In the Massachusetts Bay Colony religious intolerance was frequently exhibited during the early years. Roger Williams and others whose opinions were thought to be dangerous to the community were banished.
Troubles with the Indians, the original in habitants of the country, involved both colonies, the more important being the Pequot War (1636-37). and the war with King Philip (1675 76). Gradually relations with the mother coun try became strained. After the restoration of Charles II a royal commission was appointed to administer the government, but was pre vented from exercising its powers by the colo nial authorities. The English High Court of Chancery in 1684 declared the charter of Massa chusetts forfeited; and a succession of govern ors appointed by the Crown administered the colonial government, generally with much fric tion engendered by an adverse public opinion. Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies were consolidated under a new charter in 1692. The territory of Maine, New Hampshire and Ver mont formed part of the original province, sepa ration being progressively accomplished and finally completed by the creation of the inde pendent State of Maine in 1820.
In the colonial wars between France and England, and in difficulties with the Indians prompted by French influence adverse to the English colonies, Massachusetts was largely in volved. Especially in the French and English wars (1744-48 and 1758), the colony took an important part, contributing in great measure to the success of the expedition against Louis burg and other Canadian campaigns. In these military operations, the colonists learned to estimate their strength justly and acquired ex perience which was of great value in the final struggle which resulted in independence.
Measures of taxation devised by the home government and restrictions upon the growing commerce of the colony led to a constantly in creasing spirit of resistance and, finally, to riots in Boston (1765-68) against the enforcement of the Stamp Act (q.v.). In 1770 three citizens of Boston were shot by British soldiers, _part of a garrison quartered upon the town without consent of the people. In December 1773 a cargo of tea, subject to a duty disliked by the colonists, was destroyed by being thrown into the harbor of Boston by a company of towns people disguised as Indians. This episode is
now widely known as "The Boston Tea Party" (q.v.). The port of Boston was closed in retaliation. The meeting of the General Court at Boston being postponed indefinitely, its mem bers assembled at Salem. On 19 April 1775 the first blood of the Revolution was shed at Lexington not far from Boston, followed by the fight at Concord Bridge. On 17 June oc curred the battle of Bunker Hill at Charles town, which, although counted as a British vic tory, exhibited the effective strength and stub born power of resistance of the colonial forces, who, about 1,200 in number, resisted more than 3,000 British regulars, only giving way when after the third assault their ammunition failed. Throughout the war Massachusetts took a prominent part, notwithstanding the emigration of a considerable number of loyalists to the eastern British provinces. She provided 67, 907 troops and $820,000 in revenue. At the close of the war, Massachusetts entered the Union, its -State constitution being adopted in 1780 and the Constitution of the United States ratified January 1788. In the naval operations incident to the war with England in 1812, the seamen from Massachusetts won especial credit.
The State was closely identified with the anti-slavery movement by the growth within her borders of a strong popular sentiment in favor of abolition. William Lloyd Garrison (q.v.), Wendell Phillips and many other prom inent men were influential in this movement.
In the War of the Rebellion the State fur nished 159,165 men to the Union army and navy, paying in bounties and interest on bounty loans more than $26,000,000, besides large sums in State and military aid. At the close of the war, the war debt of the State approximated $15,000,000. In the late war with Spain also, the quota from Massachusetts was promptly furnished, the men being among those first in the field. And in the great European conflict the State acted in conformity with its honorable traditions.