself reveals about the revolutionaries' assumptions about representation and legitimacy. The lesson challenges students to think about the Declaration of Independence not as a beginning but as a codification of changes already underway in places like Exeter.
Essential Questions
- What does a community need — institutionally, culturally, economically — to be capable of governing itself?
- Was the Declaration of Independence a beginning or a codification? What does the New Hampshire example tell us?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
New Hampshire State Papers, Volume VIII: Miscellaneous Provincial and State Papers
New Hampshire Secretary of State / Amos Hadley, State Printer
PRIMARY · TIER1
Constitution of New Hampshire, January 5, 1776
New Hampshire State Archives
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Exeter Committee of Safety Records, 1775-1783
New Hampshire Division of Archives and Records Management
View SourceSECONDARY · TIER1
Experiment in Republicanism: New Hampshire Politics and the American Revolution, 1741-1794
Harvard University Press (Jere R. Daniell)
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
American Independence: New Hampshire's Role in the Revolution
National Park Service, Discover Our Shared Heritage
View SourceLesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Students will explain why New Hampshire adopted a constitution eight months before the Declaration of Independence
- 2Students will analyze the 1776 NH constitution as a primary source, identifying its republican features and provisional character
- 3Students will evaluate the role of institutional capacity in enabling revolutionary self-governance
Assessment
Exeter in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Exeter significant in Revolutionary history?
multiple choice
Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
true false
Name one event that occurred in Exeter during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
short answer
+ 2 more questions in the full packet
Ready to Print?
The full teacher packet includes cover page, lesson plan, all primary source worksheets, quiz, answer key, and standards alignment — formatted for classroom printing.