History And Culture In New England

The northeastern part of the United States, including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, is commonly called New England. This region has a rich history and strong culture rooted in liberal ideals and an appreciation for education that dates back many centuries.

The first European settlement in New England was the Plymouth Colony in 1620; the second was in Boston in 1630 and called the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Since the earliest days of the United States, the religious, cultural, and educational values of those original settlers have pervaded in New England. Harvard University, which is still regarded as one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the world, was established in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1636 to train local preachers. Other renowned universities founded early in the history of New England include Yale University in 1701, Brown University in 1764, and Dartmouth College in 1769, all of which are part of the Ivy League of distinguished universities.

Apart from an appreciation of higher education, New England is also known for its strong cultural roots based in Puritanism and later in liberal ideals. The early settlers who came from England and other parts of Europe were mostly Puritans who spread their conservative religious beliefs and way of life throughout the region. In the last century, however, a distinctive change has occurred throughout the region. New England is now the least religious part of the United States with one in four people claiming that they have no specific religion. Both the history and the modern changes in New England culture contribute a lot to world heritage.