Massachusetts is the seventh smallest state in the United States, located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It has an area of 10,555 square miles (27,340 km, 25.7% of which are water), and is known for its four distinct seasons and year-round destination. The official exchange rate fluctuates daily, according to foreign exchange markets. New England is bordered to the north by Canada, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by Long Island Sound and to the west by the state of New York.
The main gateway to New England is Boston, Massachusetts, the region's largest city. Several major airlines operate regular direct flights from London to Boston's Logan International Airport, located a stone's throw from the city center. The airport is located in the heart of the New England interstate network that links Boston to all corners of the region. The people of New England are known for their warm hospitality, friendly service and realistic approach to life.
They love outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and kayaking, as well as more extreme sports like rafting, tubing and skydiving. New Englanders are also passionate about sports, with the most important professional teams in the region being the Boston Red Sox (baseball), the New England Patriots (American football), the Boston Celtics (basketball), the Boston Bruins (ice hockey) and the New England Revolution (football). They also love their food and make the most of rich regional produce such as apple cider in fall, pancakes with real maple syrup, a picnic on the beach or a Yankee pot roast on a cold night. There are also many artisanal cheeses and breads available, as well as microbreweries, distilleries and vineyards throughout the region.
The English settlement expanded into what became Massachusetts and beyond for the rest of the 17th century. Thousands more Puritans left England to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Area and created other colonies including Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Haven. In 1643, these colonies formed a flexible alliance known as The United Colonies of New England to counter perceived threats posed by Native Americans and other European colonial powers such as Dutch and French. Over the next century, The United Colonies of New England were involved in several wars collectively known as The French and Indian Wars.
This period culminated in 1763 with The Fall of New France which allowed British settlements to expand into what became western New Hampshire and Vermont across The Connecticut River Valley. During The Antebellum Period (the period between The War of 1812 and The Civil War) New England was a distinct region in The United States with its own political views which included being a stronghold of The Abolitionist Movement which sought to abolish slavery in The young country. New England was also one of The first centers of The Industrial Revolution which paved The way for The emergence of The factory-driven economy but this trend declined during The Great Depression until The 1960s when a new economy based on high-tech industries and service industries emerged in The region. Although immigration and economic developments have changed New England over time it still has a distinctive character including its historic sites and English city/county names as well as being home to half of The Ivy League schools in The United States.
Inland are The Appalachian Mountains which stretch across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine including The White Mountains of New Hampshire where Mt Washington is located - The highest peak in The northeastern United States. UU. New England's longest river is The Connecticut River which flows from northeastern New Hampshire for 407 miles (655 km) before emptying into Long Island Sound while its largest lake is Lake Champlain located on The border between Vermont and New York State in The Mid-Atlantic. Indigenous peoples have been farming, fishing, hunting and gathering on The land now known as Massachusetts for at least 10,000 years but throughout The 17th century tens of thousands of English-speaking immigrants arrived in The New World imposing their government culture and religion on indigenous peoples.
