I.

Introduction

Boston, the capital city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the seat of Suffolk County. It is located in the eastern part of the state on Boston Harbor, an inlet of Massachusetts Bay, at the mouth of the Charles River. Boston is the largest and most influential city in the six-state New England region. It was one of the earliest major United States cities to be settled by Europeans (1625) and the largest city in the British American colonies. The American Revolution (1775-1783) began in the Boston area.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Boston was the focus of economic activity, communications, and transportation in New England and was one of the major centers of higher education and high technology in the United States. The city is scenically located along the waters of the Charles River and Boston Harbor. It has a compact, walkable city center, which is dotted with sites of historic interest dating to colonial times.

Boston has humid summers and moderately cold winters. Temperatures in January average a high of 2°C (36°F) and a low of -6°C (22°F); July temperatures average a high of 28°C (82°F) and a low of 18°C (65°F). The city averages 1,100 mm (42 in) of precipitation a year.