From the moment the first English colonists landed on the shores of
Plymouth Bay, the experiences of the people of Massachusetts have been
emblematic of larger themes in American history. The story of the first
Pilgrim thanksgiving is commemorated as a national holiday, while the
Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's ride have passed into the national
mythology. Even the grimmer aspects of the American experience-Indian
warfare and the conquest of an ever expanding frontier-were part of the
early history of Massachusetts. In this book, Richard D. Brown and Jack
Tager survey the rich heritage of this distinctive, and distinctly
American, place, showing how it has long exerted an influence
disproportionate to its size. A seedbed of revolt against British
colonial rule, Massachusetts has supplied the nation with a long line of
political leaders-from Samuel and John Adams to William Lloyd Garrison
and Lucy Stone to John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Its early textile
mills helped shape the industrial revolution, while its experiences with
urbanization, immigration, ethnic conflict, and labor strife reflected
the growth of the national economy. In the twentieth century, the state
continued to lead the country through a series of wrenching economic
changes as it moved from the production of goods to the provision of
services, eventually becoming a center of the high-tech revolution in
telecommunications. If there is one common theme in the Bay State's
history, Brown and Tager make clear, it is the capacity to adapt to
change. In part this trait can be attributed to the state's unique blend
of resources, including its many distinguished colleges and
universities. But it can also be credited to the people themselves, who
have created a singular sense of place by reconciling claims of
tradition with the possibilities of innovation. This book tells their
story.
