Boston was settled by Europeans in the mid-1600s, but did not incorporate as a city until 1822. The city was given its name by prominent colonists who chose to name the new city after their home in England. With its prime location on the Atlantic coast, Boston quickly became a major shipping port and was the largest town in British North America throughout much of the 1700s.  Since its humble beginnings, Boston has overcome a great deal of tragedy and tribulation to become the great city that it is today.
 
 The Revolutionary War forced Bostonians to unite as American’s and fight the ever restricting British control. With the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere’s midnight ride, Boston was a key staging area for the American Revolution. As a city that was founded by individuals fleeing religious persecution, it was truly a force to be reckoned with as individuals fought for a nation that could be free from British control. The war forced Boston to become a major manufacturing center and by the mid-1800s, Boston was one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers in the nation.

 As the manufacturing industry began to wane, the city continued to fight with the same intensity and passion with which the city was founded. Hard economic times did not keep Boston down, but allowed the city to spur their economy by focusing on research, finance and technology. As a center for higher education and healthcare, Boston is once again, a major player on the world stage.

 Today, Boston’s strong and resilient spirit can still be felt on the city streets. Despite its compact size, Boston is a vibrant city that has continued to grow and expand since its founding.