Massachusetts, USA: capital, attractions, interesting laws, photo. Massachusetts - "the state of the bays ma what state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It borders Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont, New Hampshire to the north. Historically, Massachusetts is one of the main states of America, its leading role was determined back in the years of the colonies' struggle for independence. Massachusetts has an area of 21,500 square kilometers, making it the 46th largest state. At the same time, with a population of 6 million, it ranks thirteenth in terms of the number of inhabitants. Back in the 19th century, industrial enterprises began to operate on the territory of the state, producing mainly textiles and shoes. In the 20th century, mechanical engineering and high-tech radio electronics became the state's leading industries.
The first settlement in the state was Plymouth, founded by the "Pilgrim Fathers", but at present the main city of the state is Boston, founded in 1630, which is located on the Charles River. Now it is home to about 600 thousand people. Neither in terms of population nor size, modern Boston is not one of the largest cities in America, but every resident, every American remembers the role played by Bostonians in the major events of American history. Everyone remembers that until the middle of the 18th century it was the largest city in North America and the most important economic and political center of the British colonies. Boston is one of the few cities in America where you can feel the flavor of the past, return to the early days of the colonial era. One of the sights of the city is the "Boston Stone", from which, according to tradition, geodetic readings are taken. The most interesting thing is that this "navel of the earth" was brought to the New World from England and, as it were, symbolizes the historical and cultural origins of the American nation. At the same time, it was Boston that played a key role in breaking the colonies from the former metropolis.
Boston has many museums. The events of the American Revolution are reminded by the Boston Tea Party museum ship, Paul Revere's wooden house, now the oldest building in the city, the Bunker Hill Memorial Pavilion. City art museums are of great cultural value. The most famous of them, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, presents exhibits that characterize the development of fine art from antiquity to the present day. The museum has a particularly valuable collection of American paintings and works of the French Impressionists.
Boston is a major center of American musical culture. The largest conservatory in the US is located here, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra is considered one of the best in the world, and any musician will be honored to be invited to play in the orchestra, and even more so to perform with him as a soloist.
Not far from Boston is one of the best in the world, Harvard University. This oldest educational institution in America was founded in 1636 with public donations and bears the name of the Puritan John Harvard, who contributed the largest amount to its creation. Initially, Harvard was only a college where American colonists willingly sent their offspring to study, believing that it was too expensive and far to send them to the Old World. University status Harvard College received only in 1782. Harvard University is located in the town of Cambridge, the namesake of the famous university city of Great Britain, which initially predetermined the appearance of such a center of education and science there - America did not want to concede to Europe in anything.
Despite the high cost of education (over 10 thousand dollars a year), more than 17 thousand students study at the university at the same time. Getting a diploma from this prestigious educational institution is the best start in life for a career-oriented young person. Harvard University tops the list of the eight most privileged and prestigious universities in the United States, which are called the Ivy League. This league also includes Yale, Columbia, Brown, Princeton, Dartmouth and Cornell universities.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, there is also the Fogg Museum, owned by Harvard University, which has a representative collection of cultural treasures of all times. Another famous university museum is the Peabody Museum, named after the financial magnate George Peabody (1795–1869), who, having made a fortune on the stock market, became a major patron of the arts and provided funds for the creation of an ethnographic museum.
Massachusetts is also home to a nationwide American holiday, Thanksgiving, introduced by the Pilgrim Fathers.
Massachusetts also has a tragic history of persecution of witches. The first colonists were zealous Puritans. They firmly believed in the supernatural, including witchcraft, because it is spoken of in the Bible, and it was the sorcerers and witches, direct accomplices of Satan, who were credited with various troubles that happened to them. In 1692, fear of sorcerers led to mass hysteria and trials of imaginary witches, which ended in the execution of 25 people. The worst thing is that the accusers at these trials were mostly children and young girls. For example, Martha Kerrier was hanged on August 19 at the slander of her own 7-year-old daughter. What followed was a chain reaction: suspected witches believed that by blaming another person, they would be able to best demonstrate their desire to help the court and mitigate their own fate. The Salem courts of that time could get a confession from anyone and anything. So, confessions were achieved by pulling the heels to the neck until the unfortunate ones began to bleed from the nose. In 1693, the hysteria subsided, those arrested on suspicion of witchcraft were released from prison, and twenty years later the Massachusetts Supreme Court decided to return the honorable name to those who had been dishonored in the midst of a witch hunt. True, the governor never approved it with his signature. Because of this dark chapter in its history, Salem still bears the nickname of the “City of Witches” and maintains this reputation by creating the Museum of Witches.
From the book 100 great mysteries of history author Nepomniachtchi Nikolai Nikolaevich From the book Forbidden Archeology the author Cremo Michel APrecambrian Rock Metal Vase at Dorchester, Massachusetts
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And almost on all sides surrounded by other states.
On the east side, there is access to the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south side, Massachusetts borders on the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. On the north side, there are two states at once, these are New Hampshire and Vermont, and on the west side is the famous “Big Apple”, better known as New York.
The territory of Massachusetts is divided into 14 administrative districts, covering an area of 27,336 km². Massachusetts was founded in 1788 and became the 6th state created in the United States. According to the latest population count conducted in 2011, about 6,657,535 people live in Massachusetts.
Boston is the largest city in the region and also the state capital.
History and Landmarks of Massachusetts
Massachusetts is almost the most historical and cultural state in the country, in terms of the number of attractions. There are 185 historically important sites and attractions annually attracting millions of tourists from all over America and from all over the world.
Remember the Mayflower that brought the first settlers? An exact copy of the ship is moored on a pier in the city of Plymouth.
Just a gigantic collection of cars can be viewed upon arrival in the city of Brooklyn. The Anderson Museum is located here, the first exhibition copy was bought back in 1899 by the founder of the museum. A very large collection of cars collected over 100+ years. Most likely, half of the cars presented here have never been seen and will not be seen if you do not visit this museum.
Of course, there is also a monument created in memory of the heroes of the First World War, located on Mount Greylock. The monument is made in the form of a lighthouse, the height of which reaches 28 meters. The light of the lighthouse hits as much as one hundred kilometers from it.
Geographical and climatic location of Massachusetts
In the western part of the state, the Berkshire and Taconic ranges pass, and the highest point in the state is Mount Greylock, which has a height of more than a thousand meters. The state has a humid continental climate, which provides good and hot weather in the summer, and a lot of snow and very frosty weather in the winter. In the warmest weather, the temperature fluctuates around +27 degrees Celsius, and in winter around -8 degrees Celsius.
The coastline of the state is formed by bays and bays. In dense forests, you can meet a large number of animals, including deer and birds.
Economy
The state of Massachusetts ranks third in terms of the amount of money earned per year, per capita. This is more than fifty thousand dollars a year per person. The lion's share of this economic success comes from science and education, which is expensive and highly valued throughout the world. A large number of discoveries and new technologies were created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A large amount of money is brought in by the education sector, because there are more than a hundred colleges and universities. New technologies and high-tech industries constantly replenish the state budget through taxes.
The state also has a well-developed agricultural sector engaged in the cultivation of animals, fruits and vegetables.
The rapidly growing and rapidly developing tourism sector brings more and more revenue to the state treasury every year.
Population
About 83% of “whites” live in Massachusetts, the share of Hispanics is about 8%, African Americans are only about 6%, Asians are about 4%, but Native Americans are less than 0.2%. Native Americans are Indians.
A wide variety of ethnic groups in different countries has become the norm of our life.
According to statistics in the state, ethnic groups were divided as follows: 23% are Irish, 14.2% are Italians, 12.9% are French, 11.8% are British, and about 6% are Germans. Almost half of the state's residents adhere to the Catholic religion, Protestants about 11% of the population, Baptists only 4%, Jews less than 2%.
In the northeastern part of the United States along the Atlantic coast lies the state of "New England" - Massachusetts, whose main city is.
To the north, the border with and stretches, to the west is located, to the south -, the east coast of the state is washed by the warm waters of the Atlantic. The territory of the state includes several islands and peninsulas - Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. The territory of Massachusetts is washed by four bays at once - Massachusetts, Narragansett, Buzzards and Cape Cod. To the west rise the mighty Berkshires and the sheer cliffs of the Taconic.
Most of Massachusetts has a humid oceanic climate. Summers are quite hot with abundant rainfall. In winter, frequent winds blow, it is quite cool and snowy.
Today Massachusetts is a large educational, industrial, cultural and historical region of the United States.
State history
Several thousand years ago, the lands of Massachusetts were inhabited by Indian tribes. British settlers were the first to land on the coast of the modern state (early 17th century). They founded the "Plymouth Colony" here. It is known that it is from here that the famous Catholic holiday, Thanksgiving Day, originates.
Some time later, the first American constitution or "Mayflower Agreement" was adopted by the inhabitants of the colony.
In the 13th century, several educational institutions were built in the state. Among them is the legendary. And in the middle of the century, Massachusetts turned into a major shipbuilding and commercial British center.
The infrastructure and industry of the colony continued to develop, but the inhabitants were driven into difficult "tax" conditions. Many did not agree with such harsh requisitions. As a result, a civil war for freedom broke out in 1770.
It wasn't until 1788 that Massachusetts was granted the title of state.
State Attractions
With a rich variety of natural landscapes, Massachusetts is very popular with ecotourists.
A favorite destination for many tourists is the city of Stockbridge. On its territory there is a beautiful Berkshire botanical garden. Walking along the shady alleys of the garden, tourists get the opportunity to enjoy bright peonies, fragrant magnolias, luxurious roses, sit on a cozy bench near a picturesque lily pond. Not far from the city, the Berkshire Hills stretched in a long ridge. There is a large beautiful waterfall - Bash Bish.
The natural park located on the Cape Cod Peninsula is famous for its magnificent landscapes. Its area is occupied by dense mixed forests, clear blue lakes, beautiful ponds, small green hills. Well, the main attraction of the park are its warm sandy beaches.
Arriving in Massachusetts, it is impossible not to stop in Boston. This is one of the oldest and most luxurious American cities.
History buffs should head to the City Historical Museum. Here you can learn a lot of interesting things about the formation of the city and its development.
Art lovers should go to the Boston Art Gallery. A truly unique collection of old engravings, canvases and paintings is kept within its walls.
A breathtaking view opens from the top of Greyloc, where a huge memorial tower dedicated to the heroes of the civil war rises.
One of the most visited places in Massachusetts is the small town of Plymouth. There is a large historical complex here. The remains of the first European and Indian settlements are still preserved on its territory. Tour guides are dressed in national American costumes.
Not far from the complex, tourists will be able to see the layout of the legendary ship, the Mayflower.
Fishing enthusiasts are waiting for the city of Gloucester. It is a large fishing region. There is a monument to the fisherman in the center of the city. Gloucester provides a huge number of cozy places for fishing and camping.
Recreation and entertainment
Beach lovers will love the magnificent beaches of Cape Cod. The Coast Guard Beach in Istam is very popular with tourists. Tourists are given the opportunity to go surfing, scuba diving, boogieboarding, take a bike ride through the picturesque surroundings, arrange a cozy campsite.
No less famous is Revere Beach. This is a wonderful place for a family holiday. There are several entertainment centers on the beach. Among them are an amusement park, a large hippodrome, the Bluebeard Palace, a zoo and many others.
A great place for surfing and sailing is Nantasket Beach.
Fans of winter holidays and fans of extreme sports are waiting for the ski resort of Massachusetts - Princeton. Tourists are provided with a huge selection of modern ski slopes and ice rinks. And on the territory of the resort there are a huge number of restaurants and cafes.
- Massachusetts means "Big Mountain" in Native American.
- The famous American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Massachusetts. As well as famous actors - Matt LeBlanc, Marcia Cross, Elizabeth Banks.
- Massachusetts is the birthplace of US President George W. Bush.
- The unique two-faced cat Frenkenloui, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, lives in Massachusetts.
The largest ethnic groups among the population of Massachusetts:
- Irish - 23.8% (Massachusetts is the most "Irish" US state)
- Italians - 14.2%
- French - 12.9%
- English - 11.8%
- Germans - 6.7%
The largest population groups in Massachusetts by religion are:
- Catholics - 44%
- Protestants - 11%
- Baptists - 4%
- Congregationalist/United Church of Christ - 3%
- Episcopal Church - 3%
- Jews - 2%
About 92% of the population of Massachusetts lives in cities.
The most densely populated eastern part of Massachusetts, in the area of one of the largest Greater Boston is home to over four and a half million people. The center of this urban agglomeration is the state capital and its largest city (about 625,000 inhabitants).
The largest settlement in the western, less populated part of Massachusetts is Springfield. The population of this city exceeds 150 thousand people. Springfield, located in - one of the oldest, it was founded in 1636.
The state of Massachusetts is one of the educational centers of the USA. Back in 1647, the Gulf State passed the Education Act, the first public education law in US history. In 1852, Massachusetts became the first US state to make schooling compulsory.
April 23, 1635 in Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Latin School was opened - the first public school in the United States and the oldest existing school in the United States today.
In 1636, Harvard University was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts - the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and the world, one of the eight Ivy League universities.
In total, there are 121 (!) higher educational institutions in the state of Massachusetts. Among them, in addition to the famous Harvard, the equally famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MTI), the University of Massachusetts and many others.
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Sports, both professional and amateur, are very popular in Massachusetts.
Since 1897, Boston, Massachusetts has hosted the Boston Marathon, the oldest annual marathon in the world, every year on the third Monday in April.
Boston's professional teams are among the strongest in popular sports in the United States. Massachusetts teams have won five Stanley Cups (hockey, Boston Bruins), the Boston Celtics have won the NBA championship seventeen times, the New England Patriots have won the Super Bowl (Super Bowl) three times in American football, won the World Series eight times baseball (of which seven times - "Boston Red Sox").
(Commonwealth of Massachusetts) is a state located in the eastern United States, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
The colony got its name from the local Massachusetts tribe, which means "great mountain place". The first settlement was founded in the city of Plymouth by religious refugees who sailed on the Mayflower ship. They were followed by the Puritans, who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Massachusetts was one of 13 American colonies that started a rebellion against England. On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts ratified the US Constitution and became the sixth state of the new nation.
The state capital is the city of Boston, its governor is Mitt Romney, a member of the Republican Party.
Population 6,587,536 (2011)
Massachusetts is known as the most leftist and most liberal of the American states. On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts began to register same-sex marriages for the first time in the United States, according to a decision of the State Supreme Court.
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Massachusetts is bordered by New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, New York to the west, Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are located to the south. Boston is the state's largest city, but most of the metropolitan population lives in the suburbs.
Massachusetts is called the Bay State because of the several bays along its coast: Massachusetts Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay, and Narragansett Bay.
The state's 1999 gross product was $262 billion, 11th in the United States. In 2002, the personal income per person in the state was about 40 thousand dollars, the 3rd in the country.
The state's main agricultural products are seafood, seedlings, dairy products, cranberries, and vegetables. The main industrial products are machine tools, electrical equipment, scientific instruments, printing and publishing, and tourism. Higher education, healthcare, and financial services also play an important economic role.
Massachusetts is a small state, but a large number of scientific and educational institutions are concentrated in it. Only in Boston (and suburbs) there are 8 so-called research universities: Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Tufts and the University of Massachusetts - Boston.
One university (Harvard) belongs to the Ivy League, three - to the League of Women's Seven Sisters Universities (Mount Holyoke, Smith College and Wellesley College). Outside of Boston are five Pioneer Valley colleges of great repute: the aforementioned Mount Holyoke and Smith College, as well as Hampshire College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; besides them the College of Williams and the State College of Worcester. The most famous technological universities, in addition to the world famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Massachusetts - Lowell.
In addition, the Berkeley Conservatory and the New England Conservatory are well-known, as well as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the Marine Biological Laboratory.
In preparing the material, articles from Wikipedia were used.