Massachusetts The United States of America "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty) Carol A. Haberkern Boston I Save A Tree Electronic Books C 2003 I Save A Tree Inc. ISBN# 0-9714299-1-X
Table of Contents Location 5 History before statehood 7 History since statehood 9 State government 11 State flag 13 Current facts 15 Industry today 17 State landmarks 19 Weather and land 21 Animals in Massachusetts 23 State bird 25 State tree 27 State flower 29 Famous people from Massachusetts 31 Things to do in Massachusetts 33 Popular sports in Massachusetts 35 Fast facts 37 Glossary 39 Web sites / books for information 41 Index 43 Credits 45
Location Massachusetts is a northern and a New England state. It is located in the northeastern part of the United States. The state of New York is to its west. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean form the southern border. To the north are the states of Vermont and New Hampshire. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east of Massachusetts. Boston is the capital. It is located on the Charles River. Boston is in the northeastern part of the state. Boston 6
History Before Statehood Boston Tea Party The pilgrims arrived in a ship named the "Mayflower." They founded the Plymouth Colony in 1620. The Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to survive in the new land. After the fall harvest, they celebrated the first Thanksgiving together. Later, the Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Mayflower In 1773, colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to protest taxes. It became known as the Boston Tea Party. The "shot heard 'round the world" began the Revolutionary War in Concord on April 19, 1775.The colonies won the war. 8
History Since Statehood Union troops Massachusetts became the 6th state to join the Union in 1788. In 1814, a textile factory was built in Waltham. It was one of the first factories built in the U.S. Whaling became an important industry in New Bedford and Nantucket. Whales were killed for their oil to light lamps. In 1861, the Civil War began. Massachusetts fought against slavery. Local factories made many types of war supplies. In the 1950s and 60s, electronics and computers replaced textile factories. Research centers became an important industry. Lookouts on a whaling ship 10
Government Statecapitolbuilding The state government of Massachusetts is divided into three branches. GovernorMittRomneyis headoftheexecutivebranch. This branch is in charge of carrying out the laws. Thelegislative branch is called the GeneralCourt. The General Court makes the laws. It is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The judicial branch interprets thelawsand holds court. Massachusetts has 14 counties. Each county has a local government. Governor Mitt Romney 12
State Flag Massachusetts has a white flag. The state seal is in the center. A Native American with a bow and arrow is in the center of the seal. The arrow points down and stands for peace. The white star stands for Massachusetts, being one of the 13 original states. The state motto is written on the blue banner below the shield. The flag was adopted in 1915. 14
Current Facts Harvard Yard Boston cityscape Over 6,349,097 people live in Massachusetts. The state is ranked the 13th largest state for the number of people living in it. Massachusetts covers 7,838 square miles. It ranks 45th in total area. Massachusetts is home to many public and private colleges and universities. Some of the well known colleges are Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Holy Cross, Tufts, Boston College, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. 16
Industry Today Fishing boats The service field is the biggest industry in Massachusetts. This includes medical research centers, hospitals, banks and insurance companies. The state also makes billions of dollars from tourists. Factories make textiles, computers, paper and shoes. Computer assembly Chemicals and cars are also made in Massachusetts. Half of the cranberries that are grown in the United States come from Massachusetts. Farms also raise beef and dairy cattle. Large fishing fleets catch flounder, cod and scallops in the coastal waters. 18
Landmarks USS Constitution Historical landmarks include The Old Sturbridge Village, the Minute Man National Historical Park and the Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth. Boston has many places of interest, such as Old North Church, Old State House, Faneuil Hall, the USS Constitution and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Walden Pond is where Henry David Thoreau lived for two years writing the book On Walden Pond. Walden Pond 20
Weather & Land Fawn in the winter Massachusetts is warmer on the eastern side of the state. The western side gets quite cold. It also receives more rain and snow. Summer temperatures average 71 Fahrenheit, with winter temperatures averaging 25. The average precipitation is 45 inches. Massachusetts has mountains, hills and flat sandy land. Several islands are located off of the coast. A large valley lies in the middle of the state. Massachusetts has many rivers and lakes. Fall colors 22
Animals In Massachusetts Pheasant The Morgan horse was named the state animal in 1970. The breed was named after a sturdy stallion born in West Springfield in 1789. The white-tailed deer is the largest animal in the state. Small animals include rabbits, woodchucks, foxes and squirrels. Gulls, terns and wading birds live along the coast. Game birds like pheasant and partridge live in the fields and forests. Morgan horse 24
State Bird Chickadee The chickadee (Parus atricapillus) was named the state bird in 1941. Chickadees are fun to watch. They can hang upside down on a tree branch. They move very quickly. These little birds have black caps and white cheeks. The chickadees are friendly birds. They are called chickadees because their song sounds like "chickadeedee-dee." Chickadee 26
State Tree Sapling The American elm (Ulmus americana) was named the state tree in 1941. George Washington stood under an American elm when he took command of the army during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). The elm is a large spreading tree.the leaves are oval and dark green, turning to yellow in the autumn. The bark is gray and rough. The wood is very strong. It is used to make furniture. Many elm trees were killed by Dutch elm disease. New sprouts 28
State Flower White mayflower The mayflower (Epigaea regens), or trailing arbutus, was named the state flower of Massachusetts in 1918. The mayflower blooms in the early spring. The fragrant flowers grow in clusters and look like stars. The flowers can be pink or white. Some people think that the pilgrims named this flower after their ship the "Mayflower." The plant grows in the woods, preferring sandy or rocky soil, under or near evergreens. Because there areonlyafew remaining, it is illegal to disturb them. Pink mayflower 30
Famous People Ben Franklin Theodore Seuss Geisel, author of The Cat in the Hat,wasbornin Springfield. He is better known as Dr. Seuss. Other writers include Emily Dickinson, Anne Sexton and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Revolutionary War figures John and Samuel Adams and Paul Revere called Massachusetts home. Five U.S. Presidents lived in Massachusetts: John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush, John Adams, Calvin Coolidge and John Quincy Adams. The famous inventor, author and statesman Benjamin Franklin came from Boston. Dr. Seuss monument 32
Things to Do In Massachusetts Salem Witch Museum Boston has much to offer Revolutionary War buffs with its numerous museums and historical sites. In Salem, visitors can learn more about the witchcraft trials at the Witch Dungeon Museum. Cape Cod has summer theaters and an artists' colony at Provincetown. Tanglewood, in the Berkshire Mountains, is the site of summer concerts of the Boston Symphony. Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are islands that cater to visitors while offering a glimpse of the state's seafaring past. Boston Symphony 34
Sports In Massachusetts Rock climbing Fans enjoy four professional sports teams. They are basketball's Boston Celtics, baseball's Boston Red Sox, football's New England Patriots and hockey's Boston Bruins. Many other sports are enjoyed in Massachusetts. The summer offers swimming, sailing, biking, canoeing and rowing. Popular mountain sports include hiking, climbing and mountain-bike riding. Winter sports include ice skating, skiing, sledding and ice fishing. Kayaking 36
Coastline Fast Facts Governor: Mitt Romney Capital: Boston Size: 7,838 square miles, 45th in the U.S. Population: 6,349,097, 13th in the U.S. Major cities: Boston,Worchester, Springfield, Lowell, Cambridge. Nickname: "Bay State" State bird: chickadee State animal: Morgan horse State tree: American elm State flower: mayflower State song: "All Hail to Massachusetts" State motto: "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.) White-tail deer 38
Glossary buff, a person who is interested in a subject. clusters, something that grows close together. disease, an abnormal condition that interferes with normal functions. game birds, birds that people hunt for sport. harvest, to bring in the crops when they are ripe. Pilgrims, a group of people who left England so that they could worship freely. Puritans, a group of people who had a strict way of living and had plain church services. research, to study a subject. sturdy, strongly built. witchcraft, a person using the powers of a witch. 40
Links & Books For more information Link1 Link2 Link3 TITLE: The Colony of Massachusetts AUTHOR: Susan Whitehurst PUBLISHER: PowerKids Press COPYRIGHT: 2000 TITLE: The Plymouth Colony AUTHOR: Andrew Santella PUBLISHER: Compass Point Books COPYRIGHT: 2001 TITLE: Massachusetts AUTHOR: Paul Joseph PUBLISHER: ABDO & Daughters COPYRIGHT: 1998 Visit our website @ www.isaveatree.com 42
Index Boston, 5, 8, 32, 33, 35 Boston Tea Party, 8 Bush, George H.W., 32 chickadee, 25,26 Civil War, 10 elm, 27, 28 Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 31 horse, Morgan, 23 Kennedy, John F., 32 mayflower, 7, 29, 30 Nantucket, 5, 9 Native Americans, 7, 13 Pilgrims, 7, 29 Puritans, 7 Seuss, Dr., 31 Romney, Mitt, 11 textiles, 9, 10, 17 Thanksgiving, 7 44
Credits Written by Carol A. Haberkern Edited by Linda Coyner Produced by Robert Rance Technologies Doug Meyers Design Dan Mader Photo credits Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources www.arttoday.com I Save A Tree Inc. reserves the right to remove or exchange any photo/illustration at any time without notice. 46