Book excerpt: You might know that New Hampshire's proud motto is "Live Free or Die." But did you know that it was a quest for sassafras and a shortcut to Asia that brought the first Europeans to this part of America in 1603? Or that John Smith of the Virginia Colony officially claimed the land for England in 1614? Now, readers can follow the rich history and the changing boundaries of this colony, which has included what is now Maine and which has at times been part of Massachusetts. Scott Auden's narrative also details the challenges of daily colonial life, how good relations with the native Abenaki deteriorated into nearly a century of warfare, and the daring deeds of New Hampshire Patriots during the War of Independence. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.