Massachusetts, being one of the original thirteen colonies, has a long and proud history. It is after all in this great state that the seeds of American Freedom were laid, when the American Revolution began. So, to honor its history and see how it stands today, we have compiled a list of ten interesting facts about Massachusetts.
1. Home to the First American College
Not only is it the birthplace of the American Revolution, but it is also the birthplace of the first college in America, and it is none other than Harvard University. Originally called the “New College,” Harvard’s foundations were laid in 1636, and to this day, it keeps producing Nobel laureates, State of Heads, and innovative thinkers.
2. The Boston Tea Party Happened Here
Of all the events that led to the beginning of the American Revolution, none is more famous than the Boston Tea Party, which took place in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 15, 1773. The incident involved American colonists dumping 342 chests of British tea into the Boston harbor to protest the taxation imposed on them by the British government.
3. The First Public Park in America
The State of Massachusetts is also home to the first public Park in America. This park, known as the Boston Common, is the oldest public park in the country and was established in 1634. If this fact in itself wasn’t interesting, you will definitely find it interesting to know that before marching for the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the British troops camped in the park.
4. The First Subway System in the U.S.
The next fun fact in the list of many firsts is that Massachusetts is also home to the first subway system in the United States. Originally the Boston subway, it opened on September 1, 1897, and is now known as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). But if you are a Boston native, then you simply call it “The T”, instead of calling it the subway.
5. Birthplace of Basketball and Volleyball
The state of Massachusetts is also the birthplace of basketball and Volleyball, two of the most famous sports in the world, one of which is played a lot by Americans. The former was created by Dr. James Naismith in 1891, and the latter was created by William G. Morgan in 1895, who originally called it “Mintonette”.
6. It Has the Weirdest State Name Pronunciation
Of all the 50 states, Massachusetts has a very difficult name to pronounce correctly and is certainly difficult to spell. But that is not all, because the native accent is also very distinct when it comes to pronouncing certain words. For example, Worcester is pronounced “WUSS-ter,” Gloucester sounds like “GLOSS-ter,” and Peabody is “PEE-buh-dee.”
7. Home to the First Thanksgiving
When it comes to Massachusetts, let us add another fun fact to the list that is related to its history. The very first Thanksgiving happened in Massachusetts in 1621, when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony held a feast to celebrate their successful harvest. In this feast, they were joined by the Wampanoag people, who had helped the pilgrims survive their first harsh winter.
8. The First American Lighthouse
We hope you are not done with the many first fun facts we are sharing with you, as we have one more. The first American lighthouse was built in the state of Massachusetts and was lit for the very first time in 1716. The lighthouse is called the Boston Light, and it is located on Little Brewster Island in the Boston Harbor.
9. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
In 1919, there was a different kind of flood in Boston, Massachusetts, when a tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst and created a wave 25 feet high, with a speed of 36 miles per hour. This flood killed 21 people, put another 150 in the hospital, and left the streets in the North End quite sticky.
10. Home to Many Great American Authors
Those who are fans of American literature know that Massachusetts is also the home to one of the greatest American authors of all time, Edgar Allan Poe. But he is just one of many great American authors native to Massachusetts, as the list also contains names like Louisa May Alcott, who wrote Little Women, and Henry David Thoreau, who penned Walden.
