NEW ENGLAND. The collective name of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connect ieut. It has an area of 67.38'4 squ:u•e miles, and had a population, in 1900, of 5,592.017.
Leif Ericson is believed by many to have sailed along the coast of New England as early as T000 A.D., and it is in New England that the mythical city, Norumbega is generally supposed to have been located. The coast seems to have been visited by Verrazono in 1524, and was to a considerable extent explored by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, by Gosnold in 1602, by Sir Martin Pring in 1603. and by George Weymouth in 1605. By the charter of 1606 the Plymouth Company was empowered to make set tlements in what was then called 'North :' but an attempt (1607), by a company under George Popham, to found a SeBli.11WIlt, on what is now the Maine coast. failed. In 1614 Capt. John Smith sailed along the coast, and also went for sonic distance inland up several of the rivers. Ile prepared a description of his voyage and a rough map of the coast, and sin!. gested the name 'New England' fur the region. with 1620, when the Plymouth colony was in the present Ma.saeliii.etts.
settlers gradually earne into New England, and in 1643 the colonies of Connecticut. New Haven, Massachusetts Bay, and Plymouth united to form a confederacy known as the rnited Colonies of New England. the first attempt at federation matte in America. End] collmy was to choose twin and the eight commissioners thus chosen were to bold annual sessions at Bos ton. Hart ford. New Haven. and Plymouth. and Ivory to take action with referenee to various matters of common interest to the four colonies. In 16113 the meetings became triennial. Meet ings were held as late as 1681. though in the last years little was accomplished. Of the prcs cat New England States Connecticut resulted from the union of the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven, and Massachusetts from the union of the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, while both New Hampshire and Maine were originally under the jurisdiction of Massa chusetts, Maine not receiving a separate organ ization until 1820. See articles on the various States and the historical section of the article UNITED STATES.