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[[Image:Massachusetts_State_Flag.gif|thumb|right|The state flag of Massachusetts.]]

[[Image:Massachusetts_State_Flag.gif|thumb|right|The state flag of Massachusetts.]]

The '''Commonwealth of Massachusetts''' is a [[state]] in the [[New England]] region of the northeastern [[United States]].  Its capital city is [[Boston]]. Massachusetts became a state on February 6, 1788. The name is derived from the indigenous population, the "[[Massachusett]]".  It is one of four states officially known as "[[commonwealth]]s"; there are no practical differences between a "commonwealth" and a "state."<ref>The other three are Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky. An example of a state which really ''is'' legally different from the others is Louisiana; Louisiana state law is based on the French Napoleonic Code. The other forty-nine states (including the four "commonwealths") derived their state laws from English common law.</ref>

The '''Commonwealth of Massachusetts''' is a [[state]] in the [[New England]] region of the northeastern [[United States]].  Its capital city is [[Boston]]. Massachusetts became a state on February 6, 1788. The name is derived from the indigenous population, the "[[Massachusett]]".  It is one of four states officially known as "[[commonwealth]]s"; there are no practical differences between a "commonwealth" and a "state".<ref>The other three are Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky. An example of a state which really ''is'' legally different from the others is Louisiana; Louisiana state law is based on the French Napoleonic Code. The other forty-nine states (including the four "commonwealths") derived their state laws from English common law.</ref>

==History==

==History==

Massachusetts was first settled by the [[Pilgrims]] who emigrated from [[England]] on the ''[[Mayflower]]'' in 1620 and founded a settlement at [[Plymouth Colony|Plymouth]], and later the [[Puritans]], who founded the "Massachusetts Bay Colony".  Both groups came to America seeking religious freedom.  It was also a major center of the [[American Revolution]], as events such as the [[Boston Massacre]] and [[Boston Tea Party]] helped to create a desire for national independence among the colonists.  The first battle of the war was fought mainly in the towns of [[Lexington]] and [[Concord]].  Shortly after the war ended, the western part of the state was marked by [[Shays' Rebellion]], a major factor leading to the [[Constitutional Convention]] in 1787.  Massachusetts was also the first state to abolish slavery in 1783.

Massachusetts was first settled by the [[Pilgrims]] who emigrated from [[England]] on the ''[[Mayflower]]'' in 1620 and founded a settlement at [[Plymouth Colony|Plymouth]], and later the [[Puritans]], who founded the "Massachusetts Bay Colony".  Both groups came to America seeking religious freedom.  It was also a major center of the [[American Revolution]], as events such as the [[Boston Massacre]] and [[Boston Tea Party]] helped to create a desire for national independence among the colonists.  The first battle of the war was fought mainly in the towns of [[Lexington]] and [[Concord]].  Shortly after the war ended, the western part of the state was marked by [[Shays' Rebellion]], a major factor leading to the [[Constitutional Convention]] in 1787.  Massachusetts was also the first state to abolish slavery in 1783.

==Politics==

==Politics==

Although once a bastion of social conservatism (the term "Banned in Boston" is still in widespread use) Massachusetts is known as one of the most liberal states in the Union, being the most populous state to have all-Democratic congressional representation.  It is called Taxachusetts because of its high tax rate.  Its current senators are [[John Kerry]] (who unsuccessfully ran for [[President]] in 2004) and [[Ted Kennedy]].  Massachusetts was the first (and so far only) state to legalize [[same-sex marriage]].  Although governed by a succession of Republican governors in the 1990s and 2000s ([[William Weld]], [[Paul Cellucci]], [[Jane Swift]] and [[Mitt Romney]]), they have generally been among the most liberal Republican governors in the country.

The current governor, elected in 2006 over Republican and former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Murphy Healey,<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/governor/patrick/</ref> is Devel L. Patrick, who was the first Democrat to take the office in 16 years, and the first African American to win the post.<ref>http://www.mass.gov/</ref><ref>http://www.nndb.com/gov/911/000051758/</ref>

In 2006 Massachusetts became the second state to elect an [[African American]] as governor of their state in America. 

 

The current Governor is Devel L. Patrick, (b. 1956), a Harvard law School graduate, who is the first Democrat to take office in 16 years, and the first African American to win the post. <ref> http://www.mass.gov/ </ref>

<ref> http://www.nndb.com/gov/911/000051758/ </ref>

==Notes and references==

==Notes and references==

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{{USstates}}

{{USstates}}

[[Category:US state]]

[[Category:US state]]