The rocks are principally meta morphic of the Archaean and Paleozoic systems. In the river valleys and elsewhere there are masses of glacial drift, including sand and boulders, some of the latter being of large size. No mineral deposits of great value exist, ex cept stone for building purposes, limestone and sandstone of the highest quality being quarried in the Connecticut Valley and west of the Connecticut, and granite of several varieties and superior character at Cape Ann, Quincy, and to a lesser extent in other eastern sections. The elevations of the lower Connecticut Valley are composed of bolerites, feldspathic and cal careous gneiss. There are extensive Mesozoic sandstone beds and shales in the Connecticut Valley, with small areas of syenite on each side, and an area of gneiss extending easterly from the Connecticut to the central part of the State. Syenite and porphyry are found in the east; feldspathic gneiss and granite in Plymouth and Bristol counties; gneiss and hornblende schist in Middlesex County; syenite in Essex and Norfolk counties; carboniferous deposits in Bristol and Plymouth counties, and Cambrian, Silurian and Devonian limestones, quartzites, schists and slates west of the Connecticut.
Climate and The temperature is variable and, especially in the eastern parts of the State, subject to frequent and wide fluctua tions. In the early spring easterly winds pre vail upon the coast, which are peculiarly trying to persons of delicate constitution. The winters are moderately severe, although near the sea there is much milder weather, during the winter months, and the fall of snow is not excessive. The summers are frequently marked oy periods of excessive heat and sometimes by prolonged drought. The mean average rainfall for the State is about 48 inches. The normal tempera ture rises above the freezing point at Boston about 7 March and the normal temperature of 60° for the day reaches Boston about 24 May. It falls to 60' about 25 September. Observa tions extending over 25 years show that upon the average experience the warmest week at Boston follows 13 July. On the other hand, the coldest week follows 24 February.
The scenery in the western counties is ex ceedingly picturesque, notably in the valleys of the Connecticut, Hoosac, Deerfield and Housa tonic rivers. Here are found the noted Berk shire Hills. The northeastern coast line extend ing southerly from Cape Ann is bold and rocky. while the southern and southeastern shores of Cape Cod and Buzzard's Bay are low and sandy. The islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nan tucket and the group known as the Elizabeth Islands partake of the characteristics of the neighboring mainland.
History.— The native inhabitants of Massa chusetts were Algonquins of various tribes, each having its distinguishing name. The In
dian nomenclature of hills, rivers, lakes and local districts is still preserved in many cases. The first fully authenticated visit of a Euro pean explorer is that of Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602, although there are traditional accounts of the visits of others, particularly of North men under Lief Erikson, some 600 years earlier, with subsequent settlements maintained during three centuries, of which, however, no undis puted traces exist, although a commemorative tower erected on the Charles near Boston is claimed to mark the site of a Norwegian settlement named Norembega. Gosnold skirted the coast from Salem southward, named Cape Cod and discovered the neighboring islands. A settlement made upon one of these was soon abandoned. Subsequedt attempts at settlement by Prynne (1603) and Waymouth (1605) also failed. The Pilgrim Fathers, so-called, a com pany of English separatists who, seeking reli gious freedom, had, under the guidance of their pastor, John Robinson, left England for Leyden in Holland in 1607-08, sailed from Delfthaven in 1620, and soon afterward, 102 in number, from Plymouth, England, in the Mayflower (q.v.), with the intention of form ing a settlement south of the Hudson River. Under stress of weather, however, they were forced to land in Provincetown Harbor 11 Nov. 1620, and finally upon the mainland at Plymouth 11 December (old style), where a settlement was established under a constitution or compact signed by all before leaving the ship, John Carver being chosen governor for one year. Despite much hardship this settlement was never abandoned and formed the basis of the Plymouth Colony.
A settlement made at Cape Ann in 1623 by English fishermen was in 1626 abandoned in favor of a location at Salem. A company of English Puritans under John Endicott, having obtained a grant of land on Massachusetts Bay, joined them in 1628. Under a charter granted the following year the colony of Massachusetts Bay was firmly established. In 1630 the colony received large accessions under John Winthrop, and the seat of administration was soon trans ferred, first to Charlestown and finally to Bos ton. These two colonies, Plymouth and Massa chusetts Bay, advanced side by side, the last named growing in importance by constant ac cessions, although less tolerant than the former in religious matters. The original government was indeed theocratic, based upon the Con gregational form of church government, which was established by law in 1651. A confederacy including the two colonies and that of Connec ticut was formed in 1643, followed by one upon a somewhat broader basis in 1663.