MASSACHUSETTS
State Information
Nickname(s): The Bay State
Motto(s): By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
State song(s): All Hail to Massachusetts
Capital & Largest City Boston
Admitted to US 2/6/1788 6th State
Brief History
Here are a few interesting facts about Massachusetts:
It is the home of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Four presidents came from here: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F Kennedy, and George H W Bush.
The pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621.
Many say that Boston clam chowder is the best.
Massachusetts has the second highest income and hourly rate in the Nation.
The ship USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, became famous during the War of 1812. It is anchored in Boston Harbor.
Numerous famous people come from here: Benjamin Franklin (Founding Father), Samuel Morse (inventor), Paul Revere (colonialist), Norman Rockwell (painter), Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Seuss (writer), Henry David Thoreau (poet), Eli Whitney (inventor), Matt Damon (actor), Jack Lemmon (actor), Mark Wahlberg (actor), and many others.
Interesting Stories
George Minot was born in Boston. His great great grandfather was the co-founder of Massachusetts General Hospital. He graduated from Harvard Medical School and became a medical doctor. At 35, Dr. Minot came down with diabetes mellitus, a fatal disease. But he hung in there, and insulin was discovered, curing his condition. Working tirelessly, Dr. Minot found a treatment for pernicious anemia, a terminal disease, and was awarded the Nobel Prize. One miracle can produce another.
Boston Tea Party. England had a taste for tea, becoming popular in the American colonies. Parliament passed a law that the colonies had to purchase tea from England rather than the Dutch, who could supply tea at a much lower cost. Large-scale smuggling occurred, causing Parliament to pass a tax on the colonists. This caused an uproar, and a group of around 130 men jumped onto three British vessels and dumped their tea into the bay. One thing led to another, and the Revolutionary War began a year later. This shows what 130 Bostonians can do when they get mad.
Mark Wahlberg was born in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. He was the youngest of nine siblings. He had a rough childhood, finding himself in front of a judge several times. His younger brother made it big in the music industry and encouraged Mark to try it. But Mark found acting more lucrative and soon became the number one box-office draw. Wisely has turned his movie profits into several successful businesses worth over 250 million.