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Politics - An Intricate Part of Massachusetts's Culture

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is without question a political state. It has been at the forefront of state and national movements since its colonial times, and it has the oldest written Constitution still in use of any government in the entire world.

Though in its history Massachusetts boasted a conservative social perspective, that position is not reflective of its current culture. In general, it is known as a place of sanctuary for those with liberal worldviews and progressive ideas. Home to the Kennedy family and consistent supporter of the Democratic Party, the state has been called the "archetype of liberalism." Massachusetts has always seemed to be in the forefront of new legislation and social movements. In 1788 Massachusetts was the 6th state to accept and ratify the US Constitution, and they were the first state to abolish slavery. During the Civil War, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was one of the initial African-American divisions to fight for the military of the United States. In the 2000s, Massachusetts became the first (and currently the only) state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The people of Massachusetts are proud of their place in United States political society. In fact, the list of politicians that have hailed from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is large, especially considering the small geographical size of the state. It includes these well-known names:

• John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress)
• Samuel Adams (Revolutionary War patriot)
• Benjamin Franklin (Revolutionary War patriot)
• John Adams (2nd President)
• Elbridge Gerry (5th Vice President)
• John Quincy Adams (6th President)
• Henry Wilson (18th Vice President/US Senator)
• Calvin Coolidge (30th President)
• John F. Kennedy (35th President)
• George H. W. Bush (41st President)
• Robert F. Kennedy (US Senator)
• Paul Tsongas (US Senator)
• John W. McCormack (Speaker of the House of Representatives)
• Tip O'Neill (Speaker of the House of Representatives)
• Theodore Sedgwick (Speaker of the House of Representatives)
• Oliver Wendell Homes, Jr. (Supreme Court Justice)

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