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	{{Otheruses1\|the U.S. State}}

			== Love! ==
	{{Infobox U.S. state
			Its Romantic.. Its Like nothing Ever Seen Before!
	\| Name = Massachusetts
	\| Fullname = Commonwealth of Massachusetts
	\| Flag = Flag_of_Massachusetts.svg
	\| Flaglink = ]
	\| Seal = Massachusetts state seal.png
	\| Map = Map_of_USA_MA.svg
	\| Nickname = Bay State
	] = ]
	\| Motto = ]
	(Latin: By the sword she seeks peace under liberty)
	\| Capital = ]
	\| LargestCity = ]
	\| Governor = ] (D)
	\| Senators = ] (D)<br>] (D)
	\| PostalAbbreviation = MA
	\| TradAbbreviation = Mass.
	\| OfficialLang = ]
	\| AreaRank = 44<sup>th</sup>
	\| TotalAreaUS = 10,555 <!-- To nearest sqmi., from USCensus web page-->
	\| TotalArea = 27,336 <!--conversion to nearest sqkm-->
	\| LandAreaUS = 7,840
	\| LandArea = 20,306
	\| WaterAreaUS = 2,715
	\| WaterArea = 7,031
	\| PCWater = 25.7 <!--calculation: Water area over Total area-->
	\| PopRank = 13<sup>th</sup>
	\| 2000Pop = 6,349,097
	\| 2004Pop(Est.) = 6,416,506
	\| DensityRank = 3<sup>rd</sup>
	\| 2000DensityUS = 809.8 <!--from USCensus web site, confirmed by calc-->
	\| 2000Density = 312.7
	\| MedianHouseholdIncome = $52,354 \|
	IncomeRank = 9<sup>th</sup> \|
	\| AdmittanceOrder = 6<sup>th</sup>
	\| AdmittanceDate = ], ]
	\| TimeZone = ]: ]-5/]
	\| Latitude = 41° 14′ N to 42° 53′ N
	\| Longitude = 69° 56′ W to 73° 30′ W
	\| LengthUS = 113
	\| Length = 182
	\| WidthUS = 183
	\| Width = 295
	\| HighestPoint = ]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web\| year =] ] \| url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest\| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States\| publisher =U.S Geological Survey\| accessdate = November 6\| accessyear = 2006}}</ref> \|
	\| HighestElevUS = 3,491
	\| HighestElev = 1,064
	\| MeanElevUS = 500
	\| MeanElev = 150
	\| LowestPoint = ]<ref name=usgs/>
	\| LowestElevUS = 0
	\| LowestElev = 0
	\| ISOCode = US-MA
	\| Website = www.mass.gov}}

	The '''Commonwealth of Massachusetts''' ({{IPAEng\|ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɨts}}) is a ] in the ] region of the ] ]. Most of its population of 6.4 million live in the ]. The eastern half of this relatively small state is mostly ] and ]. The west is primarily rural, also with most of its population in urban enclaves. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states and ranks third in overall ] among the 50 states.

	Massachusetts has been a significant state in American history. ] was the second permanent English settlement in North America. Colonists from England founded many towns and villages in the present-day territory of Massachusetts very early in the nation's history - in the 1620s and 1630s. The Boston area became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the ferment there which led to the ] and the ] of the ] from ]. Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to abolish ], and was a center of the ] and ] activity in the years leading to the ]. The state has contributed many prominent politicians to national service, including the ].

	Originally dependent on agriculture and trade with Europe, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the ]. Migration of factories to the lower-wage southern states caused economic stagnation during the first half of the 20th Century. The Massachusetts economy was revived after ], and today is prominent in ], ], and ].

	== Name ==
	The ] was named after the indigenous population, the ], whose name can be segmented as ''mass-adchu-s-et'', where ''mass-'' is "large", ''-adchu-'' is "hill", ''-s-'' is a ] suffix meaning "small", and ''-et'' is a ] suffix, identifying a place. It has been translated as "at the great hill," "by the many small hills" "at the little big hill," or "at the range of hills," referring to the ], or in particular, ], located on the boundary of ] and ], to the southwest of Boston.<ref>This derivation is located in C. Lawrence Bond, ''Native Names of New England Towns and Villages'', privately published, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1991. This site is retarted and the information is incorrect. The pamphlet was never mass produced but it is probably obtainable through the library or bookstores in ].</ref><ref name="Camp">Salwen, Bert, 1978. ''Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period''. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160-176. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. ''American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 401</ref><ref>Bright, William (2004). ''Native American Place Names of the United States''. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 270</ref> (c.f. the ] name ''Massachusêuck'';<ref name="Camp" /> ] ''misajiwensed'', "of the little big hill").<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/ojibwe.html \|title=Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary \|publisher=Freelang.net}}</ref>

	Massachusetts is officially a "]." Colloquially, it is often referred to simply as "the Commonwealth," although "state" is used interchangeably. While this designation is part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states and a similar form of internal government.

	== Geography ==
	{{main\|Geography of Massachusetts}}
	]
	Massachusetts is bordered on the north by ] and ]; on the west by ]; on the south by ] and ]; and on the east by the ]. Most of the state is uplands of resistant metamorphic rock that were scraped by ] glaciers that deposited moraines and outwash on a large, sandy, arm-shaped peninsula called ] and the islands ] and ] to the south of Cape Cod. Upland elevations increase to the north and west and the highest point in the state is ] at {{convert\|3491\|ft\|m\|0}} near the state's northwest corner.
	] near ], much more rural than ], in the southern part of the valley, or ], which is on the coast.]]
	The uplands are interrupted by the downfaulted Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River and further west by the ] Valley separating the ] from the ] along the western border with ].

	] is located at the innermost point of ], at the mouth of the ], the longest river entirely within Massachusetts. Most of the population of the ] (approximately 4.4 million) does not live in the city proper; eastern Massachusetts on the whole is fairly densely populated and largely ]an as far west as ].

	Central Massachusetts encompasses Worcester county, and includes the cities of ], ], ] and small upland towns, forests, and small farms. The ] borders the western side of the county, and is the main water supply for the eastern part of the state.<ref> The North Quabbin Woods: www.northquabbinwoods.org</ref><ref>{{PDFlink\|\|390 ]<!-- application/pdf, 399465 bytes -->}} (map; see text on map). Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved January 14, 2007.</ref>

	The ] along the ] in ] is urbanized from the ] border (and greater ]) to north as far as ], and includes ], ], ], and ]. Pioneer Valley economy and population was influenced by agriculturally productive Connecticut River Valley land in the 17th and 18th century, water power for the ] in the 19th century and expansion of higher education in the 20th century.

	]]]
	The remainder of the state west of Pioneer Valley is mainly uplands, a range of small mountains known as the Berkshires, summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Lenox), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge), Monument Mountain and Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. It largely remained in aboriginal hands until the 18th century when Scotch-Irish settlers arrived and found the more productive lands already settled. Availability of better land in western New York and then the ] soon put the upland agricultural population into decline. Available water power lead to 19th century settlement along upland rivers. ] and ] grew into small cities and there are a number of smaller mill towns along the ].

	The geographic center of the state is in the town of ], in Worcester county.
	The ] administers a number of natural and historical ]

	The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	],
	], and
	].
	All but two of the Commonwealth's fourteen counties are named for British counties, cities, or nobles.
	<!-- this is a refernce waiting for prose to go with it
	=== Geology ===
	<ref>A field guide to the geology of NE Massachusetts and SE New Hampshire by Hon, R. , Hepburn, J.C. & Laird, Jo. (Siluro-Devonian igneous rocks of the easternmost three terranes in southeastern New England: examples from NE Massachusetts and SE New Hampshire. Guidbook to field trips in New Hampshire, adjacent Maine and Massachusetts, 42nd Ann Meet. NEGSA, March 11, 2007, p. 23-43) can be accessed at {{PDFlink\|\|3.60 ]}}; and a Google Earth .kmz file(Avalon_Nashoba.kmz) showing the field stops and associated geological map overlays can be downloaded from .</ref>
	-->

	=== Climate ===
	Massachusetts has a ], with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Massachusetts receives about 40 inches (1016 mm) of rain annually, fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, slightly wetter during the winter. Summers are warm with average high temperatures in July above 80°F (26.7°C) and overnight lows above 60°F (15.5°C) common throughout the state. Winters are cold, but generally less extreme on the coast with high temperatures in the winter averaging above freezing even in January, although areas further inland are much colder. The state does have extreme temperatures from time to time with 90°F (32.2°C) in the summer and temperatures below 0°F (-17.8°C) in the winter not being unusual.

	The state has its share of extreme weather, prone to ]s and to severe winter storms. Summers can bring ], averaging around 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year. Massachusetts has had its share of destructive tornadoes, with the western part of the state slightly more vulnerable than coastal areas in the east. Massachusetts, like the entire United States eastern seaboard, is vulnerable to ]s. Although its location is farther east in the Atlantic Ocean than states farther south, Massachusetts has suffered a direct hit from a major hurricane three times since 1851, the same number of direct hits suffered by the southern Atlantic state of ].<ref name="Annual Average Number of Tornadoes">. National Hurricane Center. Last accessed November 12, 2006.</ref> More often hurricanes weakened to ] strength pass near Massachusetts.

	{\| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"\|
	\| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"\|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Massachusetts Cities
	\|-
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" \| City
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jan
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Feb
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Mar
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Apr
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| May
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jun
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jul
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Aug
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Sep
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Oct
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Nov
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Dec
	\|-
	! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Boston
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 36/22
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 39/24
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 46/32
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 56/40
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 67/50
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 77/59
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 82/66
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 80/64
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 72/57
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 62/46
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 52/38
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 42/28
	\|-
	! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Worcester
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 31/16
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 34/18
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 43/26
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 54/36
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 66/46
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 74/55
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 79/61
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 77/60
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 69/51
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 58/41
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 47/32
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 36/22
	\|-
	\| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"\|''''
	\|}

	=== Flora and fauna ===
	The primary ] of inland Massachusetts is ]. However, much
	of the state has been logged, leaving only traces of ] in isolated pockets.
	Secondary growth has regenerated in many ]s and ]s, particularly in the western half of Massachusetts. ], particularly in the eastern half of the state, has affected much of Massachusetts. No longer are there vast expanses of wilderness. ], ], ] and ] once occurred here but have long since disappeared.

	]

	Wildlife species that are doing well are adapting to a changing setting. ], ], ], and ] are now found in suburbs of major cities and are increasing in population. ] and ] have made comebacks in western and central Massachusetts, and are slowly expanding their range. ] can be found nesting on artificial platforms on many of the state's tallest buildings in larger cities such as ], ] and ].

	The ] is the primary migration route for North American bird species. ] are a relatively recent addition to the breeding bird list, their nests at the ] are considered the most southerly in the world population of this species. A significant portion of the eastern population of ] winter off ]. Small offshore islands are home to a significant population of breeding ]s, and some beaches are important breeding areas to the endangered ].
	]

	Massachusetts has an extensive ] and has a declining commercial fishery out to the ]. ], ] and ] are species harvested here. ] have a large nursery near ] and other islands in ]. ] are a commonly seen feeding and playing just offshore year round. Finally, a significant number of the endangered ]s summer on feeding grounds in ]. ] is a popular summer activity off the coast of Massachusetts. Boats regularly sail to ] to view species such as ], ], ] and ].

	== History ==
	{{main\|History of Massachusetts}}
	]
	Massachusetts was originally inhabited by several Algonquian tribes: the Wampanoag, Nauset, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Pennacook, Mahican, and some Narragansett and Pequot. These indigenous people were decimated by waves of ] inadvertently brought to the New World by ] and his ship to the ] area in 1616.

	The first European settlers in Massachusetts, the ], established their settlement at ] in 1620, and developed friendly relations with the native ]. This was the second successful permanent English colony in North America, after the ]; both were preceded by temporary camps, the unsuccessful ], and Spanish settlements in Florida in the 1500s. Most early settlers came from within {{convert\|60\|mi\|km\|-1}} of ]. The Pilgrims were soon followed by ]s who established the ] at present-day ] in 1630. The Puritans, whose beliefs included exclusive understanding of the literal truth of the Bible, came to Massachusetts for religious freedom. Dissenters such as ], ], and ] left Massachusetts because of the Puritan society's lack of religious tolerance. Williams founded the colony of ], and Hooker founded ].

	By 1636, the colonists had begun to settle the inland ] along the ], where the state's best ] land is concentrated.

	Native American-European racial tensions led to ] 1675-76. There were major campaigns in the ] and ], as well as an unsuccessful ] under ] in 1690. Massachusetts became a single colony in 1692, the largest in ], and one where many American institutions and traditions were formed. The colony fought alongside British regulars in a series of ] that were characterized by brutal border raids and successful attacks on British forces in ] (present-day ]).

	] and Amos Doolittle from 1775.]]

	Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from ], earning it the nickname, the "Cradle of Liberty". Colonists here had long had uneasy relations with the English monarchy, including open rebellion under the ] in the 1680s.

	The ] is an example of the protest spirit of the later pre-revolutionary period in the 1770s, and the ] is a famous incident which escalated the conflict. With actions by patriots such as ] and ] followed by counter-actions by the Crown were a main reason for the unity of the ] and the outbreak of the ]. The ] initiated the ] and were fought in the Massachusetts towns of ] and ].

	After independence and during the formative years of independent American government, ] was an ] in the western half of the state from 1786 to 1787. The rebels were mostly small farmers angered by crushing war debt and taxes which resulted from their lack of representation in Congress.

	On ], ], ] separated from Massachusetts, of which it had been a non-contiguous part, and entered the Union as the 23rd State as a result of the ratification of the ].

	During the 19th century, the Massachusetts became a national and world leader in the ], with its mastery of machine tools and textiles. The economy transformed from primarily ] to manufacturing, making use of its many rivers to power factories for ]s, ], and ] that drew labor from ]s on subsistence farms at first, and later drew upon ] labor from Europe.

	] made the state system of schools the national model. ] and ] made major contributions to American thought. Members of the ] movement, they emphasized the importance of the natural world to humanity.

	In the years leading up to the ], Massachusetts was a center of ], the ], and ] activity within the United States. Antagonism to their views resulted in anti-abolitionist riots in Massachusetts between 1835 and 1837. The works of abolitionists contributed to subsequent actions of the state during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to abolish slavery, in a 1783 judicial interpretation of its 1780 constitution, and was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a ] regiment with ] officers, the ].

	The industrial economy declined in the early twentieth century with the exodus of many manufacturing companies. By the 1920s low-wage competition from the South, followed by the ], led to the collapse of Massachusetts' two main industries, shoes and textiles. In the years following ], Massachusetts was transformed from a factory system to a largely service and high-tech based economy.

	Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. ] flourished, and by the 1970s, the ] corridor was dotted with ] companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education.

	The ] was prominent in Massachusetts politics in the 20th century, especially with President ] in the 1960s.

	In 1987, the state received federal funding for the $14.6 billion Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Known colloquially as the "the ]," it was at the time the biggest federal highway project ever approved. As of 2007, the highway is open but landscaping is still underway.

	In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to allow ].


	== Demographics ==
	=== Population ===
	{{USCensusPop
	\|1790 = 378787
	\|1800 = 422845
	\|1810 = 472040
	\|1820 = 523287
	\|1830 = 610408
	\|1840 = 737699
	\|1850 = 994514
	\|1860 = 1231066
	\|1870 = 1457351
	\|1880 = 1783085
	\|1890 = 2238947
	\|1900 = 2805346
	\|1910 = 3366416
	\|1920 = 3852356
	\|1930 = 4249614
	\|1940 = 4316721
	\|1950 = 4690514
	\|1960 = 5148578
	\|1970 = 5689170
	\|1980 = 5737037
	\|1990 = 6016425
	\|2000 = 6349097
	\| footnote= '''Sources:'''<ref>{{PDFlink\|\|35.4 ]<!-- application/pdf, 36305 bytes -->}} census.gov</ref><ref> census.gov</ref>
	}}

	Massachusetts had an estimated 2006 population of 6,437,193. An estimated increase of 3,826, or 0.1%, from the prior year and an increase of 88,088, or 1.4%, since the year 2000. This includes an increase since the last census of 149,992 people (499,440 births minus 349,448 deaths) and a decrease from net migration of 89,812 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 200,155 people, and net migration within the country resulted in a loss of 289,967 people. As of 2000, Massachusetts is the ], with 809.8 per square mile (312.68 per square kilometer), after ] and ], and ahead of ] and ]

	Massachusetts has seen both population increases and decreases in recent years. For example, while some Bay Staters are leaving, others including Asian, Hispanic and African immigrants, arrive to replace them. Massachusetts in 2004 included 881,400 foreign-born residents.

	Most Bay Staters live within a sixty-mile radius of the State House on Beacon Hill, often called ]: the City of Boston, neighboring cities and towns, the ], ], the northern, western, and southern suburbs, and most of southeastern and central Massachusetts. Eastern Massachusetts is more urban than ], which is primarily rural, save for the cities of ] and ], which serve as centers of population density in the Pioneer Valley of the Connecticut River. The ] of Massachusetts is located in ], in the town of ].<ref> . United States Census Bureau, United States Deparatment of Commerce. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

	]

	=== Race, ancestry, and language ===
	{{US Demographics}}
	The five largest reported ancestries in Massachusetts are: ] (23.5%), ] (13.5%), ] (or ]) (12.9%), ] (11.4%), ] (5.9%).

	Massachusetts also has large communities of people of Finnish (Fitchburg/Gardner) and Swedish descent; Armenian, Lebanese (Worcester) descent; and Italian descent. Other influential ethnicities are ], ] and ]. Massachusetts "]s," of colonial English ancestry, still have a strong presence. Franco-Bay Staters (]) are the largest group in parts of western and central Massachusetts. Boston has a large African-American population, and its largest immigrant group is ]. ] and ] on the south coast have large populations of people with ], ], and ] heritage, which is also very prevalent in the ] area. There is a growing Brazilian population in the Boston area (especially in ]) and also an abundant population of Brazilians thrive in ] especially in ], ], and ]. ], in the northeast of the state, is home to the second largest ] community in the country, outside of ]. Although most of the Native Americans intermarried or died in King Philip's War (1675), the ] tribe maintains reservations at ], Grafton, on Martha's Vineyard, and ].<ref>Associated Press. ''WBZ-TV,'' Boston Massachusetts. Retrieved February 20, 2007.</ref><ref>Weber, David. ''The Boston Globe'' February 15, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.</ref> The ] maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state. Other Wampanoags and other Native people live scattered around the state outside of reservations.

	According to the ], 6.21% of the population aged 5 and over speak ] at home, while 2.68% speak ], 1.44% ], and 1.00% ].<ref> ''MLA Language Map Data Center.'' Modern Language Association. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

	=== Religion ===
	Massachusetts was founded and settled by staunch ]s in the 17th century. The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the ]/] and ] churches. Both of these denominations are noted for their strong support of social justice, civil rights, and moral issues, including strong and early advocacy of abolition of slavery, women's rights, and (after 2000) legal recognition of gay marriage. The world headquarters of the Unitarian-Universalist Church is located on Beacon Hill in Boston. Today Protestants make up less than 1/3 of the state's population. ]s now predominate because of massive immigration from ], ], ], ], ], ], and the ]. A large ] population came to the Boston area 1880-1920. ] made the Boston Mother Church of ] the world headquarters. Buddhists, pagans, Hindus, Seventh-Day Adventists, Muslims, and Mormons also can be found. Kripalu and the Insight Meditation Center (Barre) are examples of non-western religious centers in Massachusetts.

	The religious affiliations of the people of Massachusetts, according to a 2001 survey, are shown in the table below:<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm \| title=American Religious Identification Survey \| work=Exhibit 15 \| publisher = The Graduate Center, City University of New York \| accessdate = 2007-09-21}}</ref>

	*] – 69%
	**] – 44%
	**] – 22%
	***] – 4%
	***]/] – 3%
	***] – 3%
	***] – 2%
	***] – 2%
	***Other Protestant or general Protestant – 8%
	**Other or General Christian – 3%
	*] – 2%
	*Other Religions – 6%
	*Non-Religious – 16%
	*Refused to answer – 7%

	=== Emigration and Immigration ===
	The latest estimated 2006 population Census figures show that Massachusetts has grown by slightly over 1 percent, to 6,437,193, since 2000. This growth is attributable to the fact that Massachusetts continues to attract top scholars and researchers as well as ]s.

	High housing costs, ], weather, and traffic in Massachusetts have contributed to emigration to the Boston exburbs, to neighboring ] and ], and to Southern and Western regions of the United States.

	Recent ] data shows that the number of immigrants living in Massachusetts has increased over 15% from 2000-2005. The biggest influxes are Latin Americans. According to the census, the population of Central Americans rose by 67.7 percent between 2000 and 2005, and the number of South Americans rose by 107.5 percent. And among South Americans, the largest group to increase appeared to be Brazilians, whose numbers rose by 131.4 percent, to 84,836. This surge of immigrants tends to offset ], and, of course, given the 350,000 increase in population in the Commonwealth between 1990 and 2000, many immigrants to Massachusetts come from elsewhere in the USA.

	Following the shift to a high-tech economy and the numerous factory closures, few jobs remain for low skilled male workers, who are dropping out of the workforce in large numbers. The percentage of men in the labor force fell from 77.7% in 1989 to 72.8% in 2005. This national trend is most pronounced in Massachusetts. In the case of men without high school diplomas, 10% have left the labor force between 1990 and 2000.<ref>Article ] ], ], "Bay State's labor force diminishing"</ref>

	== Economy ==
	]
	] in ] produces the paper material used for printing U. S. ]s]]
	estimates that Massachusetts's gross state product in 2004 was US $318 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004 was US$42,102, making it the 2nd highest, just behind that of Connecticut. Gross state product increased 2.6% from 2004 to 2005, below the national average of 3.5%.<ref>http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/GSPNewsRelease.htm, accessed 18 Sep 2006</ref>

	Sectors vital to the Massachusetts ] include ], biotechnology, finance, ], ] and tourism. Route 128 was a main center for the development of ]. Massachusetts was the home of many of the largest computer companies such as ], ], and ] situated around Route 128 and Route 495 (another beltway approximately {{convert\|25\|mi\|km\|0}} farther away from Boston). Most of the larger companies fell into decline after the rise of the personal computer, which was based in large part on software such as ] and ] and hardware technology such as memory and operating systems developed by many of these companies. High technology remains an important sector, though few of the largest technology companies are based here.

	Its agricultural outputs are seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, cranberries, tobacco and vegetables. Its industrial outputs are machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, scientific instruments, printing, and publishing. Thanks largely to the ] cooperative, Massachusetts is the second largest cranberry producing state in the union (after ]).

	As of 2005, there were 6,100 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of {{convert\|520000\|acre\|sqkm\|-1}}, averaging 85 acres apiece. Particular agricultural products of note include ], animals and animal products, and fruits, tree nuts, and berries, for which the state is nationally ranked 11th, 16th, and 17th, respectively. {{PDFlink\|\|31.1 ]<!-- application/pdf, 31943 bytes -->}}

	Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal ] of 5.3%, with an exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The state imposes a 5% ] on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing, and periodicals—in Massachusetts by any vendor. The 5% sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $150.00. Only the amount over $150.00 is taxed. All real and tangible ] located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. The administration of the assessment and collection of all real and tangible personal ]es in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is handled by the city and town assessor and collected in the jurisdiction where the property is located. Massachusetts imposes a tax on any gains from the sale or exchange of capital assets held for more than one year. The state also collects a 12% tax on the sale or exchange of capital assets held for one year or less (short-term capital gains). Interest from non-Massachusetts banks is no longer taxed at 12%, but the first $100 of interest from Massachusetts banks is tax exempt from even the 5.3% tax. There is no ] and limited Massachusetts ] related to federal estate tax collection.

	{{see also\|Massachusetts locations by per capita income}}

	== Transportation ==
	The major airport in the state is ]. The airport is a hub for major airlines such as ].

	Interstate highways crossing the state include: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] (the ]), ], and ] . Other major thoroughfares are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. A massive undertaking to depress ] in the ] ] area called the ] has brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny over the last decade.

	Public transportation in the form of a ] system and longer distance ] in the Boston metro area is operated by the ] but mostly runs through the ] area, including service to ] and ]. Fifteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation, mostly outside the MBTA service area. The Greater Springfield area is serviced by the Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority (PVTA).In addition, the Springfield area will finally receive its own commuter rail service around 2010, with service south to ] and ] in ], and perhaps commuter service to Boston at a later date.

	{{see also\|Category:Transportation in Massachusetts}}

	== Law, government, and politics ==
	]
	{{Main\|Massachusetts Government}}
	{{see also\|Massachusetts Constitution\|Governor of Massachusetts}}
	=== Law ===
	The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780 while the ] was in progress, four years after the ] was drafted, and seven years before the present ] was ratified in 1787. Massachusetts has the oldest written Constitution now in use by any government in the world. It specifies three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

	Following a November 2003 decision of the state's Supreme Court, Massachusetts became the first (and so far only) state to issue ] licenses, on ], ]. (See the articles on ] and ].) Massachusetts is the first state in the union to mandate ] for all its citizens. (See ] for more details.)

	=== Government ===
	The governor is head of the ] and serves as chief administrative officer of the state and as commander-in-chief of the Massachusetts ]. The current governor is ]. All governors of Massachusetts are given the title His/Her ], a carry-over from the Commonwealth's ] past, despite titles being uncommon in American political traditions. Responsibilities of the governor include preparation of the annual budget, nomination of all judicial officers, the granting of ]s (with the approval of the governor's Council), appointments of the heads of most major state departments, and the acceptance or ] of each bill passed by the Legislature. Several executive offices have also been established, each headed by a secretary appointed by the governor, much like the president's cabinet.

	The Governor's Council (also called the Executive Council) is composed of the ] and eight councilors elected from councilor districts for a two-year term. It has the constitutional power to approve judicial appointments and pardons, to authorize expenditures from the Treasury, to approve the appointment of constitutional officers if a vacancy occurs when the legislature is not in session, and to compile and certify the results of statewide ]s. It also approves the appointments of notaries public and justices of the peace.

	The Massachusetts state legislature is formally styled the "General Court." (See ]) Elected every two years, the General Court is made up of a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 160 members. The Massachusetts Senate is said to be the second oldest democratic ] in the world.<ref>, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth</ref> Each branch elects its own leader from its membership. The Senate elects its president; the House its speaker. These officers exercise power through their appointments of majority floor leaders and whips (the minority party elects its leaders in a party caucus), their selection of chairs and all members of joint committees, and in their rulings as presiding officers. Joint committees of the General Court are made up of 6 senators and 15 representatives, with a Senate and House chair for each committee. These committees must hold hearings on all bills filed. Their report usually determines whether or not a bill will pass. Each chamber has its own Rules Committee and Ways and Means Committee and these are among the most important committee assignments.

	Judicial appointments are held to the age of seventy. The ], consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices, is the highest court in the Commonwealth; it is empowered to give ]s to the governor and the legislature on questions of law. All trials are held in departments and divisions of a unified Trial Court, headed by a Chief Justice for Administrative and Management, assisted by an administrator of courts. It hears civil and criminal cases. Cases may be appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court or the ] for review of law, but findings of fact made by the Trial Court are final. The Superior Court, consisting of a chief justice and sixty-six associate justices, is the highest department of the Trial Court. Other departments are the District, Housing, Juvenile, Land, and Probate Courts.

	Massachusetts's ] are ] (D) and ] (D). The 10 Members of the states delegation to the ] are ] (D), ] (D), ] (D), ] (D), ] (D), ] (D), ] (D), ] (D),
	] (D), and ] (D). Federal court cases are heard in the ]. Appeals are heard by the ].

	=== Politics ===
	During the first half of the 1900s, Boston was socially conservative and strongly under the influence of Methodist minister J. Frank Chase and his New England Watch and Ward Society, founded in 1878. In 1903, the Old Corner Bookstore was raided and fined for selling ]'s '']''. ] got its start when ]'s '']'' was banned in Boston, and the production had to be moved to ]. In 1927, works by ], ], ], and ] were removed from bookstore shelves. "Banned in Boston" on a book's cover could actually boost sales. Burlesque artists such as ] needed to modify their act when performing at Boston's Old Howard Casino. The clean version of a performance used to be known as the "Boston version." By 1929, the Watch and Ward society was perceived to be in decline when it failed in its attempt to ban ]'s '']'', but as late as 1935 it succeeded in banning ]'s play '']''. Censorship was enforced by city officials, notably the "city censor" within the Boston Licensing Division. That position was held by Richard J. Sinnott from 1959 until the office was abolished on ], ]. In modern times, few such puritanical social mores persist. Massachusetts has since gained a reputation as being a politically ] state and is often used as an archetype of liberalism, hence the usage of the phrase "]."

	<!--The Open document stuff is very interesting, but not really pertinent to this section of the article.
	Recently, Massachusetts has adopted electronic document formats for the government that have the specifications available, so the people will not have to lock themselves to a proprietary office suite to view government documents. The ] and ] formats have been approved.
	-->
	Massachusetts is the home of the ], and routinely votes for the ] in federal elections: it is the most populous state to have an all-Democratic Congressional delegation (ten representatives and two senators); this also makes Massachusetts the largest state to have a solid delegation of either party. As of the 2006 election, the Republican party holds less than 13% of the seats in both legislative houses of the ]: in the House, the balance is 141 Democratic to 19 Republican, and in the Senate, 35-5.<ref> ''State Legislatures Magazine,'' National Conference of State Legislatures''; retrieved November 17, 2007</ref>

	Although ]s held the governor's office continuously from 1991 to 2007, they have mostly been among the most progressive Republican leaders in the nation, especially ] (the first of four recent Republican governors). Two of these governors, ] and ], took office when their predecessors resigned to take other positions. In presidential elections, Massachusetts supported Republicans until ], from ] through ], in the 1950s, and in ] and ]. From ] through ], Massachusetts has supported Democratic presidential candidates, most recently giving native son ] 61.9% of the vote and his largest margin of victory in any state. (It should be noted, however, John Kerry's margin of victory in the ] was much higher.)

	During the ] election, Massachusetts was the only state to give its electoral votes to ], the Democratic nominee (The District of Columbia also voted for McGovern). Following the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, a famous bumper sticker was sold in Boston saying "Don't blame me, I'm from Massachusetts."

	== Cities and towns ==
	{{main\|Massachusetts Government#Local government}}

	There are ] and ] in Massachusetts, grouped into ].<ref> </ref> Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the ] form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.<ref>See ].</ref> Boston is the state ] and largest city. It is the nation's 11th largest ]. Cities over 100,000 in population (2004 estimates) include Boston, ], ], ], and ]. Massachusetts shares the governmental structure known as ] with the five other ] states, as well as ] and ].

	== Education ==
	Massachusetts has historically had a strong commitment to education. It was the first state to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school (albeit paid by the parents of the pupils) with the passage of the ] of 1647; this mandate was later made a part of the state constitution in 1789. The town of ] has been noted to be the birthplace of public education in ].{{Fact\|date=April 2007}} Massachusetts is home to the country's oldest high school, ] (founded 1635), America's first publicly funded high school, ] (founded 1643), oldest college, now called ] (founded 1636), and oldest municipally supported free library, ] (founded 1848). In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory school attendance laws.<ref> ''National Conference of State Legislatures.'' Retrieved December 28, 2006.</ref> The per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools (kindergarten through grade 12) was 5th in the nation in 2004, at $11,681.<ref> Source footnote: "Rankings & Estimates 2005-2006, Rankings, Table H-11." ( NEA Research, Estimates Database (2006). K–12 = "Elementary and Secondary".) ''National Education Association'' Retrieved January 12, 2007. </ref>
	<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->
	Massachusetts is home to many well-known ]s, colleges, and universities. There are more than 40 colleges located in the greater Boston area alone. Ten colleges and universities are located in the greater Worcester area. The ] (nicknamed ''UMass'') is the five-campus public university system of the Commonwealth. The population of metropolitan Boston and Worcester, and of the ] area in Western Massachusetts, in particular, surges during the school year.
	{{See\| List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts\|List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston}}
	<!-- Comment:
	Please see talk before adding a detailed listing of colleges.
	For this article section, compelling and terse prose only please.
	Lists of colleges already exist via the links. Improve the links instead.
	-->

	== Media ==
	{{see also\|List of television stations in Massachusetts\|List of newspapers in Massachusetts\|List of radio stations in Massachusetts}}

	There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Worcester market is the 7th largest in the United States. All major networks are represented. The other market surrounds the Springfield area. Some communities in Berkshire county are serviced by the ] market, and some southeastern Massachusetts communities are serviced by the ] market. The ], ], ] and the ] are the Commonwealths largest daily newspapers. In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies found throughout the state. There are a number of major radio stations (AM 50,000 watts, FM over 20,000 watts) which service Massachusetts, along with many more regional and community based stations. Some colleges and universities also operate campus television and radio stations, and print their own newspaper.

	== Sports and recreation ==
	=== Organized sport ===
	{{main\|Sports in Massachusetts}}
	]
	Massachusetts has a long history with amateur athletics and professional teams. Most of the major professional teams have won multiple championships in their respective leagues. Massachusetts teams have won 5 ]s (]), 16 ] (]), 3 ]s (]), and 7 ] (6 ], 1 ]). Because these games were invented in Massachusetts, the state is also the home to the ] (]), the ] (]), and the ]. It is also home to prestigious sports events such as the ], the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, and the ]. The ] in running and the ] in bicycle racing are also very popular events with long histories.

	The ] ] and the ] ] are regular professional ] tour stops in the state. Massachusetts has played host to 9 ], 4 ], 2 ]s, and 1 ].

	Many colleges and universities in Massachusetts are active in college athletics. There are a number of ] Division I members in the state for multiple sports: ], ], ], ], ] in Worcester, and the ].

	=== Outdoor recreation ===
	] activities such as ] and ] are popular all along the Massachusetts coast and its offshore islands. ] and ] are also popular activities in many of the states undeveloped lands. The ], the ], the ], and the Bay Circuit Trail are all long distance hiking trails that run the length of the state. The Tully Trail, an {{convert\|18\|mi\|km\|0\|sing=on}} loop in the North Quabbin Region (through the towns of Athol, Orange, Warwick and Royalston) incorporates waterfalls and vistas. A handful of ] operators still maintain slopes here, although many skiers drive to major resorts in ], ] and ] for the weekend. ] still remains a strong outdoor activity. Spincasting during the warmer months and ] during winter on inland lakes and ponds, ] inland rivers for ], surf casting for ] and ] and deep sea fishing for ] and ] all remain popular. ], primarily for ] and ] continues to attract a number of residents.

	== See also ==
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]

	== References ==
	{{reflist\|2}}

	== Bibliography ==
	=== Overviews and Surveys ===
	<div class="references-small">
	* Brown, Richard D. and Jack Tager. ''Massachusetts: A Concise History'' (2002)
	* Hall, Donald. ed. ''The Encyclopedia of New England'' (2005)
	* ]. ''Guide to Massachusetts'' (1939)
	</div>

	=== Secondary Sources ===
	<div class="references-small">
	* Abrams, Richard M. ''Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900-1912'' (1964)
	* Adams, James Truslow. ''Revolutionary New England, 1691-1776'' (1923)
	* Adams, James Truslow. ''New England in the Republic, 1776-1850'' (1926)
	* Andrews, Charles M. ''The Fathers of New England: A Chronicle of the Puritan Commonwealths'' (1919), short survey
	* Conforti, Joseph A. ''Imagining New England: Explorations of Regional Identity from the Pilgrims to the Mid-Twentieth Century'' (2001)
	* Cumbler, John T. ''Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790-1930'' (1930), environmental history
	* Fischer, David Hackett. ''Paul Revere's Ride'' (1994), 1775 in depth
	* Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. ''Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions'' (1996)
	* Huthmacher, J. Joseph. ''Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919-1933'' (1958)
	* Labaree, Benjamin Woods. ''Colonial Massachusetts: A History'' (1979)
	* Morison, Samuel Eliot. ''The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783-1860'' (1921)
	* Peirce, Neal R. ''The New England States: People, Politics, and Power in the Six New England States'' (1976), 1960-75 era
	* Porter, Susan L. ''Women of the Commonwealth: Work, Family, and Social Change in Nineteenth-Century Massachusetts'' (1996)
	* Sletcher, Michael. ''New England'' (2004).
	* Starkey, Marion L. ''The Devil in Massachusetts'' (1949), Salem witches
	* Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. ''Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays'' (1985), ethnic groups
	* Zimmerman, Joseph F. '''' (1999)
	</div>

	== External links ==
	{{sisterlinks\|Massachusetts}}
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Revision as of 03:10, 22 October 2007

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