1. On December 19, 1774, a group of citizens gathered at the Capitol building in Portsmouth to protest British rule in the colonies. This meeting is considered one of the earliest acts of rebellion in the American Revolution.

2. In 1861, New Hampshire Governor Nathaniel S. Berry issued a proclamation calling on all able-bodied men in the state to volunteer for military service in support of the Union effort during the Civil War.

3. On December 19, 1877, the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (now known as the University of New Hampshire) held its first classes in Hanover, NH. The college had been established by the state legislature in 1866, but several years of fundraising and planning delayed its opening.

4. In 1932, the town of Bethlehem officially changed its name to "Christmas Town" in honor of its role as the location of the Hinman Settler's Christmas Tree farm, which had become a popular attraction for tourists.

5. On December 19, 1986, the New Hampshire Supreme Court upheld the state's "clause invalidating amendment," which prohibited the state from passing laws that establish religion or interfere with the religious beliefs of individuals. This decision affirmed the state's commitment to religious freedom and separation of church and state.