Boston, Capital of Massachusetts

Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is the largest city in all of New England. Boston is known as the "cradle of liberty" because of its leadership in the struggle of the American colonies for independence. It is home to the State House which is the center of legislative and political activity for Massachusetts. Boston is also known as Beantown for its famous baked beans. Boston, a very old city, was founded in 1630 and incorporated by the state legislature in 1822. The first mayor, John Phillips, was sworn in on May 1, 1822. One of the most colorful politicians in the history of all of America was James Michael Curley, who was elected mayor of Boston for four terms.

Boston is a very large city. At nighttime its population is about 600,000, but during the day it swells to about 2.2 million people. Many of these people come to Boston to work -- some of whom arrived by rapid transit. As a matter of fact, the first subway in America opened in Boston in 1897. People flock in droves to Boston not only to work, but also to take advantage of all the exciting and interesting sites and activities it has to offer.

Many of Boston's activities are cultural. These include the theater, arts, music, sports, history, ethnic traditions, and much more. People come to Boston to visit its museums, listen to the Boston Pops, ride the Swan Boats, visit its historical sites, and enjoy picnics along the Charles. Boston even has what is called the "Emerald Necklace". This is a ring of parks with green grass (in the spring and summer, that is) which starts at the Boston Common and ends at the Franklin Park Zoo. If you look at a map of Boston, the ring of parks looks like a green or emerald necklace.

Boston has many interesting neighborhoods just like your city or town. Many of these neighborhoods are made up of people from different ethnic backgrounds. When people moved to this land from other countries, they often moved into neighborhoods where people from their own country lived so that they could feel more at home. Visitors to Boston often discover wonderful traditions by visiting the different neighborhoods of Boston.

Boston: Questions for Discussion