Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts, known as "The Cradle of American Independence". Boston, first incorporated as a town in 1630 and as a city in 1822, is one of America's oldest cities, with a rich economic and social history. On September 17, 1630, John Winthrop and his Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony arrived in this area and decided to make a permanent settlement and named it Boston, after his hometown in Lincolnshire England. The Puritans espoused the virtues of hard work, morality, and education. The emphasis on education led to the founding of Boston Latin School in 1635 and Harvard College in 1636. Bounded on three sides by water, Boston soon became the colonies major New England seaport and the largest British settlement on the continent as well. Resistance from the colonial rule started in the 1770’s, when taxes were increased on the colonies, prompted Bostonians to initiate the American Revolution. Throughout the 19th century, Boston continued to grow rapidly, assimilating outlying towns into the metropolitan core.
Boston has a continental climate with very changeable weather patterns. Summers are usually sunny, hot and humid, the temperature in July averaging 28°C (82°F). Winter months (November to February) can be very wet and bitterly cold, as the cool ocean breezes seen in the spring become freezing. Rain is frequent throughout the spring and summer, while snow falls regularly throughout the winter, making Boston one of the nation's wettest cities. Fog is common in, spring and early summer, and the storm or hurricane can came to the region, especially in early autumn.
Boston economy is dominated by financial and health services and government. Boston is also the scene for the largest construction project in the world, the Big Dig. Costing an estimated $14 billion this remarkable feat in engineering will connect Boston to Cambridge through an underground expressway. Boston is in the top ten of America’s tourist destinations with visitors spending millions of dollars there each year.
The entire city and surrounding area is served by an excellent transport system, which includes metro, bus, commuter train and water shuttle services. The city of Boston boosts the oldest bus system and subway system in America. The subway in Boston is one of the easiest in the world to find your way around. The bus covers most of the city but also travels more extensively in suburban areas than the T and the MBTA Commuter Rail travels to the suburbs and the North Shore. Taxis are plentiful and can be hailed on the street or reserved by telephone, but they are not cheap. Boston bills itself as "America's Walking City", and walking is by far the easiest way to get around.
There are many colleges and universities within the city and its surrounding areas, and it is a centre of higher education and health care. With Harvard University being the first ever university in the country back in 1636 and Boston Latin, the first school ever in 1635, made Boston a world renowned city for higher education. The University of Massachusetts maintains a commuter campus in Boston.
Boston is distinguished by its vibrant neighborhoods. Indeed, Boston's strength, diversity and vitality are all rooted in her 21 neighborhoods, where neighborhood pride and cultures from all over the world are cherished and celebrated. Although each neighborhood has its own personality and distinct appeal, all of the neighborhoods demonstrate Boston's changing face, as this historic capital has become a magnet for all of the world's citizens.
There are many attractions in and around the city, Boston has over 250 entries in the national register of historic places, including milestones, ships, houses, historic districts, hospital, churches, and the 1742 Faneuil Hall. With hundreds of years of history and a thirst for the intellectual, Boston has become a museum-rich city. Its range of different types is vast, from world-renowned art galleries to science and nature exhibits. Many old and new attractions can be accessed from the trail, including some of the finest educational tours available in America.
The 2.5 mile (4km) Freedom Trail follows a line of red bricks or a painted red line on the pavement linking 16 historic sites associated with the early struggle for freedom from British control and the events leading up to the revolution. Those historical places include The Massacre site, Paul Revere’s House, the Christ Church and much more. The route cuts across downtown, passing through the busy shopping area around Downtown Crossing, the Financial District, and the North End, on the way to Charlestown. Other popular tours include the Black Heritage Trail and the Literary Trail.
As starting point of the Freedom Trail, the nearly 50-acre Boston Common is among the nation’s oldest public parks. The land was set aside for public use in 1634 (originally as a cow pasture and training ground. Boston Common is littered with historical monuments such as the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, Brewer Fountain, Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the Parkmen Bandstand. Today’s fare at the park ranges from swan boat rides on the lake to winter ice skating at the Frog Pond.
There are an astounding number of Boston events that occur throughout the year and many attract visitors from all over the country. The Marshfield Annual Fair, the Chowderfest, the Boston Pops concerts and St. Patrick's Day are the famous one.
