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history
The STATE FLAG is white, bearing on both sides a representation of the coat of arms (except that the five- pointed star is white instead of silver). It was adopted in its final form in 1971; before that, the obverse side depicted a pine tree.
On a white field is a blue shield emblazoned with the image of a Native American, Massachuset. He holds a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. The arrow is pointing downward representing peace. The white star represents Massachusetts as one of the original thirteen states. Around the shield is a blue ribbon with the motto: " By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty". Above the shield is a arm and sword, representing the first part of the motto.
On a white field is a blue shield emblazoned with the image of a Native American, Massachuset. He holds a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. The arrow is pointing downward representing peace. The white star represents Massachusetts as one of the original thirteen states. Around the shield is a blue ribbon with the motto: " By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty". Above the shield is a arm and sword, representing the first part of the motto.
Nickname: The Bay State.
Capital: Boston.
Constitution: The 6th State.
Statehood: February 6th 1788.
Motto: Motto: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietam - By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
History:
American Indians, including members of the Algonquian tribes, lived in the Massachusetts region before Europeans settled in the area. The first Europeans to reach Massachusetts were probably Vikings led by Leif Ericson in about the year 1000. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold of England landed on Cuttyhunk Island in the Elizabeth Islands. He gave Cape Cod its name. In 1605 and 1606, Samuel de Champlain of France drew maps of the New England shoreline. John Smith, an English sea captain, sailed along the Massachusetts coast in 1614 and wrote A Description of New England. The first permanent European settlers in Massachusetts were Pilgrims and Puritans, two English groups seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. The Pilgrim Fathers sailed to America in 1620, in the Mayflower. They celebrated the first New England Thanksgiving Day in 1621.
The first group of Puritans landed in Massachusetts in 1630. They were led by John Winthrop, an English lawyer. The group joined a settlement at Salem, but soon left to found a settlement near present-day Boston, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1631, Harvard College, the first college in the American British colonies, was established at Newtowne (later Cambridge). In 1641, the colony's first set of laws was set down in a document called the Body of Liberties.
In 1675, King Philip became chief of the area's Wampanoag Indian tribe. Fearing that European settlement would result in the loss of Indian lives and homelands, he rose up against the colonists in a struggle that became known as King Philip's War. The colonists defeated the Indians in 1678, but only after many lives had been lost on both sides.
The Seven Years War (1756-1763) left Britain in debt, and taxes were placed on the American colonies. The colonists resisted what they saw as taxation without representation, and tensions grew between the colonists and the Crown. In 1770, British soldiers killed several colonists in an incident involving a crowd of several hundred protestors in Boston. The event became known as the Boston Massacre.
In 1773, colonists staged the Boston Tea Party, in which they dumped British tea into Boston Harbour to protest against a tea tax. The American Revolution began with battles at Lexington and Concord. Much of the early fighting took place on Massachusetts soil. Massachusetts became the sixth U.S. state when it ratified (approved) the constitution in 1788.
During World War II (1939-1945), Massachusetts produced huge quantities of war materials. In the 1950's and 1960's, many industries in the state moved into space and rocket research and the production of electronics equipment.
Also during the 1950's and 1960's, the Kennedy family of Brookline became powerful in state and U.S. national politics. John F. Kennedy served as president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. His brother, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968. The youngest Kennedy brother, Edward Kennedy, served as a U.S. senator for Massachusetts from 1962.
After the 1970's, the Massachusetts economy steadily improved. During the mid-1980's, the state had one of the lowest U.S. unemployment rates.
Bird:
The BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (Penthestes atricapillus) was adopted as the official State Bird by the Massachusetts Legislature on March 21, 1941. It is also known as the titmouse, tomtit, and the dickybird, and it is one of the most familiar of the North American birds. It is from four to five inches in size, its tail accounting for nearly half its length. The general colouring is ashy-grey, the back having a brownish tinge; the crown, nape, chin, and throat are black, and the cheeks white. It nests in a stump, tree, or fence post close to the ground, and broods twice a year. It is a cheerful bird and has a pleasing call: "Chick-adee-dee-dee".
Economy:
Agriculture: Seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, cranberries, vegetables.
Industry: Machinery, electric equipment, scientific instruments, printing and publishing, tourism.
Flower:
The MAYFLOWER (Epigaea regens), also commonly known as the ground laurel or trailing arbutus, has ovate hairy leaves and fragrant, pink or white, spring-blooming flowers with five petals. It grows in woods, preferring sandy or rocky soil, under or near evergreens. It was adopted as the official flower of the Commonwealth by the General Court on May 1, 1918. Unfortunately, since 1925 it has been on the endangered list.
Nickname:
The BAY STATE or the OLD BAY STATE is the nickname most commonly attached to Massachusetts. She is also occasionally referred to as the Old Colony State, the Puritan State, and the Baked Bean State.
Origin of state's name:
MASSACHUSETTS takes its name from the Massachusett tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the Great Blue Hill region, south of Boston. The Indian term supposedly means "at or about the Great Hill".
Seal:
The STATE SEAL, adopted by Governor John Hancock and the Council on December 13, 1780 and made official by the General Court on June 4, 1885, is circular and bears a representation of the arms of the Commonwealth encircled with the words, "Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis" (Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts). The final form of the seal was determined by a statewide contest.
The arms, according to legislative enactment, consist of "a shield having a blue field or surface with an Indian thereon, dressed in a shirt and moccasins, holding in his right hand a bow, and in his left hand an arrow, point downward, all of gold; and, in the upper corner of the field, above his right arm, a silver star with five points. The crest is a wreath of blue and gold, on which in gold is a right arm, bent at the elbow, clothed and ruffled, with the hand grasping a broadsword". The shield's shape is called "Plantagenet"; the Native American model used was of the Algonquin nation; the arrow points downward to indicate that the Indian is peaceful; and the star indicates that Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen states; it was sixth. The sword illustrates the Latin motto that is written in gold on a blue ribbon around the bottom of the shield: "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem". This is the second of two lines written about 1659 by Algernon Sydney, English soldier and politician, in the Book of Mottoes in the King's Library in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was adopted in 1775 by the Provincial Congress and means, "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty".
Tree:
The AMERICAN ELM (Ulmus Americana) was adopted as the official tree March 21, 1941, to commemorate the fact that General George Washington took command of the Continental Army beneath one on Cambridge Common in 1775. It is a large tree, with grey flaky bark. When growing in the forest it often attains a height of 120 feet, but in the open it is wide-spreading and of lesser height. The leaves are oval, and dark green, turning to a clear yellow in the autumn. The American Elm, like most elms, has been severely afflicted by Elm Disease.
American Indians, including members of the Algonquian tribes, lived in the Massachusetts region before Europeans settled in the area. The first Europeans to reach Massachusetts were probably Vikings led by Leif Ericson in about the year 1000. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold of England landed on Cuttyhunk Island in the Elizabeth Islands. He gave Cape Cod its name. In 1605 and 1606, Samuel de Champlain of France drew maps of the New England shoreline. John Smith, an English sea captain, sailed along the Massachusetts coast in 1614 and wrote A Description of New England. The first permanent European settlers in Massachusetts were Pilgrims and Puritans, two English groups seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. The Pilgrim Fathers sailed to America in 1620, in the Mayflower. They celebrated the first New England Thanksgiving Day in 1621.
The first group of Puritans landed in Massachusetts in 1630. They were led by John Winthrop, an English lawyer. The group joined a settlement at Salem, but soon left to found a settlement near present-day Boston, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1631, Harvard College, the first college in the American British colonies, was established at Newtowne (later Cambridge). In 1641, the colony's first set of laws was set down in a document called the Body of Liberties.
In 1675, King Philip became chief of the area's Wampanoag Indian tribe. Fearing that European settlement would result in the loss of Indian lives and homelands, he rose up against the colonists in a struggle that became known as King Philip's War. The colonists defeated the Indians in 1678, but only after many lives had been lost on both sides.
The Seven Years War (1756-1763) left Britain in debt, and taxes were placed on the American colonies. The colonists resisted what they saw as taxation without representation, and tensions grew between the colonists and the Crown. In 1770, British soldiers killed several colonists in an incident involving a crowd of several hundred protestors in Boston. The event became known as the Boston Massacre.
In 1773, colonists staged the Boston Tea Party, in which they dumped British tea into Boston Harbour to protest against a tea tax. The American Revolution began with battles at Lexington and Concord. Much of the early fighting took place on Massachusetts soil. Massachusetts became the sixth U.S. state when it ratified (approved) the constitution in 1788.
During World War II (1939-1945), Massachusetts produced huge quantities of war materials. In the 1950's and 1960's, many industries in the state moved into space and rocket research and the production of electronics equipment.
Also during the 1950's and 1960's, the Kennedy family of Brookline became powerful in state and U.S. national politics. John F. Kennedy served as president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. His brother, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968. The youngest Kennedy brother, Edward Kennedy, served as a U.S. senator for Massachusetts from 1962.
After the 1970's, the Massachusetts economy steadily improved. During the mid-1980's, the state had one of the lowest U.S. unemployment rates.
Bird:
The BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (Penthestes atricapillus) was adopted as the official State Bird by the Massachusetts Legislature on March 21, 1941. It is also known as the titmouse, tomtit, and the dickybird, and it is one of the most familiar of the North American birds. It is from four to five inches in size, its tail accounting for nearly half its length. The general colouring is ashy-grey, the back having a brownish tinge; the crown, nape, chin, and throat are black, and the cheeks white. It nests in a stump, tree, or fence post close to the ground, and broods twice a year. It is a cheerful bird and has a pleasing call: "Chick-adee-dee-dee".
Economy:
Agriculture: Seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, cranberries, vegetables.
Industry: Machinery, electric equipment, scientific instruments, printing and publishing, tourism.
Flower:
The MAYFLOWER (Epigaea regens), also commonly known as the ground laurel or trailing arbutus, has ovate hairy leaves and fragrant, pink or white, spring-blooming flowers with five petals. It grows in woods, preferring sandy or rocky soil, under or near evergreens. It was adopted as the official flower of the Commonwealth by the General Court on May 1, 1918. Unfortunately, since 1925 it has been on the endangered list.
Nickname:
The BAY STATE or the OLD BAY STATE is the nickname most commonly attached to Massachusetts. She is also occasionally referred to as the Old Colony State, the Puritan State, and the Baked Bean State.
Origin of state's name:
MASSACHUSETTS takes its name from the Massachusett tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the Great Blue Hill region, south of Boston. The Indian term supposedly means "at or about the Great Hill".
Seal:
The STATE SEAL, adopted by Governor John Hancock and the Council on December 13, 1780 and made official by the General Court on June 4, 1885, is circular and bears a representation of the arms of the Commonwealth encircled with the words, "Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis" (Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts). The final form of the seal was determined by a statewide contest.
The arms, according to legislative enactment, consist of "a shield having a blue field or surface with an Indian thereon, dressed in a shirt and moccasins, holding in his right hand a bow, and in his left hand an arrow, point downward, all of gold; and, in the upper corner of the field, above his right arm, a silver star with five points. The crest is a wreath of blue and gold, on which in gold is a right arm, bent at the elbow, clothed and ruffled, with the hand grasping a broadsword". The shield's shape is called "Plantagenet"; the Native American model used was of the Algonquin nation; the arrow points downward to indicate that the Indian is peaceful; and the star indicates that Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen states; it was sixth. The sword illustrates the Latin motto that is written in gold on a blue ribbon around the bottom of the shield: "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem". This is the second of two lines written about 1659 by Algernon Sydney, English soldier and politician, in the Book of Mottoes in the King's Library in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was adopted in 1775 by the Provincial Congress and means, "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty".
Tree:
The AMERICAN ELM (Ulmus Americana) was adopted as the official tree March 21, 1941, to commemorate the fact that General George Washington took command of the Continental Army beneath one on Cambridge Common in 1775. It is a large tree, with grey flaky bark. When growing in the forest it often attains a height of 120 feet, but in the open it is wide-spreading and of lesser height. The leaves are oval, and dark green, turning to a clear yellow in the autumn. The American Elm, like most elms, has been severely afflicted by Elm Disease.