What’s Special About New England?

Think about the region in which you live. What would a visitor notice?

Where People LiveWhere People Live

•6 States in the East form the region of New England▫Connecticut▫Maine▫Massachusetts▫New Hampshire▫Rhode Island▫Vermont

Who were the first Europeans to Who were the first Europeans to come here?come here?John Smith mapped the region in 1614

and gave the region its name.

The first settlers in Boston were the Puritans.

BostonBoston

Boston is the largest city in the New England region.

It is also the capital of Massachusetts.

Today, the city is the financial and trading center of New England. Banking, insurance, and other business services support the economy.

Boston and BeyondBoston and Beyond

•Today, people in Boston have come from many places.▫Europe▫Africa▫Asia▫Latin America

•Mid-1800s

•Many immigrants from Ireland

•Late-1800s

•Many immigrants from Italy

•After World War I (1918)

•African Americans moved from the southern states

•1950s

•Thousands of people moved from the city of Boston to is suburbs.

Immigration to BostonImmigration to Boston

Boston TodayToday

•Factories make many goods▫high technology products

•Publishing and printing

Schools and ChurchesSchools and Churches

•Puritans settled in Boston, and set-up many schools and churches.

•1635: Puritans built the first free school in America

•1636: Puritans built Harvard, the first American college, which later became a university▫University: a school with several colleges

that each focus on one area of study

Schools and Churches Continued…Schools and Churches Continued…

•Today▫New England region has hundreds of

colleges and universities▫It also has many churches, synagogues,

mosques, and other places of worship

Rural New EnglandRural New England•Most of the rural areas of New England are in

New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.•The rugged land has cold winters.•New Englanders live mostly in valleys and

lowlands.

Life in Rural New EnglandLife in Rural New England•Most are NOT farmers!•Many work in service industries, such as

tourism•Others work in manufacturing

▫Manufacturing: making goods from other materials

•Many are commuters. ▫Commuter: travels between home and work

each day

Life in Rural New England Life in Rural New England Continued…Continued…•Few Farmers

▫The soil is rocky and the growing season is short

▫If they are farmers, they usually produce only one crop, such as blueberries or potatoes.

▫Others raise dairy cows

Vacationing in New EnglandVacationing in New England

•History ▫Boston’s Freedom Trail ▫Colonial villages

•Recreation ▫Ski on mountains in the winter ▫Relax on sandy beaches in the summer

•Festivals ▫Dog Sled Derby in New Hampshire in winter ▫Maple Festival in Vermont in April ▫Lobster Festival in Maine in August

To SummarizeTo Summarize

New England

Boston is its financial center.

It is a diverse region.

New EnglandNew England

Visitors enjoy its history and geography.

Puritans started its education

system.

It is a diverse region.

Why it MattersWhy it MattersNew England’s history and social

institutions helped shape its culture!