Portal:New England

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The New England portal

Welcome to the New England portal. New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. New England is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Canada, and the State of New York.

In one of the earliest English settlements in North America, pilgrims from England first settled in New England in 1620 to form Plymouth Colony. Ten years later, the Puritans settled north of Plymouth Colony in Boston, thus forming Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the late 18th century, the New England Colonies initiated the resistance to the British Parliament's efforts to impose new taxes without the consent of the colonists. This confrontation led to open warfare in 1775, the expulsion of the British from New England in spring 1776, and the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.

Some of the first movements of American literature, philosophy, and education originated in New England. The region played a prominent role in the movement to abolish slavery, and was the first region of the United States to be transformed by the Industrial Revolution. Today, New England is a major world center of education, technology, insurance, and medicine. Boston is its cultural, financial, educational, medical and transportation center.

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Female right whale with calf

Right whales are three species of large baleen whales consisting of the genus Eubalaena in the family Balaenidae of order Cetacea. Their bodies are very dark gray or black and rotund.

A popular explanation for the name "right whales" is that they were the "right" ones to hunt, as they float when killed and often swim within sight of shore. They are quite docile, and do not tend to shy away from approaching boats. As such, they were hunted nearly to extinction during the active years of the whaling industry. This origin is apocryphal. In his history of American whaling, Eric Jay Dolin writes: "Despite this highly plausible rationale, nobody actually knows how the right whale got its name. The earliest references to the right whale offer no indication why it was called that, and some who have studied the issue point out that the word 'right' in this context might just as likely be intended "to connote 'true' or 'proper,' meaning typical of the group. (Full article...)

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This portrait, first published in 1885, was alleged to be a 1625 likeness of Standish, although its authenticity has never been proven

Myles Standish was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth Colony. One of the Mayflower passengers, Standish played a leading role in the administration and defense of Plymouth Colony from its inception. On February 17, 1621, the Plymouth Colony militia elected him as its first commander and continued to re-elect him to that position for the remainder of his life. Standish served as an agent of Plymouth Colony in England, as assistant governor, and as treasurer of Plymouth Colony. He was also one of the first settlers and founders of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. (Full article...)

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Flag of Rhode Island

Rhode Island
Incorporated 1776
Co-ordinates 41.7°N 71.5°W

Rhode Island, officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is the smallest in area, the 8th least populous, but the 2nd most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states.

Rhode Island was the first of the original Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from British rule, declaring itself independent on May 4, 1776, two months before any other colony. The State was also the last of the thirteen original colonies to ratify the United States Constitution.

Rhode Island's official nickname is "The Ocean State," a reference to the State's geography, since Rhode Island has several large bays and inlets that amount to about fourteen (14) percent of its total area. Its land area is 1,045 square miles (2706 km²), but its total area is significantly larger. (Full article...)

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Ernest Borgnine

Credit: Mark D. Faram, USN (2004)

Connecticut native Ernest Borgnine upon the honorary promotion to Chief Petty Officer

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Did you know...

... that baseball pitcher Pete Appleton changed his surname from Jablonowski to embark on a musical career, which he never did?
... that the bartender and the psychiatrist were good ol' mates in Boston and are still good ol' mates in Seattle?
... that Arnold Aronson, a founder of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, helped inspire the career of his nephew, singer-songwriter and organizer Si Kahn?
... that while he was manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, Rip Egan once served alcohol to the opposing pitcher late into the night to keep him from playing at his full potential the next day?
... that Mark Twain and General Custer visited P. T. Barnum in Iranistan?