The History of Boston
Dear friends, I want to tell you about beautiful city on the East Cost of the US — Boston. I have visited this beautiful city a few years ago.
Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and one of the oldest and richest cities in the United States. There are over 600 thousand permanent residents (the city itself is not very big). However, Boston is the center of agglomeration with a population of about 6 million people.
It should be noted that agglomeration of Boston was the 12th in the world regarding GDP.
Boston was founded in 1630 by colonists. Within a few years, the city had opened the first American English-language school and the first college — Harvard. Boston was the largest city in British America nearly for a century, but it yielded the palm to the rapidly growing New York City.
In the 1770s, the British government tried to increase taxes and take control over 13 colonies, resulting in the War of Independence. Faneuil Hall, 1740 (sometimes it’s called the ‘Cradle of Liberty’).
Boston, December 16, 1773: after getting on English trading ships, a part of the colonists dressed as Indians threw a cargo of tea in protest of the imposition of tax on the tea trade. These events got the name ‘Boston Tea Party.’
Logically, the British government responded with repression, which in a few years grew into the American Revolution. In 1775 first troops of the American army were formed from the ‘self-defense’ of Boston under the leadership of George Washington. Some Americans call Boston the Birthplace of States, paying tribute to its historic role in the creation of the Independent from England State.
After the War, Boston became one of the world’s largest trading ports. In the period of the abolition of slavery, the city became the center of the movement. Simultaneously happened the development of the industry, the city had become the center of leather and clothing industry.
Because of the port — Boston became one of the main buffers of immigration in the United States. Most of the immigrants were Irish, Germans, Italians, Polish, and Russian Jews. They influenced the architecture of the city, as well as its culture and religion (Catholic community became the largest in the city). By the way, the well-known Kennedy family are the descendants of Irish immigrants.
In the early and mid 20th century, the city experienced several stages of the crisis. Local industry was unable to keep pace with the modern development and was gradually decaying. Labor force moved to other cities.
City authorities chose new ways of development and finally managed to attract investment. Interest in the city began to grow again (several ‘great’ universities played a major role).
By the beginning of the 21st century, Boston became an intellectual, technological, business and political center of the United States and the world.
Now, let’s take a walk through the streets of this pleasant city.
Stay tuned.
