Massachusetts

             
                                                   (Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts)

On December 20th, 1620, 102 Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts. Their ship, the Mayflower, was blown off course en route to Virginia and subsequently William Bradford and the Pilgrims landed in what later became known as Massachusetts. Upon arrival, the Pilgrims came across an English speaking Native American called Squanto. He had initially been enslaved by Thomas Hunt and taken to Spain in 1614, but managed to escape to England, where he learnt English. After returning to North America in 1619, Squanto became an interpreter for the Pilgrims and helped establish their colony.

Massachusetts is the 6th State of the United States of America, having been admitted on the 6th February 1788. It was nicknamed the 'Bay State' by its early settlers, who recognised the large number of bays on Massachusetts' coastline. Its name derives from the Algonquian Indian term for the 'great mountain'.



References:

http://www.50states.com/massachu.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/
http://www.masshome.com/tour.html
http://www.history.com/topics/pilgrims
http://www.biography.com/people/squanto-9491327