The body of the flag is blue. The center of the flag has the state's seal with a granite boulder and the frigate Raleigh – all surrounded by laurel leaves and nine stars. The frigate Raleigh, built at Portsmouth in 1776, was one of the first 13 warships sponsored by the Continental Congress for the American navy. It is shown "on stocks" to reflect Portsmouth having become a major shipbuilding center during the Revolutionary War years. The granite boulder is symbolic of the Granite State's rugged terrain and the character of its citizenry. The nine stars symbolize that New Hampshire was the ninth Colony to ratify the Constitution, on June 21, 1788.