4-21 The State of Massachusetts

The great state of Massachusetts became the 6^th state in the Union on February 6, 1788.  The state was named after the Massachusetts Indians that lived in the Massachusetts Bay Region.  Massachusetts was named for an Algonquian Indian word that means "a big hill place."  The Pilgrims came ashore in 1620, and Massachusetts became the site of the first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621.  In 1773, history was made when Bostonians had their famous Tea Party, boarding a British tea ship, and tossing the tea into Boston Harbor in protest of unfair taxation.

There are 4,230 miles of rivers within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The largest is the Connecticut, which flows from north to south.  Massachusetts has more than 1,100 lakes and ponds.  The largest of these, Quabbin Reservoir (24,704 acres) and Wachusett Reservoir (4,160 acres) are manmade.

Emblem/Symbol	Name of Emblem/Symbol	Adopted
Motto	"Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" - (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
Nickname	Bay State	1629
State Seal		1885
State Bird	Black-Capped Chickadee	1941
State Flower	Mayflower	1918
State Song	"All Hail to Massachusetts"	1981
State Tree	American Elm	1941
State Flag		1971
State Insect	Ladybug	1974
State Fish	Cod	1974
State Wild Animal	Wild Turkey	1991
State Dog	Boston Terrier	1979
State Cat	Tabby	1988
State Marine Mammal	Right Whale	1980
State Mineral	Babingtonite	1971
State Beverage	Cranberry Juice	1970

Complete the questions below.

1.  Massachusetts became the 6^th state in the Union on February 6, .

2.  The state wild animal is the .

3.  The state flower is the .

4.  The state song is "."

5.  The Boston Terrier is the state .

6.  The word Massachusetts means "."

7.  "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" means (.)

8.  The Tabby is the state .

9.  The first was held in the fall of 1621 in Massachusetts.

10.  The state nickname is the "."