Jump to content

Massachusetts

Coordinates: 42°18′N 72°00′W / 42.3°N 72.0°W / 42.3; -72.0 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts)
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Massachsuetts)

Massachusetts
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Nickname(s)
The Bay State (official)
The Pilgrim State; The Puritan State
The Old Colony State
The Baked Bean State[1]
Motto(s)
Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (Latin)
By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
Anthem: "All Hail to Massachusetts"
Map of the United States with Massachusetts highlighted
Map of the United States with Massachusetts highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodProvince of Massachusetts Bay
Admitted to the UnionFebruary 6, 1788 (6th)
Capital
(and largest city)
Boston
Largest county or equivalentMiddlesex
Largest metro and urban areasGreater Boston
Government
 • GovernorMaura Healey (D)
 • Lieutenant governorKim Driscoll (D)
LegislatureGeneral Court
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
JudiciaryMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
U.S. senatorsElizabeth Warren (D)
Ed Markey (D)
U.S. House delegation9 Democrats (list)
Area
 • Total
10,565[2] sq mi (27,363 km2)
 • Land7,800[3] sq mi (20,202 km2)
 • Water2,715 sq mi (7,032 km2)  26.1%
 • Rank44th
Dimensions
 • Length190 mi (296 km)
 • Width115 mi (184 km)
Elevation
508 ft (150 m)
Highest elevation3,489 ft (1,063.4 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean)
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total
Neutral increase 7,001,399[5]
 • Rank16th
 • Density891/sq mi (344/km2)
  • Rank3rd
 • Median household income
$89,026[6]
 • Income rank
2nd
DemonymBay Stater (official)[7]

Masshole[8][9][10][11][12][13] Massachusite (traditional)[14][15]

Massachusettsan (recommended by the U.S. GPO)[16]
Language
 • Official languageEnglish[17]
 • Spoken language
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
MA
ISO 3166 codeUS-MA
Traditional abbreviationMass.
Latitude41°14′ N to 42°53′ N
Longitude69°56′ W to 73°30′ W
Websitemass.gov
State symbols of Massachusetts
List of state symbols
PoemBlue Hills of Massachusetts[19][20]
SloganMake It Yours,
The Spirit of America[21]
Living insignia
BirdBlack-capped chickadee,[22] wild turkey[23][19]
FishCod[19][24]
FlowerMayflower[19][25]
InsectLadybug[19][26]
MammalRight whale,[27] Morgan horse,[28] Tabby cat,[29] Boston Terrier[30]
ReptileGarter snake[19][31]
TreeAmerican elm[19][32]
Inanimate insignia
BeverageCranberry juice[19][33]
Color(s)Blue, green, cranberry[19][34]
DanceSquare dance[19][35]
FoodCranberry,[36] corn muffin,[19][37] navy bean,[38] Boston cream pie,[39] chocolate chip cookie,[40] Boston cream doughnut[41]
FossilDinosaur Tracks[42]
GemstoneRhodonite[19][43]
MineralBabingtonite[19][44]
RockRoxbury Puddingstone[19][45]
ShellNew England Neptune, Neptunea lyrata decemcostata[19][46]
ShipSchooner Ernestina[19]
SoilPaxton[19]
SportBasketball[47]
State route marker
Route marker
State quarter
Massachusetts quarter dollar coin
Released in 2000[48]
Lists of United States state symbols

Massachusetts (/ˌmæsəˈsɪts/ , /-zɪts/ MASS-ə-CHOO-sits, -⁠zits; Massachusett: Muhsachuweesut [məhswatʃəwiːsət]), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,[b] is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to its south, New Hampshire and Vermont to its north, and New York to its west. Massachusetts is the sixth-smallest state by land area. With over seven million residents as of 2020,[note 1] it is the most populous state in New England, the 16th-most-populous in the country, and the third-most densely populated, after New Jersey and Rhode Island.

Massachusetts was a site of early English colonization. The Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims of the Mayflower. In 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, taking its name from the Indigenous Massachusett people, also established settlements in Boston and Salem. In 1692, the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem witch trials.[49] In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty"[50] for the agitation there that later led to the American Revolution. In 1786, Shays' Rebellion, a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans, influenced the United States Constitutional Convention.[51] Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing, and trade,[52] Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution.[53] Before the American Civil War, the state was a center for the abolitionist, temperance,[54] and transcendentalist[55] movements.[56] During the 20th century, the state's economy shifted from manufacturing to services;[57] and in the 21st century, Massachusetts has become the global leader in biotechnology,[58] and also excels in artificial intelligence,[59] engineering, higher education, finance, and maritime trade.[60]

The state's capital and most populous city, as well as its cultural and financial center, is Boston. Other major cities are Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge. Massachusetts is also home to the urban core of Greater Boston, the largest metropolitan area in New England and a region profoundly influential upon American history, academia, and the research economy.[61] Massachusetts has a reputation for social and political progressivism;[62] becoming the only U.S. state with a right to shelter law, and the first U.S. state, and one of the earliest jurisdictions in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage.[63] Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States,[64] with the largest financial endowment of any university in the world.[65] Both Harvard and MIT, also in Cambridge, are perennially ranked as either the most or among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world.[66] Massachusetts's public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.[67]

Massachusetts is the most educated[68] and one of the most highly developed and wealthiest U.S. states, ranking first in the percentage of population 25 and over with either a bachelor's degree or advanced degree, first on both the American Human Development Index and the standard Human Development Index, first in per capita income, and as of 2023, first in median income.[68] Consequently, Massachusetts typically ranks as the top U.S. state,[69] as well as the most expensive state, for residents to live in.[70]

Etymology

[edit]

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was named after the Indigenous population, the Massachusett or Muhsachuweesut, whose name likely derived from a Wôpanâak word muswachasut, segmented as mus(ây) "big" + wach "mountain" + -s "diminutive" + -ut "locative".[71] This word has been translated as "near the great hill",[72] "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", in reference to the Blue Hills—namely, the Great Blue Hill, located on the boundary of Milton and Canton.[73][74] Massachusett has also been represented as Moswetuset. This comes from the name of the Moswetuset Hummock (meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") in Quincy, where Plymouth Colony commander Myles Standish (a hired English military officer) and Squanto (a member of the Patuxet band of the Wamponoag people, who have since died off due to contagious diseases brought by colonists) met Chief Chickatawbut in 1621.[75][76]

Although the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications in modern times,[77] and Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states.[78] John Adams may have chosen the word in 1779 for the second draft of what became the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution; unlike the word "state", the word "commonwealth" had the connotation of a republic at the time. This was in contrast to the monarchy the former colonies were fighting against during the American Revolutionary War. The name "State of Massachusetts Bay" appeared in the first draft, which was ultimately rejected. It was also chosen to include the "Cape Islands" in reference to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket—from 1780 to 1844, they were seen as additional and separate entities confined within the Commonwealth.[79]

History

[edit]

Pre-colonization

[edit]

Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family, including Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett.[80][81] While cultivation of crops like squash and corn were an important part of their diet, the people of these tribes hunted, fished, and searched the forest for most of their food.[80] Villagers lived in lodges called wigwams as well as longhouses.[81] Tribes were led by male or female elders known as sachems.[82]

Colonial period

[edit]
The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882). The Pilgrims founded Plymouth in 1620.

In the early 1600s, European colonists caused virgin soil epidemics such as smallpox, measles, influenza, and perhaps leptospirosis in what is now known as the northeastern region of the United States.[83][84] Between 1617 and 1619, a disease that was most likely smallpox killed approximately 90% of the Massachusetts Bay Native Americans.[85]

The first English colonists in Massachusetts Bay Colony landed with Richard Vines and spent the winter in Biddeford Pool near Cape Porpoise (after 1820 the State of Maine) in 1616. The Puritans, arrived at Plymouth in 1620. This was the second permanent English colony in the part of North America that later became the United States, after the Jamestown Colony. The "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Puritans after their first harvest in the "New World" and lasted for three days. They were soon followed by other Puritans, who colonized the Massachusetts Bay Colony—now known as Boston—in 1630.[86]

The Puritans believed the Church of England needed to be further reformed along Protestant Calvinist lines, and experienced harassment due to the religious policies of King Charles I and high-ranking churchmen such as William Laud, who would become Charles's Archbishop of Canterbury, whom they feared were re-introducing "Romish" elements to the national church.[87] They decided to colonize to Massachusetts, intending to establish what they considered an "ideal" religious society.[88] The Massachusetts Bay Colony was colonized under a royal charter, unlike the Plymouth colony, in 1629.[89] Both religious dissent and expansionism resulted in several new colonies being founded, shortly after Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, elsewhere in New England. The Massachusetts Bay banished dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams due to religious and political conflict. In 1636, Williams colonized what is now known as Rhode Island, and Hutchinson joined him there several years later. Religious intolerance continued, and among those who objected to this later that century were the English Quaker preachers Alice and Thomas Curwen, who were publicly flogged and imprisoned in Boston in 1676.[90][91]

By 1641, Massachusetts had expanded inland significantly. The Commonwealth acquired the Connecticut River Valley settlement of Springfield, which had recently disputed with—and defected from—its original administrators, the Connecticut Colony.[92] This established Massachusetts's southern border in the west.[93] However, this became disputed territory until 1803–04 due to surveying problems, leading to the modern Southwick Jog.[94]

The Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God (cover page shown), also called the Eliot Indian Bible, was the first Bible printed in British North America.

In 1652 the Massachusetts General Court authorized Boston silversmith John Hull to produce local coinage in shilling, sixpence and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony.[95] Before that point, the colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and counterfeit coins.[96] In 1661, shortly after the restoration of the British monarchy, the British government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous.[97] However, the colony ignored the English demands to cease operations until at least 1682, when Hull's contract as mintmaster expired, and the colony did not move to renew his contract or appoint a new mintmaster.[98] The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684.[99]

In 1691, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were united (along with present-day Maine, which had previously been divided between Massachusetts and New York) into the Province of Massachusetts Bay.[100] Shortly after, the new province's first governor, William Phips, arrived. The Salem witch trials also took place, where a number of men and women were hanged for alleged witchcraft.[101]

The most destructive earthquake known to date in New England occurred on November 18, 1755, causing considerable damage across Massachusetts.[102][103]

The Revolutionary War

[edit]
A 1910 painting of the Battle of Lexington

Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from Great Britain. Colonists in Massachusetts had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under the Dominion of New England in the 1680s.[100] Protests against British attempts to tax the colonies after the French and Indian War ended in 1763 led to the Boston Massacre in 1770, and the 1773 Boston Tea Party escalated tensions.[104] In 1774, the Intolerable Acts targeted Massachusetts with punishments for the Boston Tea Party and further decreased local autonomy, increasing local dissent.[105] Anti-Parliamentary activity by men such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock, followed by reprisals by the British government, were a primary reason for the unity of the Thirteen Colonies and the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775.[106]

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States (1797–1801)

The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought in Massachusetts in 1775, initiated the American Revolutionary War.[107] George Washington, later the first president of the future country, took over what would become the Continental Army after the battle. His first victory was the siege of Boston in the winter of 1775–76, after which the British were forced to evacuate the city.[108] The event is still celebrated in Suffolk County only every March 17 as Evacuation Day.[109]

On the coast, Salem became a center for privateering. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 letters of marque, issued on a per-voyage basis, were granted during the American Revolution. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers, which were credited with capturing or destroying about 600 British ships.[110]

A 1779 five-shilling note issued by Massachusetts with the inscription: "FIVE SHILLINGS. shall be paid to the Bearer of this Bill, by the 1st Day of Decmr. 1782 agreeable to an Act of the Genl, Court of said STATE."; Within print of sun: "RISING".
A 1779 five-shilling note issued by Massachusetts.

Federal period

[edit]

Bostonian John Adams, known as the "Atlas of Independence",[111] was highly involved in both separation from Britain and the Constitution of Massachusetts, which effectively (the Elizabeth Freeman and Quock Walker cases as interpreted by William Cushing) made Massachusetts the first state to abolish slavery. David McCullough points out that an equally important feature was its placing for the first time the courts as a co-equal branch separate from the executive.[112] (The Constitution of Vermont, adopted in 1777, represented the first partial ban on slavery among the states. Vermont became a state in 1791 but did not fully ban slavery until 1858 with the Vermont Personal Liberty Law. The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780[113] made Pennsylvania the first state to abolish slavery by statute - the second English colony to do so; the first having been the Colony of Georgia in 1735.) Later, Adams was active in early American foreign affairs and succeeded Washington as the second president of the United States. His son, John Quincy Adams, also from Massachusetts,[114] would go on to become the nation's sixth president.

From 1786 to 1787, an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, now known as Shays' Rebellion, wrought havoc throughout Massachusetts and ultimately attempted to seize the federal Springfield Armory.[51] The rebellion was one of the major factors in the decision to draft a stronger national constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation.[51] On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the United States Constitution.[115]

19th century

[edit]

In 1820, Maine separated from Massachusetts and entered the Union as the 23rd state due to the ratification of the Missouri Compromise.[116]

Textile mills, such as the one depicted here in Lowell, made Massachusetts a leader in the Industrial Revolution.

During the 19th century, Massachusetts became a national leader in the American Industrial Revolution, with factories around cities such as Lowell and Boston producing textiles and shoes, and factories around Springfield producing tools, paper, and textiles.[117][118] The state's economy transformed from one based primarily on agriculture to an industrial one, initially making use of water-power and later the steam engine to power factories. Canals and railroads were being used in the state for transporting raw materials and finished goods.[119] At first, the new industries drew labor from Yankees on nearby subsistence farms, though they later relied upon immigrant labor from Europe and Canada.[120][121]

Although Massachusetts was the first slave-holding colony with slavery dating back to the early 1600s, the state became a center of progressivist and abolitionist (anti-slavery) activity in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Horace Mann made the state's school system a national model.[122] Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, both philosophers and writers from the state, also made major contributions to American philosophy.[123] Furthermore, members of the transcendentalist movement within the state emphasized the importance of the natural world and emotion to humanity.[123]

Although significant opposition to abolitionism existed early on in Massachusetts, resulting in anti-abolitionist riots between 1835 and 1837,[124] abolitionist views there gradually increased throughout the next few decades.[125][126] Abolitionists John Brown and Sojourner Truth lived in Springfield and Northampton, respectively, while Frederick Douglass lived in Boston and Susan B. Anthony in Adams. The works of such abolitionists contributed to Massachusetts's actions during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a Black regiment with White officers, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.[127] In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory education laws.[128]

20th century

[edit]

Although the U.S. stock market had sustained steep losses the last week in October 1929, Tuesday, October 29 is remembered as the beginning of the Great Depression. The Boston Stock Exchange, drawn into the whirlpool of panic selling that beset the New York Stock Exchange, lost over 25 percent of its value in two days of frenzied trading. The BSE, nearly 100 years old at the time, had helped raise the capital that had funded many of the Commonwealth's factories, railroads, and businesses. "[129] Governor of Massachusetts Frank G. Allen appointed John C. Hull the first Securities Director of Massachusetts.[130][131][132] Hull would assume office in January 1930, and his term would end in 1936.[133]

With the departure of several manufacturing companies, the state's industrial economy began to decline during the early 20th century. By the 1920s, competition from the American South and Midwest, followed by the Great Depression, led to the collapse of the three main industries in Massachusetts: textiles, shoemaking, and precision mechanics.[134] This decline would continue into the latter half of the 20th century. Between 1950 and 1979, the number of Massachusetts residents involved in textile manufacturing declined from 264,000 to 63,000.[135] The 1969 closure of the Springfield Armory, in particular, spurred an exodus of high-paying jobs from Western Massachusetts, which suffered greatly as it de-industrialized during the century's last 40 years.[136]

Massachusetts manufactured 3.4 percent of total United States military armaments produced during World War II, ranking tenth among the 48 states.[137] After the world war, the economy of eastern Massachusetts transformed from one based on heavy industry into a service-based economy.[138] Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. Suburbanization flourished, and by the 1970s, the Route 128/Interstate 95 corridor was dotted with high-tech companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.[139]

In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Commonly known as "the Big Dig", it was, at the time, the biggest federal highway project ever approved.[140] The project included making the Central Artery, part of Interstate 93, into a tunnel under downtown Boston, in addition to the re-routing of several other major highways.[141][failed verification] The project was often controversial, with numerous claims of graft and mismanagement, and with its initial price tag of $2.5 billion increasing to a final tally of over $15 billion. Nonetheless, the Big Dig changed the face of Downtown Boston[140] and connected areas that were once divided by elevated highway. Much of the raised old Central Artery was replaced with the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The project also improved traffic conditions along several routes.[140][141]

Notable 20th century politicians

[edit]
John F. Kennedy, Massachusetts native and 35th President of the United States (1961–1963)

The Kennedy family was prominent in 20th-century Massachusetts politics. The children of businessman and ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. included John F. Kennedy, who was a senator and U.S. president before his assassination in 1963; Ted Kennedy, a senator from 1962 until his death in 2009;[142] and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a co-founder of the Special Olympics.[143] In 1966, Massachusetts became the first state to directly elect an African American to the U.S. senate with Edward Brooke.[144] George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States (1989–1993) was born in Milton in 1924.[145]

Other notable Massachusetts politicians on the national level included Joseph W. Martin Jr., Speaker of the House (from 1947 to 1949 and then again from 1953 to 1955) and leader of House Republicans from 1939 until 1959 (where he was the only Republican to serve as Speaker between 1931 and 1995),[146] John W. McCormack, Speaker of the House in the 1960s, and Tip O'Neill, whose service as Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987 was the longest continuous tenure in United States history.[147]

21st century

[edit]

On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. This followed the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health in November 2003, which determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional.[63]

In 2004, Massachusetts senator John Kerry, who won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, lost to incumbent George W. Bush. Eight years later, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (the Republican nominee) lost to incumbent Barack Obama in 2012. Another eight years later, Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren became a frontrunner in the Democratic primaries for the 2020 presidential election. However, she later suspended her campaign and endorsed presumptive nominee Joe Biden.[148]

Boston Marathon bombing

Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, at around 2:49 pm local time (EDT). The explosions killed three people and injured an estimated 264 others.[149] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later identified the suspects as brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The ensuing manhunt ended on April 19 when thousands of law enforcement officers searched a 20-block area of nearby Watertown. Dzhokhar later said he was motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs and learned to build explosive devices from Inspire, the online magazine of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[150]

On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voted in favor of the Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Question 4.[151]

Geography

[edit]
A portion of the north-central Pioneer Valley in South Deerfield

Massachusetts is the seventh-smallest state in the United States.[152] It is located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States.[153] It has an area of 10,555 square miles (27,340 km2),[154] 25.7% of which is water.[155] Several large bays distinctly shape its coast, giving it the nickname "the Bay State".[156] Boston is its largest city.[157]

Despite its small size, Massachusetts features numerous topographically distinctive regions. The large coastal plain of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern section of the state contains Greater Boston, along with most of the state's population,[61] as well as the distinctive Cape Cod peninsula. To the west lies the hilly, rural region of Central Massachusetts, and beyond that, the Connecticut River Valley. Along the western border of Western Massachusetts lies the highest elevated part of the state, the Berkshires, forming a portion of the northern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.[citation needed]

The U.S. National Park Service administers a number of natural and historical sites in Massachusetts.[158] Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.[158] In addition, the Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains a number of parks, trails, and beaches throughout Massachusetts.[159]

Ecology

[edit]

The primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous forest.[160] Although much of Massachusetts had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces of old-growth forest in isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned.[161] Forests cover around 62% of Massachusetts.[162] The areas most affected by human development include the Greater Boston area in the east and the Springfield metropolitan area in the west, although the latter includes agricultural areas throughout the Connecticut River Valley.[163] There are 219 endangered species in Massachusetts.[164]

A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanized Massachusetts. Peregrine falcons utilize office towers in larger cities as nesting areas,[165] and the population of coyotes, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades.[166] White-tailed deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, and eastern gray squirrels are also found throughout Massachusetts. In more rural areas in the western part of Massachusetts, larger mammals such as moose and black bears have returned, largely due to reforestation following the regional decline in agriculture.[167]

Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl along the eastern coast.[168] Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as the common loon are becoming rare.[169] A significant population of long-tailed ducks winter off Nantucket. Small offshore islands and beaches are home to roseate terns and are important breeding areas for the locally threatened piping plover.[170] Protected areas such as the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population of grey seals. Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the number of Great white sharks spotted and tagged in the coastal waters off of Cape Cod.[171][172][173]

Freshwater fish species in Massachusetts include bass, carp, catfish, and trout, while saltwater species such as Atlantic cod, haddock, and American lobster populate offshore waters.[174] Other marine species include Harbor seals, the endangered North Atlantic right whales, as well as humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.[175]

The European corn borer, a significant agricultural pest, was first found in North America near Boston, Massachusetts in 1917.[176]

Climate

[edit]

Most of Massachusetts has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone to Humid Subtropical climates. The warm to hot summers render the oceanic climate rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula of Barnstable County. The climate of Boston is quite representative for the commonwealth, characterized by summer highs of around 81 °F (27 °C) and winter highs of 35 °F (2 °C), and is quite wet. Frosts are frequent all winter, even in coastal areas due to prevailing inland winds. Boston has a relatively sunny climate for a coastal city at its latitude, averaging over 2,600 hours of sunshine a year.

Koppen climate types of Massachusetts
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Massachusetts[177]
Location July (°F) July (°C) January (°F) January (°C)
Boston 81/65 27/18 36/22 2/−5
Worcester 79/61 26/16 31/17 0/−8
Springfield 84/62 27/17 34/17 1/−8
New Bedford 80/65 26/18 37/23 3/−4
Quincy 80/61 26/16 33/18 1/−7
Plymouth 80/61 27/16 38/20 3/−6

Environmental issues

[edit]

Climate change

[edit]

Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development.[178][179][180] The Northeast is projected to warm faster than global average temperatures; by 2035, according to the U. S. Global Change Research Program, the Northeast is "projected to be more than 3.6°F (2°C) warmer on average than during the preindustrial era".[180] As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius.[181]

Shifting temperatures also result in the shifting of rainfall patterns and the intensification of precipitation events. To that end, average precipitation in the Northeast United States has risen by ten percent from 1895 to 2011, and the number of heavy precipitation events has increased by seventy percent during that time.[181] These increased precipitation patterns are focused in the winter and spring. Increasing temperatures coupled with increasing precipitation will result in earlier snow melts and subsequent drier soil in the summer months.[182]

The shifting climate in Massachusetts will result in a significant change to the state's built environment and ecosystems. In Boston alone, costs of climate change-related storms will result in $5 to $100 billion in damage.[181]

Warmer temperatures will also disrupt bird migration and flora blooming. With these changes, deer populations are expected to increase, resulting in a decrease in underbrush which smaller fauna use as camouflage. Additionally, rising temperatures will increase the number of reported Lyme disease cases in the state. Ticks can transmit the disease once temperatures reach 45 degrees, so shorter winters will increase the window of transmission. These warmer temperatures will also increase the prevalence of Asian tiger mosquitoes, which often carry the West Nile virus.[181]

To fight this change, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has outlined a path to decarbonize the state's economy. On April 22, 2020, Kathleen A. Theoharides, the state's Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, released a Determination of Statewide Emissions limits for 2050. In her letter, Theoharides stresses that as of 2020, the Commonwealth has experienced property damage attributable to climate change of more than $60 billion. To ensure that the Commonwealth experiences warming no more than 1.5 °C of pre-industrialization levels, the state will work towards two goals by 2050: to achieve net-zero emissions, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent overall.[183]

Power initiatives

[edit]

The State of Massachusetts has developed a plethora of incentives to encourage the implementation of renewable energy and efficient appliances and home facilities. The Mass Save program, formed in conjunction with the State by several companies that provide power and gas in Massachusetts, provides homeowners and renters with monetary incentives to retrofit their homes with efficient HVAC equipment and other household appliances. Appliances such as water heaters, air conditioners, washers and driers, and heat pumps are eligible for rebates in order to incentivize change.[184]

The concept of Mass Save was created in 2008 by the passing of the Green Communities Act of 2008, during Deval Patrick's tenure as governor. The main goal of the Green Communities Act was to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels in the State and to encourage new, more efficient technologies. Among others, one result of this act was a requirement for Program Administrators of utilities to invest in saving energy, as opposed to purchasing and generating additional energy where economically feasible. In Massachusetts, eleven Program Administrators, including Eversource, National Grid, Western Massachusetts Electric, Cape Light Compact, Until, and Berkshire Gas, jointly own the rights to this program, in conjunction with the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC).[185]

The State Revenue Service provides incentives for the installation of solar panels. In addition to the Federal Residential Renewable energy credit, Massachusetts residents may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 15 percent of the project.[186] Once installed, arrays are eligible for net metering.[187] Certain municipalities will offer up to $1.20 per watt, up to 50 percent of the system's cost on PV arrays 25 kW or less.[188] The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources also offered low-interest, fixed-rate financing with loan support for low-income residents until December 31, 2020.[189]

As a part of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources' effort to incentivize the usage of renewable energy, the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) initiative was created. With this incentive, residents may qualify for a state-provided incentive of up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle, or $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.[190] This rebate is available in addition to the tax credits offered by the United States Department of Energy for the purchase of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.[191]

For income-eligible residents, Mass Save has partnered with Massachusetts Community Action Program Agencies and Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN) to offer residents assistance with upgrades to their homes that will result in more efficient energy usage. Residents may qualify for a replacement of their heating system, insulation installation, appliances, and thermostats if they meet the income qualifications provided on Mass Save's website. For residents of 5+ family residential buildings, there are additional income-restricted benefits available through LEAN. If at least 50 percent of the residents of the building qualify as low income, energy efficiency improvements like those available through Mass Save are available. Residential structures operated by non-profit organizations, for profit operations, or housing authorities may take advantage of these programs.[192]

In late 2020, the administration of Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker released a decarbonization roadmap to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments in offshore wind and solar energy. It would also require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions (electric or hydrogen powered) by 2035.[193][194]

Demographics

[edit]
Massachusetts population density map. The centers of high-density settlement, from east to west, are Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield, respectively.
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1790378,787
1800422,84511.6%
1810472,04011.6%
1820523,28710.9%
1830610,40816.6%
1840737,69920.9%
1850994,51434.8%
18601,231,06623.8%
18701,457,35118.4%
18801,783,08522.4%
18902,238,94725.6%
19002,805,34625.3%
19103,366,41620.0%
19203,852,35614.4%
19304,249,61410.3%
19404,316,7211.6%
19504,690,5148.7%
19605,148,5789.8%
19705,689,17010.5%
19805,737,0370.8%
19906,016,4254.9%
20006,349,0975.5%
20106,547,6293.1%
20207,029,9177.4%
2023 (est.)7,001,399−0.4%
[195][196]

At the 2020 U.S. census, Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the 2010 United States Census.[197][198] As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be the third-most densely populated U.S. state, with 871.0 people per square mile,[199] behind New Jersey and Rhode Island. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population.[199] As of July 2023, the population is estimated to be 7,001,399.[5]

Most Massachusetts residents live within the Boston metropolitan area, also known as Greater Boston, which includes Boston and its proximate surroundings but also extending to Greater Lowell and to Worcester. The Springfield metropolitan area, also known as Greater Springfield, is also a major center of population. Demographically, the center of population of Massachusetts is located in the town of Natick.[200][201]

Like the rest of the Northeastern United States, the population of Massachusetts has continued to grow in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Massachusetts is the fastest-growing state in New England and the 25th fastest-growing state in the United States.[202] Population growth has been driven primarily by the relatively high quality of life and a large higher education system.[202]

Foreign immigration is also a factor in the state's population growth, causing the state's population to continue to grow as of the 2010 census (particularly in Massachusetts gateway cities where costs of living are lower).[203][204] Forty percent of foreign immigrants were from Central or South America, according to a 2005 Census Bureau study, with many of the remainder from Asia. Many residents who have settled in Greater Springfield claim Puerto Rican descent.[203] Many areas of Massachusetts showed relatively stable population trends between 2000 and 2010.[204] Exurban Boston and coastal areas grew the most rapidly, while Berkshire County in far Western Massachusetts and Barnstable County on Cape Cod were the only counties to lose population as of the 2010 census.[204] In 2018, The top countries of origin for Massachusetts' immigrants were China, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, India and Haiti.[205]

By sex, 48.4% were male, and 51.6% were female in 2014. In terms of age, 79.2% were over 18 and 14.8% were over 65.[199]

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 15,507 homeless people in Massachusetts.[206][207]

Race and ancestry

[edit]
Saint Patrick's Day parade in Scituate, the municipality with the highest percentage identifying Irish ancestry in the United States, at 47.5% in 2010.[208] Irish Americans constitute the largest ethnicity in Massachusetts.
Ethnic origins in Massachusetts
Ethnic composition as of the 2020 census
Race and Ethnicity[209] Alone Total
White (non-Hispanic) 67.6% 67.6
 
71.4% 71.4
 
Hispanic or Latino[c] 12.6% 12.6
 
African American (non-Hispanic) 6.5% 6.5
 
8.2% 8.2
 
Asian 7.2% 7.2
 
8.2% 8.2
 
Native American 0.1% 0.1
 
0.9% 0.9
 
Pacific Islander 0.02% 0.02
 
0.1% 0.1
 
Other 1.3% 1.3
 
3.6% 3.6
 

The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.4% in 1970 to 67.6% in 2020.[199][210] As of 2011, non-Hispanic whites were involved in 63.6% of all the births,[211] while 36.4% of the population of Massachusetts younger than age 1 was minorities (at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).[212] One major reason for this is that non-Hispanic whites in Massachusetts recorded a total fertility rate of 1.36 in 2017, the second-lowest in the country after neighboring Rhode Island.[213]

As late as 1795, the population of Massachusetts was nearly 95% of English ancestry.[214] During the early and mid-19th century, immigrant groups began arriving in Massachusetts in large numbers; first from Ireland in the 1840s;[215] today the Irish and part-Irish are the largest ancestry group in the state at nearly 25% of the total population. Others arrived later from Quebec as well as places in Europe such as Italy, Portugal, and Poland.[216] In the early 20th century, an increasing number of African Americans migrated to Massachusetts, although in somewhat fewer numbers than many other Northern states.[217] Later in the 20th century, immigration from Latin America increased considerably. More than 156,000 Chinese Americans made their home in Massachusetts in 2014,[218] and Boston hosts a growing Chinatown accommodating heavily traveled Chinese-owned bus lines to and from Chinatown, Manhattan in New York City. Massachusetts also has large Dominican, Puerto Rican, Haitian, Cape Verdean and Brazilian populations.[219] Boston's South End and Jamaica Plain are both gay villages, as is nearby Provincetown, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.[220]

Boston's Chinatown, with its paifang gate, is home to many Chinese and also Vietnamese restaurants.
Boston gay pride march, held annually in June. In 2004 Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The largest ancestry group in Massachusetts are the Irish (22.5% of the population), who live in significant numbers throughout the state but form more than 40% of the population along the South Shore in Norfolk and Plymouth counties (in both counties overall, Irish-Americans comprise more than 30% of the population). Italians form the second-largest ethnic group in the state (13.5%), but form a plurality in some suburbs north of Boston and in a few towns in the Berkshires. English Americans, the third-largest (11.4%) group, form a plurality in some western towns. French and French Canadians also form a significant part (10.7%),[221] with sizable populations in Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester Counties, along with Middlesex county especially concentrated in the areas surrounding Lowell and Lawrence.[222][223] Lowell is home to the second-largest Cambodian community of the nation.[224] Massachusetts is home to a small community of Greek Americans as well, which according to the American Community Survey there are 83,701 of them scattered along the state (1.2% of the total state population).[225] There are also several populations of Native Americans in Massachusetts. The Wampanoag tribe maintains reservations at Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard and at Mashpee on Cape Cod—with an ongoing native language revival project underway since 1993, while the Nipmuc maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state, including one at Grafton.[226]

Massachusetts has avoided many forms of racial strife seen elsewhere in the US, but examples such as the successful electoral showings of the nativist (mainly anti-Catholic) Know Nothings in the 1850s,[227] the controversial Sacco and Vanzetti executions in the 1920s,[228] and Boston's opposition to desegregation busing in the 1970s.[229]

Historical racial and ethnic composition

Massachusetts – Racial and Ethnic Composition

(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000[230] Pop 2010[231] Pop 2020[232] %2000 %2010 %2020
White alone (NH) 5,198,359 4,984,800 4,748,897 81.88% 76.13% 67.55%
Black or African American alone (NH) 318,329 391,693 457,055 5.01% 5.98% 6.5%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 11,264 10,788 9,378 0.18% 0.16% 0.13%
Asian alone (NH) 236,786 347,495 504,900 3.73% 5.31% 7.18%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1,706 1,467 1,607 0.03% 0.02% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 43,586 61,547 92,108 0.69% 0.94% 1.31%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 110,338 122,195 328,278 1.74% 1.87% 4.67%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 428,729 627,654 887,685 6.75% 9.59% 12.63%
Total 6,349,097 6,547,629 7,029,917 100% 100% 100%

Languages

[edit]

The most common varieties of American English spoken in Massachusetts, other than General American, are the cot-caught distinct, rhotic, western Massachusetts dialect and the cot-caught merged, non-rhotic, eastern Massachusetts dialect (popularly known as a "Boston accent").[233]

Top 11 Non-English Languages Spoken in Massachusetts
Language Percentage of population
(as of 2010)[234]
Spanish 7.50%
Portuguese 2.97%
Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) 1.59%
French (including New England French) 1.11%
French Creole 0.89%
Italian 0.72%
Russian 0.62%
Vietnamese 0.58%
Greek 0.41%
Arabic and Khmer (Cambodian) (including all Austroasiatic languages) (tied) 0.37%

As of 2010, 78.93% (4,823,127) of Massachusetts residents 5 and older spoke English at home as a first language, while 7.50% (458,256) spoke Spanish, 2.97% (181,437) Portuguese, 1.59% (96,690) Chinese (which includes Cantonese and Mandarin), 1.11% (67,788) French, 0.89% (54,456) French Creole, 0.72% (43,798) Italian, 0.62% (37,865) Russian, and Vietnamese was spoken as a primary language by 0.58% (35,283) of the population over 5. In total, 21.07% (1,287,419) of Massachusetts's population 5 and older spoke a first language other than English.[199][234]

Religion

[edit]

Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute's 2022 American Values Survey[235]

  Unaffiliated (34%)
  Catholicism (34%)
  Protestantism (22%)
  Judaism (3%)
  Hinduism (2%)
  Buddhism (1%)
  New Age (1%)
  Other (1%)

Massachusetts was founded and settled by Brownist Puritans in 1620,[87] and soon after by other groups of Separatists/Dissenters, Nonconformists and Independents from 17th century England.[236] A majority of people in Massachusetts today remain Christians.[199] The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the various Congregational churches, the United Church of Christ and congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association, long located on Beacon Hill, is now located in South Boston.[237][238] Many Puritan descendants also dispersed to other Protestant denominations. Some disaffiliated along with Roman Catholics and other Christian groups in the wake of modern secularization.[239]

As of the 2014 Pew study, Christians made up 57% of the state's population, with Protestants making up 21% of them. Roman Catholics made up 34% and now predominate because of massive immigration from primarily Catholic countries and regions—chiefly Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, and Latin America. Both Protestant and Roman Catholic communities have been in decline since the late 20th century, due to the rise of irreligion in New England. It is the most irreligious region of the country, along with the Western United States; for comparison and contrast however, in 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian reflecting a slight increase of religiosity.[240] A significant Jewish population immigrated to the Boston and Springfield areas between 1880 and 1920. Jews make up 3% of the population. Mary Baker Eddy made the Boston Mother Church of Christian Science serve as the world headquarters of this new religious movement. Buddhists, Pagans, Hindus, Seventh-day Adventists, Muslims, and Mormons may also be found. The Satanic Temple has its headquarters in Salem. Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, the Shaolin Meditation Temple in Springfield, and the Insight Meditation Center in Barre are examples of non-Abrahamic religious centers in Massachusetts. According to 2010 data from The Association of Religion Data Archives, (ARDA) the largest single denominations are the Catholic Church with 2,940,199 adherents; the United Church of Christ with 86,639 adherents; and the Episcopal Church with 81,999 adherents.[241]

In 2014, 32% of the population identified as having no religion;[242] in a separate 2020 study, 23% of the population identified as irreligious, and 67% of the population identified as Christians (including 26% as white Protestants and 20% as white Catholics).[240] As of 2022, a plurality of Massachusettsans were irreligious,[240] and the state is considered to be a part of the Unchurched Belt.[243]

Native American tribes

[edit]

What is today Massachusetts was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag, the Nipmuc, the Massachusett, the Pocumtuc, the Nauset, the Pennacook and a few other tribes.[244][245] Some of these tribes are still represented among the population of the state today.

The largest Native American tribes in Massachusetts according to the 2010 census are listed in the table below:[246]

Tribal groupings with over 600 members in Massachusetts in 2010 census
Tribal grouping American Indian and

Alaska Native alone

AIAN in combination with

one or more other races

Total AIAN alone or

in any combination

Total AIAN population 18850 31855 50705
Cherokee 885 3654 4539
Wampanoag 1674 1642 3316
Micmac 623 1166 1789
South American Indian 817 930 1747
Blackfeet 298 1347 1645
Mexican American Indian 1131 449 1580
Iroquois 457 984 1441
Central American Indian 635 332 967
Nipmuc 305 550 855
Abenaki 197 469 666
Sioux 186 463 649
Tribe not specified 9421 16535 25956

Education

[edit]
Harvard University and MIT are both widely regarded as in the top handful of universities worldwide for academic research in various disciplines.[66] (Shown are the Widener Library at Harvard and MIT Building 10.)
Towns in Massachusetts by combined mean SAT of their public high school district for the 2015–2016 academic year[247]

In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states by U.S. News & World Report.[248] Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of the Massachusetts Education Law of 1647,[249] and 19th century reforms pushed by Horace Mann laid much of the groundwork for contemporary universal public education[250][251] which was established in 1852.[128] Massachusetts is home to the oldest school in continuous existence in North America (The Roxbury Latin School, founded in 1645), as well as the country's oldest public elementary school (The Mather School, founded in 1639),[252] its oldest high school (Boston Latin School, founded in 1635),[253] its oldest continuously operating boarding school (The Governor's Academy, founded in 1763),[254] its oldest college (Harvard University, founded in 1636),[255] and its oldest women's college (Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837).[256] Massachusetts is also home to the highest ranked private high school in the United States, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1778.[257]

Massachusetts's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was eighth in the nation in 2012, at $14,844.[258] In 2013, Massachusetts scored highest of all the states in math and third-highest in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.[259] Massachusetts' public-school students place among the top tier in the world in academic performance.[67]

Massachusetts is home to 121 institutions of higher education.[260] Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both located in Cambridge, consistently rank among the world's best private universities and universities in general.[261] In addition to Harvard and MIT, several other Massachusetts universities rank in the top 50 at the undergraduate level nationally in the widely cited rankings of U.S. News & World Report: Tufts University (#27), Boston College (#32), Brandeis University (#34), Boston University (#37) and Northeastern University (#40). Massachusetts is also home to three of the top five U.S. News & World Report's best Liberal Arts Colleges: Williams College (#1), Amherst College (#2), and Wellesley College (#4).[262] It is also home to the oldest Catholic liberal arts college, College of the Holy Cross (#33).[263] Boston Architectural College is New England's largest private college of spatial design. The public University of Massachusetts (nicknamed UMass) features five campuses in the state, with its flagship campus in Amherst, which enrolls more than 25,000.[264][265]

As of 2021, Massachusetts has the highest percentage of adults over the age of 25 with a bachelor's degree (46.62%) and a graduate degree (21.27%) of any state in the country.

Economy

[edit]

The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the Massachusetts gross state product in 2020 was $584 billion.[266] The per capita personal income in 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation.[267] As of January 2023, Massachusetts state general minimum wage is $15.00 per hour while the minimum wage for tipped workers is $6.75 an hour, with a guarantee that employers will pay the difference should a tipped employee's hourly wage not meet or exceed the general minimum wage.[268] This wage was set to increase to a general minimum of $15.00 per hour and a tipped worker minimum of $6.75 per hour in January 2023, as part of a series of minimum wage amendments passed in 2018 that saw the minimum wage increase slowly every January up to 2023.[269]

In 2015, twelve Fortune 500 companies were located in Massachusetts: Liberty Mutual, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, TJX Companies, General Electric, Raytheon, American Tower, Global Partners, Thermo Fisher Scientific, State Street Corporation, Biogen, Eversource Energy, and Boston Scientific.[270] CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2023" has recognized Massachusetts as the 15th-best state in the nation for business,[271] and for the second year in a row in 2016 the state was ranked by Bloomberg as the most innovative state in America.[272] According to a 2013 study by Phoenix Marketing International, Massachusetts had the sixth-largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States, with a ratio of 6.73 percent.[273] Billionaires living in the state include past and present leaders (and related family) of local companies such as Fidelity Investments, New Balance, Kraft Group, Boston Scientific, and the former Continental Cablevision.[274]

Massachusetts has three foreign-trade zones, the Massachusetts Port Authority of Boston, the Port of New Bedford, and the City of Holyoke.[275] Boston-Logan International Airport is the busiest airport in New England, serving 33.4 million total passengers in 2015, and witnessing rapid growth in international air traffic since 2010.[276]

Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, biotechnology, information technology, finance, health care, tourism, manufacturing, and defense. The Route 128 corridor and Greater Boston continue to be a major center for venture capital investment,[277] and high technology remains an important sector. In recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston and Cape Cod being the leading destinations.[278] Other popular tourist destinations include Salem, Plymouth, and the Berkshires. Massachusetts is the sixth-most popular tourist destination for foreign travelers.[279] In 2010, the Great Places in Massachusetts Commission published '1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts' that identified 1,000 sites across the commonwealth to highlight the diverse historic, cultural, and natural attractions.[280]

Sunset at Brewster, on Cape Cod Bay.

While manufacturing comprised less than 10% of Massachusetts's gross state product in 2016, the Commonwealth ranked 16th in the nation in total manufacturing output in the United States.[281] This includes a diverse array of manufactured goods such as medical devices, paper goods, specialty chemicals and plastics, telecommunications and electronics equipment, and machined components.[282][283]

The more than 33,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts employ one-sixth of the state's workforce.[284] In 2007, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a state holiday, Nonprofit Awareness Day.[285]

In February 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked Massachusetts the best state in the United States based upon 60 metrics including healthcare, education, crime, infrastructure, opportunity, economy, and government. Massachusetts ranked number one in education, number two in healthcare, and number five in the handling of the economy.[286]

Agriculture

[edit]

As of 2012, there were 7,755 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of 523,517 acres (2,120 km2), averaging 67.5 acres (27.3 hectares) apiece.[287] Greenhouse, floriculture, and sod products – including the ornamental market – make up more than one third of the state's agricultural output.[288][289] Particular agricultural products of note also include cranberries, sweet corn and apples are also large sectors of production.[289] Fruit cultivation is an important part of the state's agricultural revenues,[290] and Massachusetts is the second-largest cranberry-producing state after Wisconsin.[291]

Taxation

[edit]

Depending on how it is calculated, state and local tax burden in Massachusetts has been estimated among U.S. states and Washington D.C. as 21st-highest (11.44% or $6,163 per year for a household with nationwide median income)[292] or 25th-highest overall with below-average corporate taxes (39th-highest), above-average personal income taxes, (13th-highest), above-average sales tax (18th-highest), and below-average property taxes (46th-highest).[293] In the 1970s, the Commonwealth ranked as a relatively high-tax state, gaining the pejorative nickname "Taxachusetts". This was followed by a round of tax limitations during the 1980s—a conservative period in American politics—including Proposition 2½.[294]

As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.00%,[295] after a 2002 voter referendum to eventually lower the rate to 5.0%[296] as amended by the legislature.[297] There is a tax exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The corporate income tax rate is 8.8%,[298] and the short-term capital gains tax rate is 12%.[299] An unusual provision allows filers to voluntarily pay at the pre-referendum 5.85% income tax rate, which is done by between one and two thousand taxpayers per year.[300]

The state imposes a 6.25% sales tax[298] on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing (up to $175.00), and periodicals.[301] The sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00, for the amount exceeding $175.00.[301] Massachusetts also charges a use tax when goods are bought from other states and the vendor does not remit Massachusetts sales tax; taxpayers report and pay this on their income tax forms or dedicated forms, though there are "safe harbor" amounts that can be paid without tallying up actual purchases (except for purchases over $1,000).[301] There is no inheritance tax and limited Massachusetts estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.[299]

Energy

[edit]

Massachusetts's electricity generation market was made competitive in 1998, enabling retail customers to change suppliers without changing utility companies.[302] In 2018, Massachusetts consumed 1,459 trillion BTU,[303] making it the seventh-lowest state in terms of consumption of energy per capita, and 31 percent of that energy came from natural gas.[303] In 2014 and 2015, Massachusetts was ranked as the most energy efficient state the United States[304][305] while Boston is the most efficient city,[306] but it had the fourth-highest average residential retail electricity prices of any state.[303] In 2018, renewable energy was about 7.2 percent of total energy consumed in the state, ranking 34th.[303]

Transportation

[edit]
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, serving Greater Boston

Massachusetts has 10 regional metropolitan planning organizations and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state;[307] statewide planning is handled by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.[308]

Regional public transportation

[edit]

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), also known as "The T",[309] operates public transportation in the form of subway,[310] bus,[311] and ferry[312] systems in the Metro Boston area.

Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in the rest of the state.[313] Four heritage railways are also in operation:

Long-distance rail and bus

[edit]

Amtrak operates several inter-city rail lines in Massachusetts. Boston's South Station serves as the terminus for three lines, namely the high-speed Acela Express, which links to cities such as Providence, New Haven, New York City, and eventually Washington DC; the Northeast Regional, which follows the same route but includes many more stops, and also continues further south to Newport News in Virginia; and the Lake Shore Limited, which runs westward to Worcester, Springfield, and eventually Chicago.[318][319] Boston's other major station, North Station, serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak's Downeaster, which connects to Portland and Brunswick in Maine.[318]

Outside of Boston, Amtrak connects several cities across Massachusetts, along the aforementioned Acela, Northeast Regional, Lake Shore Limited, and Downeaster lines, as well as other routes in central and western Massachusetts. The Amtrak Hartford Line connects Springfield to New Haven, operated in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the Valley Flyer runs a similar route but continues further north to Greenfield. Several stations in western Massachusetts are also served by the Vermonter, which connects St. Albans, Vermont to Washington DC.[318]

Amtrak carries more passengers between Boston and New York than all airlines combined (about 54% of market share in 2012),[320] but service between other cities is less frequent. There, more frequent intercity service is provided by private bus carriers, including Peter Pan Bus Lines (headquartered in Springfield), Greyhound Lines, OurBus, BoltBus and Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway. Various Chinatown bus lines depart for New York from South Station in Boston.[321]

MBTA Commuter Rail services run throughout the larger Greater Boston area, including service to Worcester, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Newburyport, Lowell, and Kingston.[322] This overlaps with the service areas of neighboring regional transportation authorities. As of the summer of 2013 the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority in collaboration with the MBTA and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is operating the CapeFLYER providing passenger rail service between Boston and Cape Cod.[323][324]

Ferry

[edit]

Most ports north of Cape Cod are served by Boston Harbor Cruises, which operates ferry services in and around Greater Boston under contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Several routes connect the downtown area with Hingham, Hull, Winthrop, Salem, Logan Airport, Charlestown, and some of the islands located within the harbor. The same company also operates seasonal service between Boston and Provincetown.[325]

On the southern shore of the state, several different passenger ferry lines connect Martha's Vineyard to ports along the mainland, including Woods Hole, Hyannis, New Bedford, and Falmouth, all in Massachusetts, as well as North Kingstown in Rhode Island, Highlands in New Jersey, and New York City in New York.[326] Similarly, several different lines connect Nantucket to ports including Hyannis, New Bedford, Harwich, and New York City.[327] Service between the two islands is also offered. The dominant companies serving these routes include SeaStreak, Hy-Line Cruises, and The Steamship Authority, the latter of which regulates all passenger services in the region and is also the only company permitted to offer freight ferry services to the islands.[328]

Other ferry connections in the state include a water taxi connecting various points in Fall River,[329] seasonal ferry service connecting Plymouth to Provincetown,[330] and a service between New Bedford and Cuttyhunk.[331]

Rail freight

[edit]

As of 2018, a number of freight railroads were operating in Massachusetts, with Class I railroad CSX being the largest carrier, and another Class 1, Norfolk Southern serving the state via its Pan Am Southern joint partnership. Several regional and short line railroads also provide service and connect with other railroads.[332] Massachusetts has a total of 1,110 miles (1,790 km) of freight trackage in operation.[333][334]

Air service

[edit]
Logan International Airport in Boston is the largest airport in New England in terms of passenger volume

Boston Logan International Airport served 33.5 million passengers in 2015 (up from 31.6 million in 2014)[276] through 103 gates.[335][336] Logan, Hanscom Field in Bedford, and Worcester Regional Airport are operated by Massport, an independent state transportation agency.[336] Massachusetts has 39 public-use airfields[337] and more than 200 private landing spots.[338] Some airports receive funding from the Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration; the FAA is also the primary regulator of Massachusetts air travel.[339]

Roads

[edit]
Prominent roads and cities in Massachusetts

There are a total of 36,800 miles (59,200 km) of interstates and other highways in Massachusetts.[340] Interstate 90 (I-90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike), is the longest interstate in Massachusetts. The route travels 136 mi (219 km) generally west to east, entering Massachusetts at the New York state line in the town of West Stockbridge, and passes just north of Springfield, just south of Worcester and through Framingham before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston.[341] Other major interstates include I-91, which travels generally north and south along the Connecticut River; I-93, which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes through Methuen before entering New Hampshire; and I-95, which connects Providence, Rhode Island with Greater Boston, forming a partial loop concurrent with Route 128 around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.[342]

I-495 forms a wide loop around the outer edge of Greater Boston. Other major interstates in Massachusetts include I-291, I-391, I-84, I-195, I-395, I-290, and I-190. Major non-interstate highways in Massachusetts include U.S. Routes 1, 3, 6, and 20, and state routes 2, 3, 9, 24, and 128. A great majority of interstates in Massachusetts were constructed during the mid-20th century, and at times were controversial, particularly the intent to route I-95 northeastwards from Providence, Rhode Island, directly through central Boston, first proposed in 1948. Opposition to continued construction grew, and in 1970 Governor Francis W. Sargent issued a general prohibition on most further freeway construction within the I-95/Route 128 loop in the Boston area.[343] A massive undertaking to bring I-93 underground in downtown Boston, called the Big Dig, brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny for its high cost and construction quality.[140]

Government and politics

[edit]
The Massachusetts State House, topped by its golden dome, faces Boston Common on Beacon Hill.

Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included the Mayflower Compact of 1620, the separate Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, and the combined colonial Province of Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780 while the Revolutionary War was in progress, four years after the Articles of Confederation was drafted, and eight years before the present United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted by John Adams, the Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest functioning written constitution in continuous effect in the world.[344][345][346] It has been amended 121 times, most recently in 2022.[347]

Massachusetts politics since the second half of the 20th century have generally been dominated by the Democratic Party, and the state has a reputation for being the most liberal state in the country.[348] In 1974, Elaine Noble became the first openly lesbian or gay candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.[349] The state's 12th congressional district elected the first openly gay member of the United States House of Representatives, Gerry Studds, in 1972[350] and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage.[63] In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare.[351][352] Massachusetts has a pro-sanctuary city law.[353] As of 2024, Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor, two Democratic Senators, and all nine Congressional Representatives are Democrats. Massachusetts is a blue state; Ronald Reagan was the last Republican to win the state in 1984.

In a 2020 study, Massachusetts was ranked as the 11th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[354]

Government

[edit]
Maura Healey (D), the 73rd Governor of Massachusetts

The Government of Massachusetts is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The governor of Massachusetts heads the executive branch, while legislative authority vests in a separate but coequal legislature. Meanwhile, judicial power is constitutionally guaranteed to the independent judicial branch.[355]

Executive branch

[edit]

As chief executive, the governor is responsible for signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding the Massachusetts National Guard.[356] Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.[356] The governor is Maura Healey and the incumbent lieutenant governor is Kim Driscoll. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separate Governor's Council made up of the lieutenant governor and eight separately elected councilors.[356] The council is charged by the state constitution with reviewing and confirming gubernatorial appointments and pardons, approving disbursements out of the state treasury, and certifying elections, among other duties.[356]

Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: a secretary of the commonwealth, an attorney general, a state treasurer, and a state auditor. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectively William F. Galvin, Andrea Campbell, Deb Goldberg and Diana DiZoglio, all Democrats. In accordance with state statute, the secretary of the commonwealth administers elections, regulates lobbyists and the securities industry, registers corporations, serves as register of deeds for the entire state, and preserves public records as keeper of the state seal.[357] Meanwhile, the attorney general provides legal services to state agencies, combats fraud and corruption, investigates and prosecutes crimes, and enforces consumer protection, environment, labor, and civil rights laws as Massachusetts chief lawyer and law enforcement officer.[358] At the same time, the state treasurer manages the state's cash flow, debt, and investments as chief financial officer, whereas the state auditor conducts audits, investigations, and studies as chief audit executive in order to promote government accountability and transparency and improve state agency financial management, legal compliance, and performance.[359][360]

Legislative branch

[edit]

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the Massachusetts General Court.[356] The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.[356] Leaders of the House and Senate are chosen by the members of those bodies; the leader of the House is known as the Speaker while the leader of the Senate is known as the President.[356] Each branch consists of several committees.[356] Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.[361]

Judicial branch

[edit]

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (a chief justice and six associates) are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Governor's Council, as are all other judges in the state.[356]

Federal court cases are heard in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and appeals are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.[362]

Federal representation

[edit]

The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirely Democratic.[363] The Senators are Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey while the Representatives are Richard Neal (1st), Jim McGovern (2nd), Lori Trahan (3rd), Jake Auchincloss (4th), Katherine Clark (5th), Seth Moulton (6th), Ayanna Pressley (7th), Stephen Lynch (8th), and Bill Keating (9th).[364]

In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in the electoral college, out of a total of 538.[365] Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.[366]

Politics

[edit]
Two older men and an older woman stand in a crowd with signs reading "Joe Kennedy for Congress".
Boston Pride Parade, 2012. From left: Representative Joe Kennedy III, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and former representative Barney Frank.

For more than 70 years, Massachusetts has shifted from a previously Republican-leaning state to one largely dominated by Democrats; the 1952 victory of John F. Kennedy over incumbent Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brother Edward M. Kennedy held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009.[367] Since the 1950s, Massachusetts has gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of modern liberalism, hence the phrase "Massachusetts liberal".[368]

Massachusetts is one of the most Democratic states in the country. Democratic core concentrations are everywhere, except for a handful of Republican leaning towns in the Central and Southern parts of the state. Until recently, Republicans were dominant in the Western and Northern suburbs of Boston, however both areas heavily swung Democratic in the Trump era. The state as a whole has not given its Electoral College votes to a Republican in a presidential election since Ronald Reagan carried it in 1984, and not a single county has voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 . Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the 1980[369] and 1984 elections.[370] Massachusetts had been the only state to vote for Democrat George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election. In 2020, Biden received 65.6% of the vote, the best performance in over 50 years for a Democrat.[371]

Democrats have an absolute grip on the Massachusetts congressional delegation; there are no Republicans elected to serve at the federal level. Both Senators and all nine Representatives are Democrats; only one Republican (former Senator Scott Brown) has been elected to either house of Congress from Massachusetts since 1994. Massachusetts is the most populous state to be represented in the United States Congress entirely by a single party.[372]

As of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party holds a super-majority over the Republican Party in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court (state legislature). Out of the state house's 160 seats, Democrats hold 127 seats (79%) compared to the Republican Party's 32 seats (20%), an independent sits in the remaining one,[373] and 37 out of the 40 seats in the state senate (92.5%) belong to the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party's three seats (7.5%).[374] Both houses of the legislature have had Democratic majorities since the 1950s.[375]

Party registration as of August 2024[376]
Party Total voters Percentage
Unenrolled 3,256,754 64.43%
Democratic 1,327,704 26.27%
Republican 418,899 8.29%
Other 51,182 1.01%
Total 5,054,539 100.00%

Despite the state's Democratic-leaning tendency, Massachusetts has generally elected Republicans as Governor: only two Democrats (Deval Patrick and Maura Healey) have served as governor since 1991, and among gubernatorial election results from 2002 to 2022, Republican nominees garnered 48.4% of the vote compared to 45.7% for Democratic nominees.[377] These have been considered to be among the most moderate Republican leaders in the nation;[378][379] they have received higher net favorability ratings from the state's Democrats than Republicans.[380]

A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in Massachusetts, such as the decision in 2003 by the state Supreme Judicial Court allowing same-sex marriage[381] and a 2006 bill which mandated health insurance for all Massachusetts residents.[352] In 2008, Massachusetts voters passed an initiative decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.[382] Voters in Massachusetts also approved a ballot measure in 2012 that legalized the medical use of marijuana.[383] Following the approval of a ballot question endorsing legalization in 2016, Massachusetts began issuing licenses for the regulated sale of recreational marijuana in June 2018. The licensed sale of recreational marijuana became legal on July 1, 2018; however, the lack of state-approved testing facilities prevented the sale of any product for several weeks.[384] However, in 2020, a ballot initiative to implement Ranked-Choice Voting failed, despite being championed by many progressives.[385]

Massachusetts is one of the most pro-choice states in the Union. A 2014 Pew Research Center poll found that 74% of Massachusetts residents supported the right to an abortion in all/most cases, making Massachusetts the most pro-choice state in the United States.[386]

In 2020, the state legislature overrode Governor Charlie Baker's veto of the ROE Act, a controversial law that codified existing abortion laws in case the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, dropped the age of parental consent for those seeking an abortion from 18 to 16, and legalized abortion after 24 weeks, if a fetus had fatal anomalies, or "to preserve the patient's physical or mental health."[387]

The 2023 American Values Atlas by Public Religion Research Institute found that same-sex marriage is supported near-universally by Massachusettsans.[388]

Cities, towns, and counties

[edit]

As of 2023,[389] there are 292 towns and 59 cities in Massachusetts. Over time, many towns have voted to become cities; 14 municipalities still refer to themselves as "towns" even though they have a city form of government.[389]

There are 50 cities and 301 towns in Massachusetts, grouped into 14 counties.[390] The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the town meeting form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.[391]

Boston is the state capital in Massachusetts. The population of the city proper is 692,600,[392] and Greater Boston, with a population of 4,873,019, is the 11th largest metropolitan area in the nation.[393] Other cities with a population over 100,000 include Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Cambridge, Brockton, Quincy, New Bedford, and Lynn. Plymouth is the largest municipality in the state by land area, followed by Middleborough.[390]

Massachusetts, along with the five other New England states, features the local governmental structure known as the New England town.[394] In this structure, incorporated towns—as opposed to townships or counties—hold many of the responsibilities and powers of local government.[394] Most of the county governments were abolished by the state of Massachusetts beginning in 1997 including Middlesex County,[395] the largest county in the state by population.[396][397] The voters of these now-defunct counties elect only Sheriffs and Registers of Deeds, who are part of the state government. Other counties have been reorganized, and a few still retain county councils.[398]

 
 
Largest cities or towns in Massachusetts
Source:[399][400]
Rank Name County Pop. Rank Name County Pop.
Boston
Boston
Worcester
Worcester
1 Boston Suffolk 654,776 11 Lawrence Essex 88,508 Springfield
Springfield
Cambridge
Cambridge
2 Worcester Worcester 205,918 12 Newton Middlesex 87,453
3 Springfield Hampden 154,789 13 Somerville Middlesex 79,815
4 Cambridge Middlesex 117,090 14 Framingham Middlesex 71,265
5 Lowell Middlesex 113,994 15 Haverhill Essex 67,361
6 Brockton Plymouth 105,994 16 Malden Middlesex 65,074
7 Quincy Norfolk 101,119 17 Waltham Middlesex 64,015
8 New Bedford Bristol 100,941 18 Brookline Norfolk 62,726
9 Lynn Essex 100,843 19 Plymouth Plymouth 62,131
10 Fall River Bristol 93,884 20 Medford Middlesex 62,098

Arts, culture, and recreation

[edit]
The site of Henry David Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond in Concord
Massachusetts is home to many of the worlds' most prestigious art museums, such as the Clark Art Institute (pictured above)

Massachusetts has contributed to American arts and culture. Drawing from its Native American and Yankee roots, along with later immigrant groups, Massachusetts has produced several writers, artists, and musicians. Some major museums and important historical sites are also located there, and events and festivals throughout the year celebrate the state's history and heritage.[401]

Massachusetts was an early center of the Transcendentalist movement, which emphasized intuition, emotion, human individuality and a deeper connection with nature.[123] Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was born in Boston but spent much of his later life in Concord, largely created the philosophy with his 1836 work Nature, and continued to be a key figure in the movement for the remainder of his life. Emerson's friend, Henry David Thoreau, who was also involved in Transcendentalism, recorded his year spent alone in a small cabin at nearby Walden Pond in the 1854 work Walden; or, Life in the Woods.[402]

Other famous authors and poets born or strongly associated with Massachusetts include Anne Bradstreet, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edith Wharton, e.e. cummings, Herman Melville, W.E.B. Du Bois, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop, John Updike, Anne Sexton, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Helen Hunt Jackson, Khalil Gibran, Mary Higgins Clark, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Jack Kerouac and Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as "Dr. Seuss".[403][404][405] Famous painters from Massachusetts include Winslow Homer and Norman Rockwell;[405] many of the latter's works are on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.[406]

An outdoor dance performance at Jacob's Pillow in Becket

Massachusetts is also an important center for the performing arts. Both the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra are based in Massachusetts.[407] Other orchestras in Massachusetts include the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra in Barnstable, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra,[408] and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.[409][410] Tanglewood, in western Massachusetts, is a music venue that is home to both the Tanglewood Music Festival and Tanglewood Jazz Festival, as well as the summer host for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.[411]

Other performing arts and theater organizations in Massachusetts include the Boston Ballet, the Boston Lyric Opera,[407] and the Lenox-based Shakespeare & Company. In addition to classical and folk music, Massachusetts has produced musicians and bands spanning a number of contemporary genres, such as the classic rock bands Aerosmith and Boston, the proto-punk band the Modern Lovers, the new wave band the Cars, and the alternative rock band Pixies.[412] The state has also been the birthplace of the rock bands Staind, Godsmack, and Highly Suspect, since these bands all were formed in Massachusetts cities such Springfield, Lawrence, and Cape Cod respectively.[413][414][415] Film events in the state include the Boston Film Festival, the Boston International Film Festival, and a number of smaller film festivals in various cities throughout Massachusetts.[416]

USS Constitution fires a salute during its annual Fourth of July turnaround cruise
Built in 1681, the Old Ship Church in Hingham is the oldest church in America in continuous ecclesiastical use.[417] Massachusetts has since become one of the most irreligious states in the U.S.[418]

Massachusetts is home to a large number of museums and historical sites. The Clark Art Institute, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, and the DeCordova contemporary art and sculpture museum in Lincoln are all located within Massachusetts,[419] and the Maria Mitchell Association in Nantucket includes several observatories, museums, and an aquarium.[420] Historically themed museums and sites such as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield,[158] Boston's Freedom Trail and nearby Minute Man National Historical Park, both of which preserve a number of sites important during the American Revolution,[158][421] the Lowell National Historical Park, which focuses on some of the earliest mills and canals of the Industrial Revolution in the US,[158] the Black Heritage Trail in Boston, which includes important African-American and abolitionist sites in Boston,[422] and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park[158] all showcase various periods of Massachusetts's history. Plymouth Rock, marks the disembarkation site of the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620.

Plimoth Plantation and Old Sturbridge Village are two open-air or "living" museums in Massachusetts, recreating life as it was in the 17th and early 19th centuries, respectively.[423][424]

Massachusetts has the largest population of the New England states. New Englander culture and identity remains strong in Massachusetts (Flag of New England pictured above).[425]

Boston's annual St. Patrick's Day parade and "Harborfest", a week-long Fourth of July celebration featuring a fireworks display and concert by the Boston Pops as well as a turnaround cruise in Boston Harbor by the USS Constitution, are popular events.[426] The New England Summer Nationals, an auto show in Worcester, draws tens of thousands of attendees every year.[427] The Boston Marathon is also a popular event in the state drawing more than 30,000 runners and tens of thousands of spectators annually.[428]

Long-distance hiking trails in Massachusetts include the Appalachian Trail, the New England National Scenic Trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, the Midstate Trail, and the Bay Circuit Trail.[429] Other outdoor recreational activities in Massachusetts include sailing and yachting, freshwater and deep-sea fishing,[430] whale watching,[431] downhill and cross-country skiing,[432] and hunting.[433]

Massachusetts is one of the states with the largest percentage of Catholics. It has many sanctuaries such as the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (Stockbridge, Massachusetts).[434]

Media

[edit]

There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Manchester market is the fifth-largest in the United States.[435] The other market surrounds the Springfield area.[436] WGBH-TV in Boston is a major public television station and produces national programs such as Nova, Frontline, and American Experience.[437][438]

The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Springfield Republican, and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette are Massachusetts's largest daily newspapers.[439] In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies. The Associated Press maintains a bureau in Boston, and local news wire the State House News Service feeds coverage of state government to other Massachusetts media outlets. There are a number of major AM and FM stations which serve Massachusetts,[440] along with many more regional and community-based stations. Some colleges and universities also operate campus television and radio stations, and print their own newspapers.[441][442][443]

Health

[edit]
Map showing the average Medicare reimbursement per enrollee for the counties in Massachusetts.[444]

Massachusetts generally ranks highly among states in most health and disease prevention categories. In 2015, the United Health Foundation ranked the state as third-healthiest overall.[445] Massachusetts has the most doctors per 100,000 residents (435.38),[446][447] the second-lowest infant mortality rate (3.8),[448][449] and the lowest percentage of uninsured residents (children as well as the total population).[450][451][452] According to Business Insider, commonwealth residents have an average life expectancy of 80.41 years, the fifth-longest in the country.[453][454] 36.1% of the population is overweight and 24.4% is obese,[455] and Massachusetts ranks sixth-highest in the percentage of residents who are considered neither obese nor overweight (39.5%).[455] Massachusetts also ranks above average in the prevalence of binge drinking, which is the 20th-highest in the country.[456][457]

The nation's first Marine Hospital was erected by federal order in Boston in 1799.[458][459] There are currently a total of 143 hospitals in the state.[460] According to 2015 rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Massachusetts General Hospital is ranked in the top three in two health care specialties.[461] Massachusetts General Hospital was founded in 1811 and serves as the largest teaching hospital for nearby Harvard University.[462]

The state of Massachusetts is a center for medical education and research including Harvard affiliates Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Dana–Farber Cancer Institute[463] as well as the New England Baptist Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, and Boston Medical Center which is the primary teaching hospital for Boston University.[464] The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School is located in Worcester.[465] The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has two of its three campuses in Boston and Worcester.[466]

Sports

[edit]
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is the home venue for the New England Patriots (NFL) and the New England Revolution (MLS)

Massachusetts is home to five major league professional sports teams: eighteen-time NBA Champions Boston Celtics,[467] nine-time World Series winners Boston Red Sox,[468] six-time Stanley Cup winners Boston Bruins,[469] six-time Super Bowl winners New England Patriots,[470] and five-time MLS Cup finalists New England Revolution.[471]

In the late 19th century, the Olympic sports of basketball[472] and volleyball[473] were invented in the Western Massachusetts cities of Springfield[472] and Holyoke,[473] respectively. The Basketball Hall of Fame is a major tourist destination in the City of Springfield and the Volleyball Hall of Fame is located in Holyoke.[473] The American Hockey League (AHL), the NHL's development league, is headquartered in Springfield.[474]

Several universities in Massachusetts are notable for their collegiate athletics. The state is home to two Division I FBS teams, Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and FBS Independent University of Massachusetts at Amherst. FCS play includes Harvard University, which competes in the famed Ivy League, and College of the Holy Cross of the Patriot League. Boston University, Northeastern University, UMASS Lowell, Stonehill College, and Merrimack College also participate in Division I athletics.[475][476] Many other Massachusetts colleges compete in lower divisions such as Division III, where MIT, Tufts University, Amherst College, Williams College, and others field competitive teams.[477]

Massachusetts is also the home of rowing events such as the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond and the Head of the Charles Regatta.[478] A number of major golf events have taken place in Massachusetts, including nine U.S. Opens and two Ryder Cups.[479][480]

Massachusetts has produced several successful Olympians including Thomas Burke, James Connolly, and John Thomas (track and field); Butch Johnson (archery); Nancy Kerrigan (figure skating); Todd Richards (snowboarding); Albina Osipowich (swimming); Aly Raisman (gymnastics); Patrick Ewing (basketball); Stephen Nedoroscik (pommel horse); as well as Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Bill Cleary, Keith Tkachuk (ice hockey).[481][482]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
  2. ^ Massachusetts is one of only four U.S. states to use the term "Commonwealth" in its official name, along with Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
  3. ^ Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry.
  1. ^ Per the 2020 United States census, its highest decennial count ever.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Herman, Jennifer (2008). Massachusetts Encyclopedia. State History Publications, LLC. p. 7. Various nicknames have been given to describe Massachusetts, including the Bay State, the Old Bay State, the Pilgrim State, the Puritan State, the Old Colony State, the Spirit of America, and, less often, the Baked Bean State
  2. ^ "Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  3. ^ "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates".
  4. ^ "Greylock RM 1 Reset". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce.
  5. ^ a b "US Census Bureau Quick Facts: Massachusetts". census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Median Annual Household Income". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth". The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Gavin, Christopher (August 5, 2019). "'Massachusettsan?' Bay Staters and Massholes are perplexed by this word for Mass. natives". Boston.com. The Boston Globe. If you hail from Massachusetts, you may consider yourself a few things. A Bay Stater. A Bostonian, perhaps. Maybe even a Masshole.
  9. ^ Quinn, Garrett (June 25, 2015). "Rejoice! Oxford English Dictionary Adds 'Masshole'". Boston (magazine). My fellow Massholes, we've finally arrived. The Oxford English Dictionary, the authoritative book on the English language, has included "Masshole" in its list of 500 new words to be officially added to its pages.
  10. ^ Buell, Spencer (November 1, 2018). ""We're Massholes, Not Assholes": A New Question 3 Ad Stars a Foul-Mouthed Bostonian". Boston (magazine). "I know some people question the use of our words," says Kelly Fredrickson, president of MullenLowe Boston. "But I'm from here and I'm a proud Masshole. I've been raised in a state that protects all our liberties and I want those to exist for my kids."
  11. ^ Buell, Spencer (August 19, 2019). "Ken Jennings' Gentle and Sweet Redefinition of "Masshole"". Boston (magazine). In a tweet on Sunday, Jennings offered his take on the word, which is sometimes used as an insult, but just as often worn as a badge of honor.…But ours is not a state that historically listens to dictums from the British, and "term of contempt" or not, locals seem to have adopted "Masshole" as a descriptor.
  12. ^ Faraone, Chris; Pramas, Jason (November 12, 2020). "Editor's Note: Gloves Off" (PDF). DigBoston. Running a state is hard at the best of times and these are worse times than most Mass residents have ever experienced.…We're all just one big happy Masshole family, right?
  13. ^ McGinnes, Meagan; Scalese, Roberto; Creamer, Lisa; Kaufman, Jill (June 25, 2024). "Day trips in Massachusetts: Hikes, history made fun, ice cream and unofficial hot dog tours". WBUR-FM. There are the North and South shores, which to an untrained eye look alike but to a Masshole are completely different planets.
  14. ^ "Collections". Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society. 1877. p. 435. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  15. ^ Jones, Thomas (1879). DeLancey, Edward Floyd (ed.). History of New York During the Revolutionary War. New York: New-York Historical Society. p. 465. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  16. ^ U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual. 2016. §5.23.
  17. ^ Schwarz, Hunter (August 12, 2014). "States where English is the official language". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  18. ^ "Massachusetts Language & Education". American FactFinder. Retrieved March 14, 2024. |
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Massachusetts Facts". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  20. ^ "Blue Hills of Massachusetts: Massachusetts State Poem". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  21. ^ "State Slogans". Ereferencedesk.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  22. ^ "Black-Capped Chickadee:Massachusetts State Bird". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  23. ^ "Wild Turkey: Massachusetts State Game Bird". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 22, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  24. ^ "Cod: Massachusetts State Fish". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  25. ^ "Mayflower: Massachusetts State Flower". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  26. ^ "Ladybug: Massachusetts State Insect". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  27. ^ "Right Whale: Massachusetts State Marine Mammal". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  28. ^ "Morgan Horse: Massachusetts State Horse". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  29. ^ "Tabby Cat: Massachusetts State Cat". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  30. ^ "Boston Terrier: Massachusetts State Dog". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  31. ^ "Garter Snake: Massachusetts State Reptile". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  32. ^ "American Elm: Massachusetts State Tree". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 22, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  33. ^ "Cranberry Juice: Massachusetts State Beverage". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  34. ^ "Blue—Green—Cranberry: Massachusetts State Colors". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  35. ^ "Square Dance: Massachusetts State Folk Dance". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  36. ^ "Cranberry: Massachusetts State Berry". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  37. ^ "Corn Muffin: Massachusetts State Muffin". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  38. ^ "Baked Navy Bean: Massachusetts State Bean". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  39. ^ "Boston Creme Pie: Massachusetts State Dessert". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  40. ^ "Chocolate Chip Cookie: Massachusetts State Cookie". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  41. ^ "Boston Cream Donut: Massachusetts State Donut". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  42. ^ "Dinosaur Tracks: Massachusetts State Fossil". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  43. ^ "Rhodonite: Massachusetts State Gem". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  44. ^ "Babingtonite: Massachusetts State Mineral". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  45. ^ "Official State Rock of Massachusetts". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 21, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  46. ^ "New England Neptune: Massachusetts State Shell". StateSymbolsUSA.org. May 19, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  47. ^ Levenson, Michael (August 9, 2006). "Can you guess the state sport of Massachusetts?". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  48. ^ "The Official Massachusetts State Quarter". The Us50. theus50.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  49. ^ "The 1692 Salem Witch Trials". Salem Witch Trials Museum. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  50. ^ "Faneuil Hall". Celebrateboston.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  51. ^ a b c "Shays' Rebellion". ushistory.org. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  52. ^ "Maritime Commerce". National Park Service. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  53. ^ "History of Lowell, Massachusetts". City of Lowell. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  54. ^ "The Temperance Issue in the Election of 1840: Massachusetts". Teachushistory.org. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  55. ^ Packer, Barbara (2007). The Transcendentalists. University of Georgia Press; First edition (April 25, 2007). ISBN 978-0-8203-2958-1.
  56. ^ "Images of the Antislavery Movement in Massachusetts". Masshist.org. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  57. ^ "Staying Power: The Future of Manufacturing in Massachusetts" (PDF). The Center for Urban and Regional Policy School of Social Science, Urban Affairs, and Public Policy Northeastern University. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  58. ^ "Boston is Now the Largest Biotech Hub in the World". EPM Scientific. February 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  59. ^ "Why Boston Will Be the Star of The AI Revolution". VentureFizz. October 24, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2023. Boston startups are working to overcome some of the largest technical barriers holding AI back, and they're attracting attention across a wide variety of industries in the process.
  60. ^ "Housing and Economic Development: Key Industries". mass.gov. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  61. ^ a b Douglas, Craig. "Greater Boston gains population, remains 10th-largest region in U.S". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  62. ^ "Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter?". www.usatoday.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  63. ^ a b c "Massachusetts court strikes down ban on same-sex marriage". CNN. Reuters. November 18, 2003. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  64. ^ "History of Harvard University". Harvard University. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  65. ^ Lewin, Tamar (January 28, 2015). "Harvard's Endowment Remains Biggest of All". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  66. ^ a b [1] Times Higher Education. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  67. ^ a b "Massachusetts Students Score among World Leaders on PISA Reading, Science and Math Tests". Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  68. ^ a b Kamaron McNair (April 6, 2024). "10 U.S. states where Americans earn the lowest incomes—only 2 aren't in the South". CNBC. Retrieved April 6, 2024. More education typically correlates with higher earnings, which helps explain why Massachusetts — the most-educated state, with nearly 47% of its population holding a bachelor's degree or higher — is also the highest-paid, according to the St. Louis Fed.
  69. ^ Jay Edwards (August 12, 2024). "WalletHub: New Jersey is 2024's 3rd best state to live in". WRNJ Radio. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  70. ^ Mike Winters (June 20, 2024). "The salary a family of 4 needs to get by in every U.S. state—it's more than $150,000 in the most expensive one". CNBC. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  71. ^ Fermino, Jessie Little Doe (2000). Introduction to Wampanoag Grammar (Thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/8740.
  72. ^ Tooker, William Wallace (1904). Algonquian Names of some Mountains and Hills. American Folk-lore Society. p. 175. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  73. ^ Salwen, Bert, 1978. Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160–76. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 401
  74. ^ Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, p. 270
  75. ^ "East Squantum Street (Moswetuset Hummock)". Quincy, Mass. Historical and Architectural Survey. Thomas Crane Public Library. 1986. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  76. ^ Neal, Daniel (1747). "XIV: The Present State of New England". The history of New-England. Vol. 2 (2 ed.). London: A. Ward. p. 216. OCLC 8616817. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  77. ^ "Why is Massachusetts a Commonwealth?". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 21, 2015. The term 'Commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Those [U.S. states] that do use it are equal to those that do not. Legally, Massachusetts is a commonwealth because the term is contained in the Constitution.
  78. ^ "Kentucky as a Commonwealth". Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  79. ^ Finucane, Martin. "Why do we call Massachusetts a 'commonwealth'? Blame John Adams". The Boston Globe.
    • "A previous draft of the state constitution, proposed by the Legislature and rejected, had used the name 'State of Massachusetts Bay'.
      At the time, the word was used to mean 'republic', and there might have been some antimonarchical sentiment in using it, according to the Massachusetts secretary of state's website."
  80. ^ a b Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 6–7.
  81. ^ a b "Origin & Early Mohican History". Stockbridge-Munsee Community—Band of Mohican Indians. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  82. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 7.
  83. ^ Hoxie, Frederick E (1996). Encyclopedia of North American Indians. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-395-66921-1. OCLC 34669430. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  84. ^ Marr, JS; Cathey, JT (February 2010). "New hypothesis for cause of an epidemic among Native Americans, New England, 1616–1619". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 16 (2): 281–286. doi:10.3201/e0di1602.090276. ISSN 1080-6040. PMC 2957993. PMID 20113559.
  85. ^ Kaplow, David (2003). Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge. University of California Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-520-24220-3.
  86. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, p. 30.
  87. ^ a b "The New England Colonies". ushistory.org. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  88. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, p. 29.
  89. ^ "Charter Of Massachusetts Bay 1629". let.rug.nl. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  90. ^ Michael Mullett: "Curwen, Thomas (c. 1610–1680)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) Retrieved 17 November 2015
  91. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 30–32.
  92. ^ Barrows, Charles Henry (1911). The History of Springfield in Massachusetts for the Young: Being Also in Some Part the History of Other Towns and Cities in the County of Hampden. The Connecticut Valley Historical Society. pp. 46–48. US 13459.5.7.
  93. ^ William Pynchon Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Bio.umass.edu. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  94. ^ "Connecticut's "Southwick Jog"". Connecticut State Library. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  95. ^ Barth 2014, p. 499
  96. ^ Clarke, Hermann F. (1937). "John Hull: Mintmaster". The New England Quarterly. 10 (4): 669, 673. doi:10.2307/359931. JSTOR 359931.
  97. ^ Barth 2014, p. 500
  98. ^ Barth 2014, p. 514
  99. ^ Barth 2014, p. 520
  100. ^ a b Goldfield et al. 1998, p. 66.
  101. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 50.
  102. ^ Perley, Sidney (April 18, 2014). "Historic Earthquakes". Earthquake Hazards Program. USGS. Archived from the original on November 10, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  103. ^ "Memorandum". Boston Gazette. November 24, 1755. p. 1.
  104. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 63–83.
  105. ^ "The Intolerable Acts". ushistory.org. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  106. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, pp. 88–90.
  107. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, pp. 95–96.
  108. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, pp. 96–97.
  109. ^ "Massachusetts Legal Holidays". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Archived from the original on June 27, 2004. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  110. ^ "John Fraylor. Salem Maritime National Historic Park". National Park Service. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  111. ^ "The Declaration of Independence". PBS. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  112. ^ McCullough, David (September 3, 2002). John Adams (1st ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-2313-3.
  113. ^ "Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act of 1780". Explore PA history. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013.
  114. ^ Rettig, Polly M. (April 3, 1978). "John Quincy Adams Birthplace". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination. National Park Service. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  115. ^ "The Ratification of the U.S. Constitution in Massachusetts". Massachusetts Historical Society. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  116. ^ "On this day in 1820". Massmoments.org. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  117. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 129.
  118. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 211.
  119. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 202.
  120. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 133–36.
  121. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 179.
  122. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, p. 251.
  123. ^ a b c Goldfield et al. 1998, p. 254.
  124. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 185.
  125. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 183.
  126. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 187–93.
  127. ^ "Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment". National Park Service. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  128. ^ a b "State Compulsory School Attendance Laws". infoplease.com. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  129. ^ "Stock Market Crash Heralds Great Depression". massmoments.org. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  130. ^ Osborne, Paul E. (March 2016). "Department of Public Utilities History" (PDF). Government of Massachusetts. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  131. ^ "Bowdoin Alumnus Volume 4 (1929–1930)". Bowdoin Alumnus Magazines. Bowdoin College: 129. 1930.
  132. ^ "Acts and resolves passed by the General Court". 1663.
  133. ^ 290 Acts, 1929. — Chap. 287. Chap. 2S7 An Act to provide for the more effective enforcement of the Sale of Securities Act. Identifier: actsresolvespass1929mass "Section 1. Chapter twenty- five of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding thereto, under the heading, Securities Division, There shall be in the department, and under its general supervision and control, a securities division which shall be under the charge of a director." John C. Hull was the first Securities Director appointed January 1930. His term would end in 1936. Publication date 1927–1928. pg. 102
  134. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 246.
  135. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 276.
  136. ^ "Job Loss, Shrinking Revenues, and Grinding Decline in Springfield, Massachusetts: Is A Finance Control Board the Answer?" (PDF). University of Massachusetts Lowell. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  137. ^ Peck, Merton J.; Scherer, Frederic M. (March 1964). "The weapons acquisition process: An economic analysis". IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. EM-11 (1): 51–52. doi:10.1109/TEM.1964.6446393. ISSN 1558-0040. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  138. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 275–83.
  139. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 284.
  140. ^ a b c d Grunwald, Michael. Dig the Big Dig [2] The Washington Post. August 6, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
  141. ^ a b "The Central Artery/Tunnel Project—The Big Dig". Massachusetts Department of Transportation—Highway Division. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  142. ^ "Biography: Edward Moore Kennedy". American Experience. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  143. ^ "The Kennedys: A Family Tree". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  144. ^ "Brooke, Edward William, III". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  145. ^ "George H.W. Bush Biography". biography.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  146. ^ James J. Kenneally, A Compassionate Conservative: A Political Biography of Joseph W. Martin Jr., Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2003)
  147. ^ "Tip O'Neill | Donegal Diaspora". www.donegaldiaspora.ie. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  148. ^ McCammond, Alexi (April 15, 2020). "Elizabeth Warren endorses Joe Biden in 2020 presidential race". Axios. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  149. ^ "Police narrow in on two suspects in Boston Marathon bombings". Daily News. New York. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  150. ^ Cooper, Michael; Schmidt, Michael S.; Schmitt, Eric (April 23, 2013). "Boston Suspects Are Seen as Self-Taught and Fueled by Web". The New York Times. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  151. ^ Blair, Russell (November 9, 2016). "Recreational Marijuana Passes In Massachusetts".
  152. ^ Hogan, Sean O. (August 23, 2006). The Judicial Branch of State Government. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 313. ISBN 978-1-85109-756-2.
  153. ^ Werner, Robert G. (February 25, 2015). Freshwater Fishes of the Northeastern United States. Syracuse University Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-8156-3057-9.
  154. ^ Barnes, Susan B. (September 19, 2016). "Denali National Park: 10 tips to make the most of your visit". USA Today. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  155. ^ Ma, Yaxiong; Gopal, Sucharita (March 30, 2018). "Geographically Weighted Regression Models in Estimating Median Home Prices in Towns of Massachusetts Based on an Urban Sustainability Framework". Sustainability. 10 (4). MDPI AG: 1026. doi:10.3390/su10041026. ISSN 2071-1050.
  156. ^ Lambert, Bryan (June 29, 2023). "The Bay State's best beach towns: New ranking names the Top 25 places to summer in Massachusetts". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  157. ^ "About Boston – Boston Municipal Research Bureau". Boston Municipal Research Bureau. September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  158. ^ a b c d e f "Massachusetts". National Park Service. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  159. ^ "Mission". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  160. ^ Ricklefs, Robert (December 17, 2008). The Economy of Nature (6th ed.). W. H. Freeman. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-7167-8697-9. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  161. ^ Stocker, Carol (November 17, 2005). "Old growth, grand specimens drive big-tree hunters". The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  162. ^ "Current Research—Working Landscapes". The Center for Rural Massachusetts—The University of Massachusetts Amherst. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  163. ^ "Northeastern Coastal Zone—Ecoregion Description". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  164. ^ "MESA List Overview". Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  165. ^ "Peregrine Falcon" (PDF). Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  166. ^ "Eastern Coyote". Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  167. ^ "Forests lure moose to Massachusetts". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  168. ^ "Atlantic Flyway". Audubon. National Audubon Society. November 13, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  169. ^ "Chasing loons: Banding the elusive birds at night on the Quabbin Reservoir". masslive.com. July 28, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  170. ^ "Coastal Waterbird Program". Mass Audubon. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  171. ^ "It was a record-breaking year for shark research off Cape Cod". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  172. ^ "Sharks have multiplied off Cape Cod beaches, devouring gray seals and putting swimmers on edge". USA Today. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  173. ^ "Map: Where great white sharks roam off Cape Cod". capecodtimes.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  174. ^ "Commonly Caught Species". eregulations.com. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  175. ^ "Mammals in Massachusetts | Mass.gov". www.mass.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  176. ^ Caffrey, D. J.; Worthley, L. H. (1927). Details—A progress report on the investigations of the European corn borer—Biodiversity Heritage Library. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.108390.
  177. ^ "Massachusetts climate averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  178. ^ EPA. "What climate change means for Massachusetts" (PDF).
  179. ^ "Effects of Climate Change in Massachusetts". Mass Audubon. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  180. ^ a b Dupigny-Giroux, L.A.; E.L. Mecray; M.D. Lemcke-Stampone; G.A. Hodgkins; E.E. Lentz; K.E. Mills; E.D. Lane; R. Miller; D.Y. Hollinger; W.D. Solecki; G.A. Wellenius; P.E. Sheffield; A.B. MacDonald; C. Caldwell (2018). "Northeast". In Reidmiller, D.R.; C.W. Avery; D.R. Easterling; K.E. Kunkel; K.L.M. Lewis; T.K. Maycock; B.C. Stewart (eds.). Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II (Report). Washington, DC, US: U.S. Global Change Research Program. pp. 669–742. doi:10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH18.
  181. ^ a b c d What Climate Change Means for Massachusetts (PDF file) (Report). United States Environmental Protection Agency. August 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  182. ^ "Climate Change Made Summer Hotter and Drier Worldwide, Study Finds". CARILEC. October 5, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  183. ^ Theoharides, Kathleen; Polito, Karyn; Baker, Charles. "Determination of Statewide Emissions Limit for 2050". Official websites of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  184. ^ "Massachusetts Energy-Saving Rebates". MASS SAVE. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  185. ^ "MassSave: A New Model for Statewide Energy Efficiency Programs" (PDF). Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  186. ^ "830 CMR 62.6.1: Residential Energy Credit". Mass.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  187. ^ "Net Metering Guide". Mass.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  188. ^ "Municipal Light Plant Solar Rebate Program". Mass.gov. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  189. ^ "Mass Solar Loan". Mass Solar Loan. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  190. ^ "MOR-EV IS A Massachusetts Program That Issues Rebates to Electric Vehicle Drivers". MOR-EV. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  191. ^ "State and Federal Electric Vehicle Funding Programs". MASS.GOV. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  192. ^ "Income Eligible Programs." Mass Save, www.masssave.com/saving/income-based-offers/income-eligible-programs.
  193. ^ Martin, Naomi (December 30, 2020). "Mass. to require all new cars sold to be electric by 2035 as part of climate-change measures". The Boston Globe.
  194. ^ "MA2050DecarbonizationRoadmap_FINAL.pdf | Mass.gov". mass.gov.
  195. ^ "Population: 1790 to 1990" (PDF). US: United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  196. ^ "Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020)". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  197. ^ "Massachusetts Population Surpasses 7 Million In 2020 Census". Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  198. ^ "2020 Census Apportionment Results". census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  199. ^ a b c d e f "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". United States Census Bureau. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original (CSV) on December 23, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  200. ^ "Centers of Population". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  201. ^ "State Centers of Population". howderfamily.com. February 5, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2015. I'll ... examine some individual state centers of population.
  202. ^ a b Miller, Joshua. "Mass. population growth is tops in N.E". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  203. ^ a b Mishra, Raja (December 22, 2006). "State's population growth on stagnant course". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  204. ^ a b c Bayles, Fred (March 21, 2001). "Minorities account for state population growth". USA Today. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  205. ^ "Immigrants in Massachusetts" (PDF).
  206. ^ "2007-2022 PIT Counts by State".
  207. ^ "The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress" (PDF).
  208. ^ Walsh, Jane (November 25, 2015). "The most Irish town in America is named using US census data". IrishCentral. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  209. ^ "Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census". census.gov. United States Census Bureau. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  210. ^ "Massachusetts QuickFacts". US: United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  211. ^ Exner, Rich (June 3, 2012). "Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot". The Plain Dealer.
  212. ^ Exner, Rich (June 3, 2012). "Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot". The Plain Dealer. Advance Ohio. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  213. ^ "CDC data" (PDF). Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  214. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 173.
  215. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 173–79.
  216. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 203.
  217. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 301.
  218. ^ "Selected Population Profile in the United States – 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates—Chinese alone, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  219. ^ "Hispanic or Latino by Type: 2010 Census Summary File 1: Massachusetts (QT-P10)". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  220. ^ "Same-Sex Couples Since 1990". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  221. ^ "People Reporting Ancestry – 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  222. ^ "Massachusetts—Ethnic groups". City-Data.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  223. ^ For Bristol County see "DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States—2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  224. ^ Schweitzer, Sarah (February 15, 2010). "Lowell hopes to put 'Little Cambodia' on the map". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
  225. ^ "2011–2015 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables". Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  226. ^ "Indian Reservations in the Continental United States". National Park Service. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  227. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 180–82.
  228. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 257–58.
  229. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 300–4.
  230. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov.
  231. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov.
  232. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov.
  233. ^ Irwin, Patricia; Nagy, Naomi. "Bostonians /r/ Speaking: A Quantitative Look at (R) in Boston". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  234. ^ a b "Massachusetts". Modern Language Association. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  235. ^ Staff (February 24, 2023). "PRRI – American Values Atlas: Religious Tradition in Massachusetts". Public Religion Research Institute. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  236. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, pp. 29–30.
  237. ^ "Headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association". Unitarian Universalist Association. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  238. ^ "The UUA to Sell its Beacon Hill Properties, Move to Innovation District". Unitarian Universalist Association. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  239. ^ Pellegrino, Nicholas (May 2015). Reviving a Spirit of Controversy: Roman Catholics and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom in Early America (PhD dissertation). University of Nevada, Las Vegas. doi:10.34917/7646017. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  240. ^ a b c "PRRI – American Values Atlas". ava.prri.org. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  241. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Association of Religion Data Archives. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  242. ^ "Adults in Massachusetts". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. May 11, 2015.
  243. ^ Lin, Joanna (March 16, 2009). "New England surpasses West Coast as least religious region in America, study finds". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  244. ^ "Massachusetts Indian Tribes and Languages (Massachuset)". www.native-languages.org. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  245. ^ "Indigenous American Nations, c.16th Century (1st edition)". Indigenous America Maps. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  246. ^ "American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2010".
  247. ^ "2015–16 SAT Performance Statewide Report". profiles.doe.mass.edu.
  248. ^ "The 10 Best U.S. States for Education—2. New Jersey". U.S. News & World Report. February 27, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  249. ^ Dejnozka et al. 1982, p. 313.
  250. ^ Dejnozka et al. 1982, p. 311.
  251. ^ Goldfield et al. 1998, pp. 251–52.
  252. ^ "Mather Elementary School". Boston Public Schools. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  253. ^ Ramírez, Eddy (November 29, 2007). "The First Class State". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  254. ^ "#26 The Governors Academy, Byfield, Mass". Business Insider. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  255. ^ Rimer, Sara; Finder, Alan (February 10, 2007). "Harvard Plans to Name First Female President". The New York Times. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  256. ^ "Mount Holyoke Admissions Information". StudyPoint. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  257. ^ Dangremond, Sam (August 1, 2018). "These Are the Best Private High Schools in America, According to a New Ranking". Town and Country. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
  258. ^ Bidwell, Allie. "How States Are Spending Money in Education". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  259. ^ "Are the nation's twelfth-graders making progress in mathematics and reading?". National Assessment of Educational Progress. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  260. ^ "A Practical Guide to Living in the State—Education". MA, US: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  261. ^ "World's Best Universities:Top 400". U.S. News & World Report. February 25, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  262. ^ "National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  263. ^ "College of the Holy Cross Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  264. ^ "The UMass System". University of Massachusetts Amherst. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  265. ^ "UMass—Facts 2009–2010" (PDF). University of Massachusetts Amherst. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  266. ^ "Apps Test | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)". Bea.gov. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  267. ^ "State Personal Income 2008" (PDF). Bureau of Economic Analysis. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  268. ^ "Massachusetts law about minimum wage". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  269. ^ "Session Law – Acts of 2018 Chapter 121". malegislature.gov. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  270. ^ "Map and List of Fortune 1000 Companies for 2018". November 13, 2018.
  271. ^ "America's Top States For Business". CNBC. July 11, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  272. ^ "Here are the Most Innovative States in America in 2016". Bloomberg.com. December 22, 2016.
  273. ^ Frank, Robert (January 15, 2014). "Top states for millionaires per capita". CNBC. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  274. ^ "Here's a new list of the richest people in Mass". The Boston Globe.
  275. ^ United States Department of Commerce . International Trade Administration . Enforcement and Compliance. "List of Foreign-Trade Zones by State". enforcement.trade.gov. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  276. ^ a b "Monthly Airport Traffic Summary—December 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016. Accessed May 8, 2016.
  277. ^ "Venture Investment—Regional Aggregate Data". National Venture Capital Association. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  278. ^ Voorhees, Corlyn (June 11, 2016). "Where do Massachusetts tourists come from?". The Boston Globe.
  279. ^ "Tourism Statistics". Statisticsbrain.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  280. ^ "1,000 places to visit in Massachusetts". The Boston Globe.
  281. ^ "State Profiles Data Sheet". National Association of Manufacturers. October 2017. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018.
  282. ^ Massachusetts Manufacturing Facts (Report). National Association of Manufacturers. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  283. ^ "MassMEDIC". Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  284. ^ "Waltham nonprofit WATCH CDC recognized at Statehouse". Wicked Local Waltham. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  285. ^ "Groups celebrate Nonprofit Awareness Day - Massachusetts Nonprofit Network". massnonprofitnet.org. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  286. ^ "Best States Overall Ranking". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  287. ^ "Number of Farms Numbers Continue Slight Rise in 2012". University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the environment. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  288. ^ "National Agricultural Statistics Service - 2017 Census of Agriculture - Volume 1, Chapter 1: State Level Data". USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  289. ^ a b "Agricultural Resources Facts and Statistics". Massachusetts Government. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  290. ^ "UMass Extension Fruit Program". UMass Extension Fruit Program. February 26, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  291. ^ "Massachusetts Cranberries" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. January 26, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  292. ^ "2016's States with the Highest & Lowest Tax Rates". Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  293. ^ "2016 State Business Tax Climate Index". Archived from the original on June 21, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  294. ^ Keane, Tom (March 28, 2014). "'Taxachusetts' is a misnomer, at least for now". Boston Globe.
  295. ^ "Taxes & Rates Income". Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  296. ^ "Massachusetts Implements Reduction in Personal Income Tax Rates". The Tax Foundation. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  297. ^ "Mass. tax rate takes slight dip". The Boston Globe.
  298. ^ a b "Massachusetts". The Tax Foundation. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  299. ^ a b "Tax Rates". Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  300. ^ "CLT Update: Apr 15, 2005, "We didn't need or want a tax cut—but it's ours now!"". cltg.org.
  301. ^ a b c "Sales and Use Tax". MA, US: Massachusetts Department of Revenue. January 14, 2022.
  302. ^ "Massachusetts Electricity deregulation". Good Energy. June 2, 2020.
  303. ^ a b c d "State Profile and Energy Estimates". Energy Information Administration. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  304. ^ "State Scorecard Rank". American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  305. ^ "2015 State Scorecard Rank—Massachusetts" (PDF). American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  306. ^ Wood, Elisa (May 26, 2015). "Boston Takes Top Spot Again in City Energy Efficiency Scorecard". Energy Efficiency Markets.com. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  307. ^ "Massachusetts Regional Planning Agencies". American Planning Association. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  308. ^ "MassDEP Emissions Inventories". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  309. ^ "MBTA Website". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  310. ^ "Subway Map". Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  311. ^ "Bus Schedules & Maps". Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  312. ^ "Boat Map and Schedules". Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  313. ^ "Your Transit Authorities". Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  314. ^ "Cape Cod Central Railroad". Cape Cod Central Railroad. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  315. ^ "2010 Scenic Train Schedule". Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum. Archived from the original on August 28, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  316. ^ "Edaville – The New England Classic Family Theme Park". Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  317. ^ "U.S. Streetcar Systems- Massachusetts – Lowell". railwaypreservation.com. November 25, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  318. ^ a b c "Northeast Train Routes". Amtrak. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  319. ^ "Acela Express". Routes. Amtrak. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  320. ^ Nixon, Ron (August 15, 2012). "Air Travel's Hassles Drive Riders to Amtrak's Acela". The New York Times.
  321. ^ "Chinatown Bus: Fung Wah Bus, Boston New York Bus". BOSTON TOURISM MADE EASY. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  322. ^ "Commuter Rail Maps and Schedules". Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  323. ^ "CapeFlyer". Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  324. ^ "T announces summer Cape Cod train service". WCVB-TV. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  325. ^ "Ferry Schedules and Maps". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  326. ^ "2020 Martha's Vineyard Ferry Schedules". Martha's Vineyard Ferries. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  327. ^ "2020 Nantucket Ferry Schedules". Nantucket Ferries. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  328. ^ "Background". The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  329. ^ Allegra Zamore (May 27, 2024). "Fall River water taxi begins service at city's waterfront". NBC. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  330. ^ "Fast Ferry to Provincetown". Captain John Boats. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  331. ^ "New Bedford to Cuttyhunk Ferry Service". Cuttyhunk Ferry Co. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  332. ^ "Massachusetts Passenger and Freight Rail". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on April 20, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  333. ^ "Massachusetts State Rail Plan, May 2018".
  334. ^ "Massachusetts State Fact Sheet: Rail Fast Facts For 2017" (PDF). Association of American Railroads. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  335. ^ "About Logan". Massachusetts Port Authority. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  336. ^ a b "About Massport". Massachusetts Port Authority. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  337. ^ "Public Use Airports Locations | Mass.gov". mass.gov.
  338. ^ "Mass Aeronautics". Archived from the original on May 5, 2008.
  339. ^ "About FAA". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  340. ^ "2018 Massachusetts Road Inventory Year End Report" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  341. ^ "Interstate 90". interstate-guide.com. AARoads. Archived from the original on January 25, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  342. ^ Montgomery, David; White, Josh (February 23, 2001). "128 Cars, Trucks Crash in Snow on I-95". The Washington Post. p. A1.
  343. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, pp. 283–284.
  344. ^ Levy, Leonard (1995). Seasoned Judgments: The American Constitution, Rights, and History. Transaction Publishers. p. 307. ISBN 978-1-4128-3382-0. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  345. ^ Kemp, Roger (2010). Documents of American Democracy. McFarland. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-7864-5674-1.
  346. ^ Murrin, John (2011). Liberty, Power, and Equality: A History. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-495-91587-4.
  347. ^ "Massachusetts Constitution". malegislature.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  348. ^ Hickey, Walter. "The Most Liberal States In America". Business Insider. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  349. ^ Gianoulis, Tina (October 13, 2005). "Noble, Elaine". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  350. ^ Cave, Damien (October 15, 2006). "Gerry Studds Dies at 69; First Openly Gay Congressman". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  351. ^ Belluck, Pam (April 4, 2006). "Massachusetts Set to Offer Universal Health Insurance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  352. ^ a b Martin, Michel; Bigby, Judy Ann (July 3, 2007). "Massachusetts Makes Health Insurance Mandatory". NPR. Archived from the original on January 22, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  353. ^ Shoichet, Catherine E. (May 9, 2019). "Florida is about to ban sanctuary cities. At least 11 other states have, too". CNN.
  354. ^ J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (December 15, 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517.
  355. ^ "Massachusetts Government Structure". budget.digital.mass.gov. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  356. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Massachusetts Facts: Politics". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
  357. ^ "Main Menu". Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  358. ^ "Office of the Attorney General". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  359. ^ "Departments". Office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  360. ^ "Office of the State Auditor". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  361. ^ "Number of Legislators and Length of Terms in Years". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  362. ^ "Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts" (PDF). US: United States Courts. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  363. ^ "Members of the 111th Congress". United States Senate. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  364. ^ "Directory of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  365. ^ "Distribution of 2004 and 2008 Electoral Votes". Electoral College. US: National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  366. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Electoral College. US: National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  367. ^ Brown & Tager 2000, p. 310.
  368. ^ Page, Susan; Lawrence, Jill (July 11, 2004). "Does 'Massachusetts liberal' label still matter?". USA Today. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  369. ^ "1980 Presidential General Election Results—Massachusetts". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  370. ^ "1984 Presidential General Election Results—Massachusetts". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  371. ^ "Massachusetts Presidential Election Voting History - 270toWin". 270toWin.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  372. ^ master, Por (October 12, 2022). "Capital of massachusetts –". Sinproeste (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  373. ^ "Members of the House of Representatives". Massachusetts House of Representatives. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  374. ^ "Members of the Senate". Massachusetts Senate. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  375. ^ Hudak, John (2014). Presidential pork: White House influence over the distribution of federal grants. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. p. 202. ISBN 978-0-8157-2520-6. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  376. ^ "Registration Statistics". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  377. ^ Leip, David. "General Election Results—Massachusetts". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  378. ^ Gordon, Meryl (January 14, 2002). "Weld at Heart". New York. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  379. ^ Vennochi, Joan (June 17, 2007). "Romney's liberal shadow". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  380. ^ "Mass. GOP Voters Like Trump More Than Their Republican Governors". wbur.org. March 2, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  381. ^ "Same-sex couples ready to make history in Massachusetts". CNN. May 17, 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  382. ^ "2008 Return of Votes Complete" (PDF). United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts, 2008. December 17, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 8, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  383. ^ "Massachusetts voters approve ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  384. ^ "Massachusetts issues first marijuana license". CommonWealth. June 21, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  385. ^ Rios, Simón (November 4, 2020). "Voters Say 'No' To Ranked-Choice Voting In Mass". WBUR. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  386. ^ "Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  387. ^ Romo, Vanessa (December 29, 2020). "Massachusetts Senate Overrides Veto, Passes Law Expanding Abortion Access". NPR. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  388. ^ Staff (February 24, 2023). "American Values Atlas: Approval of Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts". Public Religion Research Institute. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  389. ^ a b John Ouellette (September 19, 2023). "Local Government 101". Massachusetts Municipal Association.
  390. ^ a b "Information and Historical Data on Cities, Towns, and Counties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  391. ^ See Administrative divisions of Massachusetts#The city/town distinction.
  392. ^ "Quick Facts: Boston, Massachusetts". U.S. Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2019. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  393. ^ Thomas, G. Scott. "Boston's population stays flat, but still ranks as 11th-largest in U.S. (BBJ DataCenter)". American City Business Journals. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  394. ^ a b Sokolow 1997, pp. 293–6.
  395. ^ "Massachusetts Facts Part One: Concise Facts". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  396. ^ "Massachusetts Population by County". indexmundi.com. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  397. ^ "Middlesex County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  398. ^ "Massachusetts Government: County Government". League of Women Voters. December 9, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  399. ^ "Largest Cities by population". 2021 U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  400. ^ "Quick Facts: Plymouth town, Massachusetts". 2021 U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  401. ^ "History Museums". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. June 3, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  402. ^ "Walden Pond State Reservation". Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  403. ^ "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow". National Park Service. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  404. ^ "Details—Sunday—Massachusetts". Academy of American Poets. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  405. ^ a b "Miscellaneous Massachusetts Facts". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  406. ^ "Norman Rockewell Museum of Vermont". Norman Rockwell Museum of Vermont. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  407. ^ a b "Music". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  408. ^ "Mission | History". Archived from the original on February 7, 2019.
  409. ^ "About the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra". Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  410. ^ "Our History". Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  411. ^ "Arts". MA, US: Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  412. ^ Leddy, Charles 'Chuck' (January 10, 2008). "Rocking history lesson shows city was in a class by itself". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  413. ^ "Staind | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  414. ^ "Godsmack | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  415. ^ Race, Victoria (September 30, 2015). "Interview – Highly Suspect". Kryptonite Music Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  416. ^ "Film Festivals". MA, US: Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  417. ^ Butterfield, Fox (May 14, 1989). "The Perfect New England Town". The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  418. ^ Michael Lipka and Benjamin Wormald (February 29, 2016). "How religious is your state?". Pew research center. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  419. ^ "Museums". City of Boston. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  420. ^ "Art Museums". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  421. ^ "Places To Go". National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
  422. ^ "Black Heritage Trail". Museum of African American History. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  423. ^ "About Plimoth Plantation". Plimoth Plantation. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  424. ^ "Old Sturbridge Village". Old Sturbridge Village. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  425. ^ "UConn Poll: New Englanders & Regional Identity". news.uconn.edu. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  426. ^ Siddiqui, Faiz; Ellement, John R.; Finucane, Martin (July 2, 2014). "Boston plans to hold Fourth of July celebrations Thursday". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  427. ^ Kush, Bronislaus B. "Summer Nationals Weekend Revs Up". Worcester Telegram. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  428. ^ "A Spectator's Guide To The 2015 Boston Marathon". WBUR-FM. April 20, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  429. ^ "Southern New England". Appalachian Mountain Club. Archived from the original on August 3, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  430. ^ "Fishing & charters". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  431. ^ "Whale watching". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  432. ^ "Skiing/snowboarding". Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  433. ^ "Hunting". Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  434. ^ "10 Top Catholic Shrines in the U.S." February 15, 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  435. ^ "Nielson Media Research Local Universe Estimates (US)". 2005. Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  436. ^ "Springfield—Holyoke TV Channels". Station Index. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  437. ^ "WGBH—About Us". WGBH-TV. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  438. ^ "American Experience". WGBH-TV. Archived from the original on May 6, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  439. ^ "US Newspaper—Search Results (Massachusetts)". Audit Bureau of Circulations. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  440. ^ "FM Query Results (Massachusetts)". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  441. ^ "General". WZBC. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  442. ^ "About". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  443. ^ "About the BU Literary Society and Clarion". Boston University. Archived from the original on May 8, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  444. ^ "| About Us". County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  445. ^ "2015 Annual Report". America's Health Rankings. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  446. ^ The National Center for Biotechnology Information (2019). "Number of physicians in patient care per 100,000 resident population, by state: United States, 2018". Chartbook - Health, United States, 2019. National Institutes of Health: United States National Library of Medicine. Archived from the original (Web page) on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  447. ^ "Doctors per 100,000 Resident Population, 2007". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  448. ^ National Center for Health Statistics (February 16, 2022). "Massachusetts". Key Health Indicators. CDC. Retrieved June 19, 2022. All 2020 data are final. 2020 birth data come from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) via CDC WONDER; 2020 death data, including leading causes of death, firearm mortality, homicide, drug overdose mortality, and infant mortality, come from the NVSS via CDC WONDER and rankings and rates are based on 2020 age-adjusted death rates. For more information on age-adjustment, refer to this reportpdf icon. Where ranked, states are categorized from highest rate to lowest rate. Although adjusted for variations in age-distribution and population size, differences by state do not take into account other state specific population characteristics that may affect the level of the birth characteristic or mortality. When the number of deaths or births events is small, differences by state may be unreliable due to instability in rates. When the number of deaths is small, rankings by state may be unreliable due to instability in death rates.
  449. ^ "Infant Mortality Rate, 2006". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  450. ^ Kaiser Family Foundation (2022). "Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18, 2019". kff.org. San Francisco. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2022. For more current data using the Current Population Survey, see Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18 (CPS). The majority of KFF health coverage topics are based on analysis of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) by KFF. 2008-2019 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates includes a 1% sample of the US population and allows for precise state-level estimates. The ACS asks respondents about their health insurance coverage at the time of the survey. Respondents may report having more than one type of coverage; however, individuals are sorted into only one category of insurance coverage. See definitions on web page for more detail on coverage type.
  451. ^ Kaiser Family Foundation (September 21, 2021). "Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population (CPS)". kff.org. San Francisco. Retrieved June 19, 2022. For 2020, the majority of KFF health coverage topics are based on analysis of the Census Bureau's March Supplement to the Current Population Survey (the CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement or ASEC). Previously, KFF source for these data was the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS); however, release of the ACS data has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although health coverage and population estimates using ACS are still available for 2008-2019, the 2020 data from CPS cannot be compared to prior year estimates from ACS. Due to known data quality issues with the 2019 CPS ASEC data, which was collected in March 2020 just at the onset of the pandemic and experienced low response rates, KFF have chosen not to report the 2019 data. KFF provide trend data for 2016, 2018, and 2020 using the CPS.
  452. ^ "Persons With and Without Health Insurance Coverage by State: 2007" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  453. ^ Schoenberg, Shira (December 17, 2018). "Why do the rich live longer in Massachusetts? Data on life expectancy show gaps along income, racial lines". masslive.com. Advance Local Media. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  454. ^ "Here's how your life expectancy varies based on which state you're born in". Business Insider. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  455. ^ a b National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health (2015). "BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data" (Online). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta. Retrieved June 19, 2022. 2020 Weight classification by Body Mass Index (BMI) (variable calculated from one or more BRFSS questions) (Crude Prevalence)
  456. ^ Kanny, Dafna; Naimi, Timothy S.; Liu, Yong; Lu, Hua; Brewer, Robert D. (April 2018). "Annual total binge drinks consumed by US adults, 2015". American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 54 (4). PubMedCentral: 486–496. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2017.12.021. PMC 6075714. PMID 29555021.
  457. ^ "Booziest states in America: Who binge drinks most?". CBS News. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  458. ^ "The United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service". Journal of the American Medical Association. 43 (5): 326. July 30, 1904. doi:10.1001/jama.1904.92500050002. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  459. ^ "U.S. Marine Hospital". Chelsea Historical Society. Archived from the original on November 26, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  460. ^ "Massachusetts Hospitals: Directory". Massachusetts Hospital Association. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  461. ^ "U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014–15". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  462. ^ "Hospital Overview". Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  463. ^ "Facts and Figures: 2009–2010". Harvard Medical School. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  464. ^ "About Us". Boston University School of Medicine. Archived from the original on April 14, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  465. ^ Lemmon, Olivia. "UMass Chan Medical School partners with Studio Theatre Worcester for 'Next To Normal'". Spectrum News 1. Worcester. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  466. ^ "Campuses". MCPHS University. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  467. ^ "Celtics History—Championship Wins". National Basketball Association. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  468. ^ "MLB World Series Winners". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 1, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  469. ^ "Stanley Cup Winners". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  470. ^ "Super Bowl History". National Football League. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  471. ^ Butler, Dylan (December 6, 2020). "New England Revolution ownership committed to Boston-area home: "We want to build the stadium"". Major League Soccer. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  472. ^ a b "Springfield College: The Birthplace of Basketball". Springfieldcollege.edu. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  473. ^ a b c "The International Volleyball Hall of Fame". Volleyball.org. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  474. ^ "AHL Staff Directory". American Hockey League. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  475. ^ "College Football Teams (FBS and FCS)". ESPN. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  476. ^ "College Basketball Teams—Division I Teams". ESPN. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  477. ^ "NCAA Directory - Directory - Member Listing". web3.ncaa.org. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  478. ^ "Cornell Rowing Excels at Eastern Sprints". Cornell University. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  479. ^ "2009 U.S. Open—Past Champions". United States Golf Association. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  480. ^ "Deutsche Bank Championship". Professional Golfers' Association of America. Archived from the original on September 24, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  481. ^ "25 Olympians from Massachusetts". GoLocalWorcester. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  482. ^ "Ranking the Top 50 Athletes from Massachusetts". May 30, 2017.

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]

Overviews and surveys

[edit]

Secondary sources

[edit]
  • Abrams, Richard M. Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900–1912 (1964)
  • Adams, James Truslow. Revolutionary New England, 1691–1776 (1923)
  • Adams, James Truslow. New England in the Republic, 1776–1850 (1926)
  • Andrews, Charles M. The Fathers of New England: A Chronicle of the Puritan Commonwealths (1919), short survey
  • Conforti, Joseph A. Imagining New England: Explorations of Regional Identity from the Pilgrims to the Mid-Twentieth Century (2001)
  • Cumbler, John T. Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790–1930 (1930), environmental history
  • Fischer, David Hackett. Paul Revere's Ride (1994), 1775 in depth
  • Flagg, Charles Allcott, A Guide to Massachusetts local history, Salem : Salem Press Company, 1907.
  • Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions (1996)
  • Huthmacher, J. Joseph. Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919–1933 (1958)
  • Labaree, Benjamin Woods. Colonial Massachusetts: A History (1979)
  • Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783–1860 (1921)
  • Peirce, Neal R. The New England States: People, Politics, and Power in the Six New England States (1976), 1960–75 era
  • Porter, Susan L. Women of the Commonwealth: Work, Family, and Social Change in Nineteenth-Century Massachusetts (1996)
  • Sletcher, Michael. New England (2004).
  • Starkey, Marion L. The Devil in Massachusetts (1949), Salem witches
  • Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays (1985), ethnic groups
  • Zimmerman, Joseph F. The New England Town Meeting: Democracy in Action Archived November 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (1999)
[edit]
Preceded by List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union
Ratified Constitution on February 6, 1788 (6th)
Succeeded by

42°18′N 72°00′W / 42.3°N 72.0°W / 42.3; -72.0 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts)