1. On July 18, 1774, the citizens of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, met to discuss their response to the closing of Boston Harbor by the British government in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party. The meeting resulted in the formation of a committee of correspondence, which played a key role in organizing resistance to British rule in the colonies.

2. On July 18, 1864, the Battle of Fort Stevens took place in Washington, D.C. This was the only time that Confederate troops entered the city during the Civil War, and the Union soldiers defending the city included many troops from New Hampshire.

3. On July 18, 1925, the town of Hanover, New Hampshire, hosted the first US cross-country glider flight. The flight was made by William Hawley Bowlus, who later went on to design the famous glider used by Charles Lindbergh in his solo transatlantic flight.

4. On July 18, 1945, the New Hampshire state legislature voted to approve the adoption of the state's current motto: "Live Free or Die." The motto was suggested by General John Stark, a hero of the American Revolution who was born in New Hampshire.

5. On July 18, 1960, the first telephone link between the United States and Europe was established, using a cable that ran from New Hampshire to Scotland. The link allowed President Dwight D. Eisenhower to hold the first transatlantic teleconference with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.