STATE TREE

American Elm

CAPITAL
Boston

POPULATION
6,349,097 (2000)

STATEHOOD
February 6, 1788
Rank: 6th

LARGEST CITIES
Boston (589,141)
Worcester (172,648)
Springfield (152,082)

LAND AREA
7,840 sq. mi.
(20,306 sq. km.)

C o nn ec

RAN

LS

HIL
IRE

N EW

THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL

The Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American
Revolution, was fought in the Boston area.There, in June 1775,
patriot forces roundly defeated the British.The Massachusetts
colony had a long history of protest against British rule. It was
the site of some of the most important boycotts and rebel
actions, including the Boston Tea Party,
and previous battles, including
Lexington and Concord.

C o n n e c t i c u t R i ve r

Mayflower

Pittsfield

KSH

STATE FLOWER

M A S S AC

BER

he Massachusetfrom whom the states

name originateswere just one of the
Algonquian tribes that inhabited the area prior
to English settlement in the early 1600s. One
of the thirteen original colonies, Massachusetts
was a center for protest in the years leading
up the American Revolution.
The state also ushered in the Industrial
Revolution in the U.S.it developed waterpowered textile and shoe factories in the 1800s.
Stony and infertile terrain, largely unsuited to
farming, made the states residents look to many
different industries for income. Summers are hot and
humid, with average temperatures of 68F to 72F
(20C to 22C), while winters are cold, with the
heaviest snowfall in the western part of the state.
The southern coastal region, consisting of the
peninsula of Cape Cod and the islands of
Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard, has a thriving
tourist industry thanks to its great natural beauty.
Fishing and cranberry farming are also practiced
here. Boston, the states capital, first developed as a
seaport and center of intellectual and cultural life
in early America.Today, Boston remains the center
of finance, commerce, and culture in New England
as well as a popular tourist destination.

NIC

Chickadee

TACO

YO R

GE

the bay state

STATE BIRD

VERMONT

t i c u t R i ve r

MASSACHUSETTS

STATE FACTS

Quabbin
Reservoir

Springfield
CONNECTICUT

A HARVEST FEAST
A year after 102 Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in
1620, only 51 were still alive. Disease had taken a
heavy toll during the winter of 1621.With 90
Wampanoag, the Pilgrims gratefully celebrated
their harvest with a three-day festival. It was this
harvest celebration that became the legend of the
first Thanksgiving.

SHAKERS OF INNOVATION
In 1783, the Shakers, a religious sect devoted to
pacifism and living a simple, productive life,
established Hancock Village, which today showcases
distinctive Shaker furniture and crafts.The Shakers
were inventors, too.They invented many items used
today, including the potato peeler.

16
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.

ATLANTIC
OCEAN

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Lowell

Gloucester

Ma

HUSETTS

h us
et ts

B ay

Worcester

BOSTON

ss a c

Cambridge

Quincy

Provincetown

RHODE
ISLAND

Cape Cod

Plymouth
Cape Cod
Bay

CAPE COD BAY

The economy of the Massachusetts colony was based
on trading and shipping, primarily through Boston
Harbor. Today, Massachusetts has a highly trained and
educated workforce; electronics and other high-tech
industries account for much economic growth.
Revenue is also accrued from tourism, especially from
visitors to the grass-covered dunes, breathtaking ocean
vistas, and quaint marinas of Cape Cod, seen above.

A FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY

JOHN ADAMS

New Bedford
Nantucket
Sound
Marthas
Vineyard

THE BERRY BEST

The states rocky and often
mountainous terrain is best suited to the
growth of specialty crops and dairy farming. Half of
the nations cranberry crop is grown on Cape Cod
and its surrounding counties.The cultivation of
flowers, plants, and shrubs for professional and
amateur landscapers contributes to the states
farming production, as do crops such as pumpkins
and butternut squash.

Nantucket
Nantucket

DID YOU KNOW?

Massachusettss state fruit, the
cranberry, is one of only
three widely cultivated fruits
native to North America.
The other two fruits are the
blueberry and the Concord
grape, both of which are also
grown in Massachusetts.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET. . .

More than 5,000 runners compete every year in the
Boston Marathon, the oldest foot race in the nation, dating
from 1897. But Massachusetts also has morehistory buffs,
beach lovers, theater-goers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike all
have something to choose from.There are important
historic sites, including Plimoth Plantation, a re-creation of
the first Pilgrim settlement, as well as the sun and surf of
Cape Cod and Nantucket.

ohn Adams was one of the major figures of

the Revolutionary era. He helped lead the
Continental Congress to declare independence
from Great Britain, later serving the
new nation as an ambassador,
vice president, and finally as
the second U.S. president.
Born in Braintree (now
Quincy), Massachusetts,
in 1735, Adams
authored the states
constitution in 1780.
Those who framed the
U.S. Constitution were
influenced by this
document. As president,
Adamss diplomacy skills
At 54 tall, John
averted a potentially
Adams was the
disastrous war
shortest U.S.
president.
with France.

BEAUTIFUL BERKSHIRES
The Berkshire Mountains in
western Massachusetts are
home to many summertime
cultural events.They include
classical and jazz concerts
at Tanglewood, dance at
Jacobs Pillow, and a
Shakespeare festival.
Meanwhile, the states
Atlantic coast boasts rolling
hills, natural harbors, beautiful
beaches, and sand dunes.
Massachusettss bountiful
streams and rivers powered the
states industrial development and
influenced the states economy and
settlement patterns.

17
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.