Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a state in the northeastern United States. It is part of a region called New England. The state is small but full of history. Its capital is Boston. Massachusetts was one of the first 13 states of the country.

History and the Pilgrims

In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived on a ship called the Mayflower. They landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and started one of the first English towns in America. They had the first Thanksgiving meal with the Wampanoag people. Later, the American Revolution began near Boston in 1775. The Boston Tea Party happened here, too.

Modern Massachusetts

Today, Boston is a busy city with many colleges and universities. Harvard University, one of the oldest schools in the country, is nearby in Cambridge. Massachusetts has sandy beaches on Cape Cod and pretty islands like Martha's Vineyard. The state loves its sports teams, like the Red Sox baseball team.

Fun Facts

• The state bird of Massachusetts is the black-capped chickadee.
• The first public school in America opened in Boston in 1635.
• Basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891.

Did You Know?

The first American subway system opened in Boston in 1897, long before any other city in the country had one.