Place:Massachusetts, United States

NameMassachusetts
Alt namesMAsource: Webster's Geographical Dictionary (1988) p 1256
Mass
The Commonwealth of Massachusettssource: Wikipedia
Massachusetts Bay Colonysource: Pre-Revolution
Masssource: abbreviation
Massachusetssource: common misspelling
Massachusettessource: common misspelling
Massachussetssource: common misspelling
Massachuesettssource: common misspelling
Massachusetts Baysource: Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colonysource: Massachusetts Bay Colony
TypeState
Coordinates42.25°N 71.833°W
Located inUnited States     (1788 - )
Also located inNew England, United States     (1788 - )
Contained Places
County
Barnstable ( 1685 - )
Berkshire ( 1760 - )
Bristol ( 1685 - )
Dukes ( 1695 - )
Essex ( 1643 - )
Franklin ( 1811 - )
Hampden ( 1812 - )
Hampshire ( 1662 - )
Middlesex ( 1643 - )
Nantucket ( 1695 - )
Norfolk ( 1793 - )
Plymouth ( 1685 - )
Suffolk ( 1643 - )
Worcester ( 1731 - )
Inhabited place
Leeds
North Chelmsford
South Attleboro
Unknown
Sudbury River Aqueduct ( 1800 - 1930 )
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog

For general information about Massachusetts, visit its wikipedia page.

Contents

History

Massachusetts has been significant throughout American history. Plymouth was the second permanent English settlement in North America. Many of Massachusetts' towns were founded by colonists from England during what was called the Great Migration in the 1620s and 1630s.

During the eighteenth century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution and the independence of the United States from Great Britain.

In the late eighteenth century, Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to abolish slavery. Also, it was a center of the temperance movement and abolitionist activity before the American Civil War.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage.

The state has contributed many prominent politicians to national service, including the Adams family and, more recently, the Kennedy family.

For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Massachusetts.
See also Source:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990

Timeline

YearEventSource
1775Battles of Lexington and ConcordSource:Wikipedia
1780John Hancock becomes Governor of MassachusettsSource:Wikipedia
1786Shays RebellionSource:Wikipedia
1788Massachusett becomes 6th state to ratify United States ConstitutionSource:Wikipedia
1790Massachusetts first censusSource:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990
1820The secession (from Massachusetts) and formation of the state of Maine as the 23rd state occurred on March 15, 1820 as part of the Missouri CompromiseSource:Wikipedia

Research Tips

Massachusetts was one of the 13 original States. Maine was legally part of Massachusetts from early Colonial times, although geographically separated; Maine became a separate State in 1820, leaving Massachusetts with nearly its present boundaries. A long-standing border dispute with Rhode Island was finally settled with a sizable exchange of territory in 1862. Census coverage included all of Massachusetts from 1790 on. The counties comprising Maine were reported separately in 1790-1810.. Totals for 1790-1810 do not include counties comprising Maine, reported separately (population 96,540 in 1790, 151,719 in 1800, 228,705 in 1810). Total for 1890 includes 4 Indians in prison, not reported by county.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths

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Research Guides

Map of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Showing Counties, Cities and Towns

Massachusetts Map updated 21 November 2011

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Massachusetts. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with WeRelate, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.