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Massachusetts

Capital	Boston
Population	6,349,097 Source: U.S. Census Bureau GCT-PH1-R. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density (geographies ranked by total population): 2000 Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
Governor	Deval Patrick (D, to January 2011)
Entered the Union	Feb. 6, 1788 as the 6th state
Motto	Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
Nickname	Bay State, Old Colony state
Flower	Mayflower
Bird	Chickadee
Song	All Hail to Massachusetts
Professional Sports Teams (sports listing policy)	Boston Celtics(Basketball); New England Patriots(Football); Boston Red Sox(Baseball); Boston Bruins(Hockey); New England Revolution (Soccer)
Origin of Name	From two Indian words meaning "Great Mountain Place"
Major Industries	Health Care, tourism, education, finance, insurance, farming, fishing
Historical Sites	Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston's National Historical Park, Old State House(Boston), Old South Meeting House(Boston), Bunker Hill Monument(Boston), Old North Churc h(Boston), Paul Revere's House(Boston), Charlestown Navy Yard
Points of Interest	Cape Cod, USS Constitution, and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
Bordering States	Massachusetts borders Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
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Follow these links to read articles about Massachusetts from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:

• Britannica Online Encyclopedia
• Columbia Encyclopedia
• Information Please Almanac

• Mass.gov: the Official Web Site of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  http://www.mass.gov/
  This is the official website for the State of Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
  http://mblc.state.ma.us/index.php
  Here is the homepage for the Massachusetts State Library Agency.
• The Massachusetts Historical Society
  http://www.masshist.org/
  Here is the homepage for the Massachusetts State Historical Society.
• Massachusetts Commonwealth Museum
  http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mus/museum/index.htm
  Here is the homepage for the Massachusetts State Museum.
• Massachusetts Archives
  http://www.state.ma.us/sec/arc/arcidx.htm
  Here is the homepage for the Massachusetts State Archives.
• MassParks
  http://www.state.ma.us/dem/forparks.htm
  Here is the homepage for Massachusetts State Parks.
• Massvacation.com
  http://www.mass-vacation.com/
  Here is the official state travel and tourism website for Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts Kids' Zone
  http://www.state.ma.us/sec/cis/ciskid/kididx.htm
  Here is the state's official page for kids with special information about history, government, and Massachusetts quick facts.

• 50states.com: Massachusetts
  http://www.50states.com/massachu.htm
  The site provides a wealth of information about Massachusetts. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate.
• Things To Do in Massachusetts
  http://www.thingstodo.com/states/MA/index.htm
  ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about entertainment, recreation, and travel in Massachusetts and includes the state's interesting facts, famous people, and special events.
• Roadside America: Massachusetts Attractions
  http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ma.html
  Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of "weird sites along the highway" in Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts Tourist Information
  http://www.masstourist.com/
  This online travel guide includes a sight seeing link detailing special attractions for the Boston area and the entire state. Check out the specific page for Cape Cod and Islands.
• FedStats: MapStat: United States: Massachusetts
  http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/25000.html
  Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on "economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more" in Massachusetts.

• Massachusetts' state tree is the American elm, state bird is the Chickadee, state beverage is Cranberry juice, state insect is the Ladybu g, and state muffin is the corn muffin.
• Massachusetts produces the nation's largest cranberry crop. Other products produced are dairy and poultry products, nursery and greenhouse produce, vegetables, and fruit.
• Massachusetts is home to 65 public and private colleges and universities. Some of the well-known ones are Harvard, MIT, Holy Cross, Tufts, Boston College, Boston University, and the University of Massachusetts.
• The first American public library was founded in Boston in 1653.
• The African Meeting House on Joy Street in Boston was the first church built by free blacks, 1806.

• Presidents from Massachusetts with links to the IPL's POTUS (Presidents of the United States) page:
  
  • John Adams(1735 - 1826), 2nd president of the United States.
  • John Quincy Adams(1767 - 1848), 6th president of the United States.
  • John F. Kennedy(1917-1963), 35th president of the United States.
  • George H. W. Bush(1924- ), 41st president of the United States.
• Samuel Adams (1722 - 1803), American Revolutionary patriot and statesman, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and governor of Massachusetts.
• Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), poet.
• Benjamin Franklin, (1706 - 1790), printer, author, philosopher, diplomat, scientist, and inventor.
• John Hancock (1737 - 1793), merchant, statesman, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, and first governor of the state of Massachusetts.
• Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864), novelist.
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), poet.
• Paul Revere (1735 - 1818), silversmith and patriot.
• Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862), essayist, naturalist, and philosopher.