one of the United States of North America. This is one of the five states included under the name of New England; and a pretty full account having been given, under that article, of the situation, soil, productions and population of the whole, we shall confine ourselves here, to the leading facts connected with this particular state.
Massachusetts has the state of New York on the west, the sea on the east, New Hampshire and Vermont on the north, and Connecticut and Rhode Island on the south. Its area is about 6250 square miles. It is rather a hilly country, and not generally fertile, though some of the valleys are very rich. The climate is variable and the winter long. The mean temperature of the year is 49°, though the latitude is only 42°. The annual quantity of rain at Cambridge is 47½ inches; the number of rainy days in the year, 88.
This is the most densely peopled state in the Union, the population in 1810, being 472,040, which is about 75 persons to each square mile. There are no slaves in this state. The principal town is Boston, which in 1818 had a population of 40,000 (Fearn's Travels). It is a place of great commercial activity; its tonnage in 1815 was 137,008. The tonnage of the whole state Massachusetts was 454,205, which was greater than that of any other state in the Union. The exports, in 1817, were $1,927,997 dollars, of which $1,928,416 were domestic, and $6,029,581 foreign produce. The whale fishery is a leading branch of this commerce. In 1811 there were 1200 sailors in this trade, belonging to the small island of Nantucket, which is its principal seat. Ship-building is carried on in this state to a great extent. The whole value of the manufactures for the year 1810 was $18,536,933 dollars. The principal domestic articles exported are flour, corn, rice, tobacco, cotton, beef, pork, cheese, butter, oil, whalebone, lumber, naval stores, &c. The foreign articles imported are piece goods, hardware, wines, spirits, teas, sugar, cocoa, &c. A canal 25 miles in length, connects the harbour of Boston with the river Merrimack. Agriculture is conducted with much skill. The principal productions are India corn, rye, oats, barley, potatoes, hemp, flax. Wheat is but little cultivated, being subject to blight.
The inhabitants of this state are generally well educated, industrious, temperate, persevering, shrewd and resolute; but they are charged with hypocrisy, craft, obstinacy, a spirit parsimonious and selfish, and a temper severe and contentious. They are generally decent in their manners, and capital crimes are rare.
The legislative power resides in a senate and house of representatives. The senators and representatives are elected annually by all persons who have freehold estates of the annual value of three pounds, or any estate to the value of sixty pounds. The governor is also chosen annually. The judges hold their office during good behaviour. There is no state religion. The Congregationalists are the most numerous sect, the Baptists next. There are some Episcopalians, Methodists, and Quakers.
The district of Maine, which extends along the Atlantic to the British colony of New Brunswick, is united with the state of Massachusetts. It covers an area of 32,628 square miles. It is similar in soil to Massachusetts, but rather more hilly and barren. It only contains about 1500 families. See UNITED STATES, SUPPLEMENT.