Boston is a city of “firsts” and “oldests.” The first European settlers were the Puritans seeking to escape religious persecution in England. The Puritans founded America's first school, Boston Latin School (1635), and America's first college, Harvard College (1636) and their ethics for morality, hard work and emphasis on education became the foundation of Boston’s culture. In1770, the British attempted to gain control over the colonists leading to the start of the American Revolution. Memorable moments in Boston history occurred during this period with the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, the midnight ride of Paul Revere and battles in and around the city.
After the Revolution, Boston became one of the world's wealthiest international trading ports — major exports were rum, fish, salt, and tobacco.In 1822, Boston was chartered as a city and by the mid-1800s, Boston was one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers in the country. During this period, Irish and Italian immigrants began to pour into Boston. These immigrants played a major role in Boston and national politics represented by families such as the Kennedys.
During the early 20th century, manufacturing went into a state of decline and factories and mills were closed. However, Boston’s prosperity soon returned with the development of banking and finance and service and retailing industries. Today, over 600,000 residents and a student population of 250,000 call Boston home. Over the centuries, Boston has been called by many names. Oliver Wendall Holmes dubbed Boston “the Hub of the Universe.” It has also been called the “Athens of America” and is affectionately known to many as “Beantown.” Regardless of which nickname it is called, Boston is steeped in history and charm and is a leader in intellectual and political arenas in the United States.
