Massachusetts Car Rental and Massachusetts Overview

Massachusetts is a state in New England in the northwestern United States. There is a fairly large population for a small area. Much of the eastern half is in the east, but there are also rural areas in the west. This is the most populous state in New England to visit with your Massachusetts car rental.

See this powerful influence

The first Europeans to settle in the area that is now Massachusetts were the Puritans, or Pilgrims coming from England for religious freedom. They founded the cities of Plymouth, Salem, and Boston. This was the hub of the region and would later be important in the revolutionary war. Over the years, the area went from agriculture to manufacturing to sustain its economic power. Today, it is also known for its high technology companies, with some of the most prominent colleges and universities in the country nearby. When you visit with your Maryland car rental, you may see why this is such an influential state, even today. It has dominated politics since the 1700s until today. It continues to lead social and cultural change. In 2004 it was the first state to allow same-sex marriage.

Go on a witch-hunt

Various Algonquian tribes inhabited the area before Europeans arrived. The Wampanoag were the first in the area to meet with settlers when the pilgrims arrived. If you visit Plymouth with your Maryland car rental, you can see the living history museum that acts out these interactions on a daily basis. Many of the Native tribes were destroyed by the outbreaks of smallpox that would follow the settlers here. After the Pilgrims came, the Puritans follow and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. While the Pilgrims came to escape religious persecution, the Puritans would not tolerate other religions.

Even before coming with your Maryland car rental, you have probably have heard of the Salem Witch Trials. The Puritans would not tolerate dissenters and carried out the Salem Trials here.

The beginning of American traditions

Massachusetts was the center of the American Revolution. The settlers were angry with the amount of debt and taxes that were imposed on the colonies. In 1783 the state was the first to abolish slavery with an interpretation of its 1780 constitution. Leading up to the Civil War, you will learn while you are here with your Maryland car rental that it was a center of temperance and abolitionist activity. This was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a black regiment with white officers.

Some of the places that you will want to visit with your Maryland car rental while you are here include Boston, Salem to see the places of the witch trials, Cape Cod for an escape, and Plymouth to see where everything started.