Massachusetts History and Attractions

Located in the heart of New England, the state of Massachusetts borders Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York State to the west, Vermont and New Hampshire to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Of all 50 states, Massachusetts is the seventh smallest, yet it is the 14th most populous and third most densely populated.

According to answermba.com, Massachusetts extends from the Appalachian Mountains in the west to the sandy beaches and rocky shores of the Atlantic coast; several large bays distinctly form its coast.

Its name derives from an indigenous word that can be fragmented like this: mass-adchu-s-et. This means ” near the hill ” or “near the Blue Hills”, probably referring to the Blue Hills on the border of Milton and Canton.

Its capital, Boston, is the largest city in the state and one of the most liveable in America, with more than 600,000 residents. It is located at the deepest point of the bay, at the mouth of the Charles River, the longest in Massachusetts. Other major cities in the state are Springfield, Cambridge, Worcester and Lowell.

Originally dependent on fishing, agriculture and trade, Massachusetts became a manufacturing center during the industrial revolution, while in the 20th century the manufacturing sector gave way to the service sector, until, in the 21st century, the The state of Massachusetts has become a leader in higher education, health technology, and financial services.

Background

Bostonian John Adams was an important figure in both independence struggles as well as in the formation of the United States of America.

Adams was very involved in the struggle for separation from Great Britain and in the drafting of the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, in which universal civil rights were proclaimed for the first time as “all men are born free and equal”, thanks to which it was abolished. slavery in this state.

In the years leading up to the Civil War, Massachusetts was a center of progressive and abolitionist activity.

Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson made the greatest contribution to American thought. Members of the transcendental movement highlighted the importance of the natural world and human emotions.

Although significant opposition to abolitionism was first present in Massachusetts, following the anti-abolitionist times in 1835 and 1837, opposition to slavery gradually grew over the following decades.

According to answerresume.com, Massachusetts was the first state to recruit black troops and white officers, forming the 54th Infantry Regiment.

Religion

Massachusetts was founded and colonized by the Puritans in 1628. The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different Churches; in direct line of inheritance are the Congregational Churches, the United Church of Christ and the Unitary Universalist Association. Most of the population in Massachusetts was Christian.
Today, Protestants are less than a quarter of the state’s population. Roman Catholics are now in the majority due to huge immigration from Ireland mainly, followed by Italy, Portugal, Quebec and Latin America.

But Massachusetts still has a small percentage of people of other religions and philosophies, such as Jews, Muslims, Episcopals, atheists, Baptists, Mormons, Hindus, and others.

Curiosity

• Massachusetts has played a significant historical, cultural, and commercial role in American history. Plymouth was where the colony was founded in 1620 by the Pilgrim Fathers, the travelers of the Mayflower, and the following year the first Thanksgiving was celebrated.
• Harvard University, founded in 1636 in Cambridge, is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
• By 1692, the city of Salem had become one of the most experienced of the notorious cases of mass hysteria: the Salem witch trials.
• In the second half of the 18th century, Boston became known as the ” cradle of freedom” following the movement born of the American Revolution and the Independence of the USA from Great Britain.
• The Olympic sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in Massachusetts, in Springfield and Holyoke
• In November 2012, a law was passed to eliminate the crime and civil penalty for the medical use of marijuana. In 2008, possession of marijuana was legalized for less than one ounce (just over 28 grams).

Economy of Massachusetts

The manufacturing sector employs the majority of the Massachusetts workforce. The use of hydroelectric power is rather limited: most of the electricity is produced with oil or coal, but the share coming from nuclear power plants, especially those of Plymouth and Rowe, has been increasing continuously since the 1950s.

Massachusetts is not a large agricultural state. The main source of income is the production of milk and dairy products; the second is chicken farming. Many companies are dedicated to particular productions, such as blueberries, tobacco, apples or vegetables. The amount of cultivated land is constantly decreasing. Forest industries are negligible.

Fishing has always been important in Massachusetts: Gloucester, New Bedford and Boston are its most important ports. In recent years, Massachusetts has emerged as the leading New England state in terms of catch value.

Tourism has been acquiring ever greater economic importance since the Second World War onwards. The state is home to many places of historical importance and good recreational opportunities.