Massachusetts
From ArticleWorld
Massachusetts is a New England state with a rich history. It was one of the thirteen original colonies of the United States of America.
History
Massachusetts was named after its native people, the Massachusett. The area was later settled by Pilgrims and Puritans who established churches and economy.
Massachusetts was the site of many important American moments, including the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, American Revolution Battles of Lexington and Concord, Siege of Boston, and Battle of Bunkerhill.
Massachusetts became the sixth state of the United States on February 6, 1788.
Facts
Massachusetts is bordered by New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, the Atlantic Ocean the east, and New York to the West.
The state of Massachusetts includes the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and the famous Charles River. Massachusetts is often referred to as the Bay State for Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Bay, and Narragansett Bay.
Boston is the capital of Massachusetts. The city and its surrounding suburbs are the largest metropolis in Massachusetts and are home to 5,800,000.
In terms of employment, industries such as agriculture, especially seafood and cranberries, printing, publishing, healthcare, higher education, and tourism are vital to the Massachusetts economy. As of 2004, the average per capita income was $42,102, making the people of Massachusetts the second highest paid Americans right behind Connecticut.
Massachusetts boasts more than 50 accredited universities, including Harvard, Wellesley, University of Massachusetts, and Boston College.
Famous Massachusetts names
- Susan B. Anthony, suffragist
- John F. Kennedy, president
- Emily Dickinson, poet
- Paul Revere, revolutionist
- Bette Davis, actress
- John Adams, president
- John Quincy Adams, president
- George H. Bush, president
- Dr. Seuss, author
- Eli Whitney, inventor