Claim: Massachusetts is designated as a commonwealth.

Massachusetts -LSB- mæsəˈtʃuːsᵻts -RSB- or -LSB- ˌmæsəˈtʃuːzᵻts -RSB- ; officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The state is named for the Massachusett tribe , which once inhabited the area . The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston . Over 80 % of Massachusetts ' population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts ' economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade .   Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England , founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention . In the 18th century , the Protestant First Great Awakening , which swept the Atlantic World , originated from the pulpit of Northampton preacher Jonathan Edwards . In the late 18th century , Boston became known as the `` Cradle of Liberty '' for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution .   The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a powerful commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States . Before the American Civil War , Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist , temperance , and transcendentalist movements . In the late 19th century , the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke , respectively . In 2004 , Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage as a result of the decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state , including the Adams and Kennedy families . Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States , with the largest financial endowment of any university , and Harvard Law School has educated a contemporaneous majority of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States . Kendall Square in Cambridge has been called `` the most innovative square mile on the planet '' , in reference to the high concentration of entrepreneurial start-ups and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010 . Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , also in Cambridge , have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world . Massachusetts ' public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance .