Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from Great Britain , earning it the nickname , the " Cradle of Liberty " . Colonists here had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy , including open rebellion under the Dominion of New England in the 1680s . The Boston Tea Party is an example of the protest spirit in the early 1770s , while the Boston Massacre escalated the conflict . Anti-British activity by men like Sam Adams and John Hancock , followed by reprisals by the British government , were a primary reason for the unity of the Thirteen Colonies and the outbreak of the American Revolution . The Battles of Lexington and Concord initiated the American Revolutionary War and were fought in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord . Future President George Washington took over what would become the Continental Army after the battle . His first victory was the Siege of Boston in the winter of 1775 – 76 , after which the British were forced to evacuate the city . The event is still celebrated in Suffolk County as Evacuation Day . In 1777 , George Washington and Henry Knox founded the Arsenal at Springfield , which catalyzed many innovations in Massachusetts ' Connecticut River Valley
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre
History of Massachusetts