The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Most of its population of 6.4 million lives in the Boston metropolitan area, while the relatively small state is urban, suburban, and rural in its eastern half but still primarily rural in the west. It is the most populous of the six New England states.

The first Europeans to settle New England landed in present-day Massachusetts. These settlers were Pilgrims and Puritans from England seeking religious freedom. The majority of early settlers came from within 60 miles of Haverhill, England. They founded Plymouth, Salem, and Boston, which soon became the hub of the region. A century and a half later, Massachusetts became known as the 'Cradle of Liberty' for the revolutionary foment in Boston that helped spawn the war of the Thirteen Colonies for independence.