Statehood 1780

Massachusetts

English settlers established the first permanent colony in Massachusetts at Plymouth in 1620, followed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony beginning in 1628. Britain consolidated control by forming the Dominion of New England in 1686, which collapsed in 1689 following the Glorious Revolution. The Province of Massachusetts Bay was then chartered in 1691 by William III and Mary II, combining earlier colonies under royal gubernatorial appointment. Tensions over taxation and self-government led to the American Revolutionary War beginning in Massachusetts in 1775, and the commonwealth formally adopted its state constitution in 1780.

Statehood
1780
Admitted as
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Historic sites
4,512
Military engagements
330

Pre-contact era

Before English colonization, Massachusetts was inhabited by a variety of Native American tribes. Massachusetts is named after the Massachusett tribe that inhabited the area of present-day Greater Boston. The colony established a treaty with Wampanoag chief Massasoit, and conflicts with indigenous peoples included the Pequot War (1636–1638) and King Philip's War (1675–1678).

Colonial history

Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620; the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1628 and both operated concurrently until merged. The Massachusetts Bay Colony charter was revoked in 1684. Plymouth Colony was ultimately merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories in 1691 to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

Political differences with England after the English Restoration led to the revocation of the colonial charter in 1684; the colony reverted to rule under its revoked charter until 1691.

The Dominion collapsed after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 deposed James, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony reverted to rule under its revoked charter until 1691.

Its governors were appointed by the Crown, unlike the predecessor colonies that had elected their own governors. The charter included the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Plymouth Colony, the Province of Maine, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the direct successor.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Explore Massachusetts records

4,512
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
330
Military engagements
Military history records ›
2
Civil War regiments
Union, Confederate, USCT ›
25
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
61
Notable figures
Born in Massachusetts ›
33
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
Massachusetts counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Massachusetts

When did Massachusetts become a state?
Massachusetts was admitted to the Union in 1780 as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
What European powers colonized Massachusetts?
The territory that became Massachusetts passed through several colonial periods. Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620; the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1628 and both operated concurrently until merged. The Massachusetts Bay Colony charter was revoked in 1684. Plymouth Colony was ultimately merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories in 1691 to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Political differences with England after the English Restoration l
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