Massachusetts History and Government

The Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620 by Pilgrim separatists fleeing the volatile politics of England. About a decade later, a group of Puritans led by John Winthrop founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony to escape the oppression of the Church of England. Together, these two groups established the towns of Boston, Salem, and Plymouth, which eventually became the hub of the Massachusetts region. A century and a half later, opposition to British rule exploded into the American Revolution, and Massachusetts became known as the "Cradle of Liberty."

Massachusetts has always been a fertile ground for intellectual ideals and progressive movements. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, both from Massachusetts, expounded the notions of individuality that have come to define us as Americans. Horace Mann crusaded for education reform, while Dorothea Dix lobbied on behalf of the mentally ill. From trade unions to child labor laws to the abolition of slavery, Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of social reform.

The smallest state in the U.S., Massachusetts is home to over 6 million people, most of whom live in or around the capital city of Boston. The eastern half of the state is dominated by cities and suburbs, while the western half is mostly rural and home to Massachusetts' 6,000 farms. Tobacco, health care, and tourism are all important to the state's economy, as is education. Massachusetts is home to Harvard University, University of Massachusetts, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and dozens of other institutes of higher learning.