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Spreading from nor’easter-battered coastlines and lowlands along the Atlantic to a forested, mountainous West, borne from a puritanical past into a progressive present, Massachusetts is a state of sharp contrasts. Urban life in the Bay State centers on the intellectual and economic hub of Boston, but venture more than a few miles from the big city and a quieter pace of life holds sway. Steeped in a rebellious history that made it the cradle of the revolution, Massachusetts has roots as deep as America’s itself.

Settled by Puritans and Pilgrims in the late 1600s, Massachusetts has been deeply influenced by the strong independent streak of its citizens. The same uncompromising attitude that drove its early settlers from England (and led to the infamous Salem witch trials) placed the Bay State at the heart of the American Revolution. The first battles of the revolution sprang from the ideas and actions of Massachusetts patriots, with the Boston Tea Party perhaps the most famous act of dissent. This intellectual ferment helped the state become a haven for progressive thinkers, a tradition that continues today in some of the world’s most prestigious universities, such as Harvard and MIT.

Much of the activity in the most populous state in New England centers around Boston, the focal point for the entire region. More than half the population lives within 50 miles of the metropolis, with 80% inhabiting the “Greater Boston” region that powers much of the state’s economy through manufacturing, high technology and tourism. More than half covered in forest land, the rest of the state attracts its share of visitors with its bucolic atmosphere and beautiful fall foliage.

Spreading out from East to West, Massachusetts can be divided into three sections, each with a unique character and climate. The low-lying coastal region, dominated by the two bays that give the state its nickname (Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay) is generally more temperate, at least when nor’easter storms aren’t blowing. Central Massachusetts is dominated by rolling hills and features a classic continental climate, while the fertile, mountainous West is quieter and primarily rural.

Beyond these basic divisions, however, the state’s climate is marked by startling contrasts from locality to locality and year to year. Changeable weather and large daily and seasonal temperature swings are typical of Massachusetts – a “normal” month, season, or year is the exception rather than the rule. Traveling a few miles can often mean entering pockets of strikingly different weather as elevation and distance from the ocean changes. High value, specialized crops thrive in these mini-climate zones.

Dynamic, urban, multicultural in the Boston Corridor, staid and rural most other places, Massachusetts is a state whose essence is hard to capture. The state’s geography, weather and people are ever-changing, giving each locality a unique atmosphere and character. These contrasts and the distinctive places they engender highlight the beauty and independent spirit that make the Bay State a one of a kind place to live.