Happy Birthday, Massachusetts!

 

Today is the anniversary of Massachusetts ratifying the Constitution to join our United States of America.

Date of Admittance: February 6, 1788
Parentage: The name is said to be based on the Sioux word "konza,"  which means "people of the south wind."  

Place in the Family

Number 6

Massachusetts ratified the Constitution one month after 
Connecticut (1-9-1788) and two months before Maryland (4-28-1788).

Motto

"By the Sword We Seek Peace, 
But Peace Only Under Liberty"

That sure does sound Revolutionary War-like. 
Those Founding Fathers loved them their liberty.

Nick-Name 

The Bay State

I didn't know The Bay City Rollers were from Massachusetts! 

On the License Plate

"The Spirit of America"
Well, after more than 200 years I think this is 
a bit presumptuous, don't you?

State Flag

A white flag with the state symbol in the center. 

This one is simple, but elegant. I like that the field is white instead of blue.

First City You Probably Think of 

When You Think "Massachusetts" 

Boston

Actual State Capital:Boston

State Size (Area) is 44th of 50
Population is closer to 13th of 50

(per 2000 Census figures)

Massachusetts Sports: 
NFL (New England Patriots)


MLB (Boston Red Sox)



NBA (Boston Celtics)



NHL (Boston Bruins)

Anybody From Massachusetts
Ever Grow Up To Be President?
Yes, a few, actually!
Our 2nd President John Adams was from Quincy, Massachusetts.


His son, our 6th President John Quincy Adams, was from 
Braintree, Massachusetts.


Then we have to skip a few generations until our
35th President John Kennedy to have another.


Most recently, our 41st President George H.W. Bush
was born in Milton and spent his youth in New England.  

Good vs Evil 
Ben Franklin
the best American ever?
 

The Boston Strangler

an early serial killer

Massachusetts Film Celebrities

Bette Davis
Academy Award-winning actress

Ray Bolger

actor, singer, Scarecrow

Ruth Gordon

Academy Award-winning actress

Jack Albertson

Academy Award-winning actor

Estelle Parsons
Academy Award-winning actress
 

Kurt Russell

actor, "Escape From New York"

Jane Alexander
actress, "Cider House Rules" 

Geena Davis 

Academy Award-winning actress

Olympia Dukakis

Academy Award-winning actress

Ben Affleck

actor, director, "Argo"

Matt Damon
actor, screenwriter, "The Bourne Identity"

Uma Thurman

actress, "Kill Bill" 

Mark Wahlberg

actor, "Ted"

Chris Evans

actor, "Captain America"

Massachusetts Literary Celebrities

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter

Emily Dickinson

poet

Edgar Allan Poe
"The Raven"

e.e. cummings
poet


Dr. Seuss
The Cat In The Hat

Jack Kerouac

On The Road

Massachusetts Musicians

Leonard Bernstein

composer & conductor

Arthur Fiedler
conductor, Boston Pops Orchestra

BOSTON

"More Than A Feeling"
 

Aerosmith

"Don't Want To Miss A Thing"

The Cars
"You Might Think"


J. Geils Band 
"Centerfold" 

New Edition

"Cool It Now"


Bobby Brown
"My Prerogative"


New Kids On The Block
"Step By Step"

Massachusetts TV Celebrities

Mike Wallace

reporter, CBS News, "Sixty Minutes"

Agnes Moorehead

actress, "Bewitched"

Leonard Nimoy

actor, "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible"

Barbara Walters

newscaster, host "The View"

Jane Curtin

actress, comedienne, 

"SNL," "Kate & Allie"

Paul Benedict

actor, "The Jeffersons"


Tom Bergeron

host, "Dancing With The Stars"

George Stephanopoulos

political commentator

Conan O'Brien

comedian

Matt LeBlanc

actor, "Friends"

Sam Waterston

actor, "Law & Order"


James Spader

actor, "Boston Legal"

Steve Carrell

actor, "The Office"

John Krasinki

actor, "The Office"

Mindy Kaling

actress, "The Office"

Massachusetts in Fiction

Maj. Charles E. Winchester

Korean War veteran

   
Robert Langdon lives in Boston



 

 
 

A Song For You....
"Please Come To Boston"
by Dave Loggins

who was not from Massachusetts, 
but *was* from Tennessee!