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Moving to Massachusetts

Massachusetts became the 6^th state on Feb 6^th 1788. Massachusetts is often called the "Bay State" due to its proximity to many large bays.

Origin of state's name: The name Massachusetts comes from an old Indian word for "a large hilly place".

Capital City: The capital of Massachusetts is Boston and the state is surrounded by several other states including Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and the North Atlantic. The state has about 200 mile of coastline.

Population: The states population is in excess of 6.3 million people based on the 2000 census.

Driving

Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, Driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles website.

http://www.state.ma.us/rmv/dmanual/index.htm

Economy: The state has some coastline so fishing and seafood are drivers of the economy as is dairy and vegetable production. Heavy machinery production, chemical and electronics production also play a large role in maintaining the economy.

State Flower: The state flower is the Mayflower or Epigaea regens often called the mountain or water pink due to the fragrant whitish pink flowers it produces in spring time.

State Bird: The state bird is the Chickadee or Black Cap Titmouse and this is also the sate bird of Maine. This bird is robust, restless and very industrious.

State Song: The state song written by AJ Marsh is "All hail to Massachusetts" is a tribute to this great state.

State Motto: "By the sword we seek peace but for peace only under liberty"

Massachusetts – Interesting Facts

• The Boston Tea Party takes place every year on Dec 6^th in Boston Harbor.
• Massachusetts has a holiday all of its own on the third Monday in April called Patriot day.
• Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated in Massachusetts in the town of Plymouth 1621
• Massachusetts has an official state dessert, the Boston cream pie.
• Nabisco the famous cookie makers owe the name of their Fig Newton cookie to a town in Massachusetts called Newton.
• Boston has the first subway system which was built late in the 19^th century.
• Harvard was the first college in North America.

Massachusetts- Famous People

The state of Massachusetts has been home to many famous people including actors, athletes, entertainers, politicians and authors. The most famous of all are perhaps the 4 US presidents who were born in the state.

John Adams 1797-1801, 2^nd US president,

John Quincy Adams 1825-1829, 6^th US president

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961- 1963, 35^th US president

George Herbert Walker Bush, 1989- 1993, 41^st US president

Also born in this great state were the actors, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg and the founder of the Red Cross, Clara Barton