Massachusetts
Incorporated 1775
Co-ordinates 42.3°N 71.8°W
Massachusetts is the 7th least extensive, but the 14th most populous and the 3rd most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state features three separate metropolitan areas: Greater Boston in the east - which also includes all of Rhode Island - and the Springfield and Pittsfield metropolitan areas in the west.
Massachusetts has played a significant historical, cultural, and commercial role in American history. Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims, passengers of the Mayflower. Harvard University, founded in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. In 1692, the towns surrounding Salem experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem Witch Trials. Originally dependent on fishing, agriculture, and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. In the 21st century, Massachusetts is a leader in higher education, health care technology, high technology, and financial services (Full article...)