1.
United States House of Representatives
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The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress which, along with the Senate, composes the legislature of the United States. The composition and powers of the House are established by Article One of the United States Constitution, since its inception in 1789, all representatives are elected popularly. The total number of voting representatives is fixed by law at 435, the House is charged with the passage of federal legislation, known as bills, which, after concurrence by the Senate, are sent to the President for consideration. The presiding officer is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the members thereof and is traditionally the leader of the controlling party. He or she and other leaders are chosen by the Democratic Caucus or the Republican Conferences. The House meets in the wing of the United States Capitol. Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress of the Confederation was a body in which each state was equally represented. All states except Rhode Island agreed to send delegates, the issue of how to structure Congress was one of the most divisive among the founders during the Convention. The House is referred to as the house, with the Senate being the upper house. Both houses approval is necessary for the passage of legislation, the Virginia Plan drew the support of delegates from large states such as Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, as it called for representation based on population. The smaller states, however, favored the New Jersey Plan, the Constitution was ratified by the requisite number of states in 1788, but its implementation was set for March 4,1789. The House began work on April 1,1789, when it achieved a quorum for the first time, during the first half of the 19th century, the House was frequently in conflict with the Senate over regionally divisive issues, including slavery. The North was much more populous than the South, and therefore dominated the House of Representatives, However, the North held no such advantage in the Senate, where the equal representation of states prevailed. Regional conflict was most pronounced over the issue of slavery, One example of a provision repeatedly supported by the House but blocked by the Senate was the Wilmot Proviso, which sought to ban slavery in the land gained during the Mexican–American War. Conflict over slavery and other issues persisted until the Civil War, the war culminated in the Souths defeat and in the abolition of slavery. Because all southern senators except Andrew Johnson resigned their seats at the beginning of the war, the years of Reconstruction that followed witnessed large majorities for the Republican Party, which many Americans associated with the Unions victory in the Civil War and the ending of slavery. The Reconstruction period ended in about 1877, the ensuing era, the Democratic and the Republican Party held majorities in the House at various times. The late 19th and early 20th centuries also saw an increase in the power of the Speaker of the House
2.
Massachusetts
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It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, and New York to the west. The state is named for the Massachusett tribe, which inhabited the area. The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston, over 80% of Massachusetts population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, a region influential upon American history, academia, and industry. Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution, during the 20th century, Massachusetts economy shifted from manufacturing to services. Modern Massachusetts is a leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance. Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England, founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims, in 1692, the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of Americas most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem witch trials. In 1777, General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory, which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances, in 1786, Shays Rebellion, a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans, influenced the United States Constitutional Convention. In the 18th century, the Protestant First Great Awakening, which swept the Atlantic World, in the late 18th century, Boston became known as the Cradle of Liberty for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution. The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States. Before the American Civil War, Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist, temperance, in the late 19th century, the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke, respectively. Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state, including the Adams, both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also in Cambridge, have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world. Massachusetts public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance, the official name of the state is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. While this designation is part of the official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the position and powers within the United States as other states. Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. While cultivation of crops like squash and corn supplemented their diets, villages consisted of lodges called wigwams as well as longhouses, and tribes were led by male or female elders known as sachems. Between 1617 and 1619, smallpox killed approximately 90% of the Massachusetts Bay Native Americans, the first English settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, arrived via the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620, and developed friendly relations with the native Wampanoag people. This was the second successful permanent English colony in the part of North America that later became the United States, the event known as the First Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World which lasted for three days
3.
Massachusetts's 20th congressional district
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Massachusettss twentieth congressional district is an obsolete district. Its short tenure was dedicated to the Maine District until Maine achieved statehood, the Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts, Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
4.
Albion Parris
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Albion Keith Parris was an American politician and jurist of Maine. Parris served in elected and appointed positions throughout this life, including state legislator, U. S. Senator, the fifth Governor of Maine, state Supreme Court judge. Parris was born in Hebron, Maine, then a part of Massachusetts and his father, Samuel, was from Massachusetts and has been one of the first settlers of the town following the American Revolutionary War. His cousin was Virgil Delphini Parris, also a politician, Parris entered Dartmouth College in 1803, graduating in 1806. He later studied law and was admitted to the bar, beginning practice in 1809 in Paris, in 1810, he married Sarah Whitman, the eldest daughter of the Reverend Levi Whitman of Wellfleet. He had three daughters and two sons, all of who survived him, in 1811, Parris became the Oxford County prosecutor. From 1813 to 1814, Parris served in the State House, on March 4,1815, Parris began his term as a U. S. Representative from Massachusetts, elected as a Democratic-Republican, on January 27,1818, Parris was nominated by President James Monroe to become a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine, the seat having been vacated by David Sewall. The appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate the next day, in 1819, Parris was a delegate to the Maine constitutional convention. He served as a judge until January 1,1822, when he resigned to become the Governor of Maine, Parris served as Governor until 1827. That year, Parris was elected to the U. S. Senate, serving from March 4,1827, to August 26,1828, when he resigned to become a judge on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Parris served as a Supreme Judicial Court judge until 1836, when he became the Second Comptroller of the Treasury, in the fall of 1846, he served as one of the three commissioners negotiating a treaty at Washington, D. C. with the Winnebago Indians. In 1852, Parris became the mayor of Portland, defeating Whig incumbent Neal Dow and he did not seek reelection and launched an unsuccessful bid in 1854 as a Democrat to become Governor, he was defeated by Know Nothing candidate Anson Morrill. In his later years he was an member of the High Street Church. He died at age 69 in Portland and was interred at the Western Cemetery, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Albion Parris at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center
5.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
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The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 12 counties each divided into electoral districts across the Commonwealth. The House of Representatives convenes at the Massachusetts State House in Boston, Representatives used to be apportioned by town. For the first 150 persons, one representative was granted, the largest membership of the House was 749 in 1812, the largest House without Maine was 635 in 1837. The original distribution was changed to the current regional system in the 20th century. Until 1978, there were 240 members of the house, a number in multi-member districts, today, each Representative represents about 40,000 residents. Their districts are named for the counties they are in and tend to stay within one county, Representatives serve two-year terms which are not limited. Within the Houses debating chamber hangs the Sacred Cod of Massachusetts, the 5-foot-long pine carving of the cod was offered by Representative John Rowe in 1784 in commemoration of the states maritime economy and history. Two previous carvings of the cod existed during the colonial era, the first destroyed in a fire in 1747. Since 1784, the current Sacred Cod has been present at nearly every House session, in 1933, members of the Harvard Lampoon stole the cod carving as part of a prank. The theft sparked a statewide search by the Boston and Massachusetts State Police. Following outrage from Boston newspapers and the General Court itself, the cod was anonymously handed back, the Democrats hold a supermajority in the House. The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives, the Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leader, other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their partys strength in the House. The current Speaker of the House is Robert DeLeo of the 19th Suffolk District, the Majority Leader is Ronald Mariano of the 3rd Norfolk District. The Republican Minority Leader is Bradley Jones, Jr. of the 20th Middlesex District, the most recent election of members was held on November 8,2016. Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1947-1948,1951,1957,1961,1967,1971,1977,1981,1987,1993,1997,2001,2003,2005,2007 Massachusetts - State Legislative District Maps
6.
Worcester, Massachusetts
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Worcester /ˈwʊstər/ WUUSS-tər local pronunciation /ˈwᵻstə/ is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the citys population was 181,045, Worcester is located approximately 40 miles west of Boston,50 miles east of Springfield and 40 miles north of Providence. Due to its location in Central Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the Heart of the Commonwealth, thus, however, the heart symbol may also have its provenance in lore that the mass-produced Valentines Day card was invented in the city. S. Census Combined Statistical Area, or Greater Boston, the city features many examples of Victorian-era mill architecture. The area was first inhabited by members of the Nipmuc tribe, the native people called the region Quinsigamond and built a settlement on Pakachoag Hill in Auburn. In 1673 English settlers John Eliot and Daniel Gookin led an expedition to Quinsigamond to establish a new Christian Indian praying town and identify a new location for an English settlement. On July 13,1674, Gookin obtained a deed to eight miles of land in Quinsigamond from the Nipmuc people. In 1675, King Philips War broke out throughout New England with the Nipmuc Indians coming to the aid of Indian leader King Philip, the English settlers completely abandoned the Quinsigamond area and the empty buildings were burned by the Indian forces. The town was abandoned during Queen Annes War in 1702. Finally in 1713, Worcester was permanently resettled for a time by Jonas Rice. Named after the city of Worcester, England, the town was incorporated on June 14,1722, on April 2,1731, Worcester was chosen as the county seat of the newly founded Worcester County government. Between 1755 and 1758, future U. S. president John Adams worked as a schoolteacher, in the 1770s, Worcester became a center of American revolutionary activity. British General Thomas Gage was given information of patriot ammunition stockpiled in Worcester in 1775, also in 1775, Massachusetts Spy publisher Isaiah Thomas moved his radical newspaper out of British occupied Boston to Worcester. Thomas would continuously publish his paper throughout the American Revolutionary War, on July 14,1776, Thomas performed the first public reading in Massachusetts of the Declaration of Independence in front of the Worcester town hall. He would later go on to form the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester in 1812, during the turn of the 19th century Worcesters economy moved into manufacturing. Factories producing textiles, shoes and clothing opened along the nearby Blackstone River, however, the manufacturing industry in Worcester would not begin to thrive until the opening of the Blackstone Canal in 1828 and the opening of the Worcester and Boston Railroad in 1835. The city transformed into a hub and the manufacturing industry flourished. Worcester was officially chartered as a city on February 29,1848, immigrants moved into new triple-decker houses which lined hundreds of Worcesters expanding streets and neighborhoods
7.
Paris, Maine
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Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,183 at the 2010 census, the census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Post Office refers to the town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly referred to as South Paris. The main exception is the known as Paris Hill, which is a scenic historic district popular with tourists. It was granted by Massachusetts on June 11,1771 to Captain Joshua Fuller of Watertown, Massachusetts and 59 others for service during the French, the land in Maine would retain the name Township Number Four. It was first settled near the center of the town in 1779 by Lemuel Jackson, John Willis, organized as Number Four Plantation, it was incorporated as Paris on June 20,1793. At the establishment of Oxford County in 1805, Paris was designated its county seat and it was noted for scenic beauty and excellent pasturage, including some of the states best livestock and dairy farms. It also had many large apple orchards, the village of Paris Hill was established at an elevation of 820 feet above sea level, with views of Mount Chocorua and Mount Washington in the White Mountains. The Paris Hill Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, has examples of Federal. The old Oxford County Jail, built of granite in 1822, was given in 1902 to the Paris Hill Library Association, and is now the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum. The Little Androscoggin River provided water power for mills at South Paris, to which the center shifted after the arrival of the Atlantic. Industries included a gristmill, sawmill, shingle mill, planing mill, iron foundry, in the 1890s, the county seat moved here from Paris Hill to be near the train station. Manufacturing would fade with the Great Depression, but South Paris remains the commercial part of the town, west Paris, which includes North Paris, was set off and incorporated in 1957. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 40.97 square miles. Paris is drained by the Little Androscoggin River, the town is located on a bed of pegmatite in which many semi-precious gems and rare stones can be found, including beryl, garnet, tourmaline, amethyst and smoky quartz. Paris is crossed by 26,117,118 and 119, as of the census of 2010, there were 5,183 people,2,187 households, and 1,332 families residing in the town. The population density was 127.1 inhabitants per square mile, there were 2,419 housing units at an average density of 59.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 95. 9% White,0. 5% African American,0. 5% Native American,0. 8% Asian,0. 4% from other races, hispanic or Latino of any race were 1. 3% of the population
8.
Democratic-Republican Party
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The new party controlled the presidency and Congress, as well as most states, from 1801 to 1825, during the First Party System. It began in 1791 as one faction in Congress, and included many politicians who had opposed to the new constitution. They called themselves Republicans after their ideology Republicanism and they distrusted the Federalist commitment to republicanism. The party splintered in 1824 into the Jacksonian movement and the short-lived National Republican Party, the term Democratic-Republican is used especially by modern political scientists for the first Republican Party. It is also known as the Jeffersonian Republicans, historians typically use the title Republican Party. An Anti-Administration faction met secretly in the capital to oppose Hamiltons financial programs. Jefferson denounced the programs as leading to monarchy and subversive of republicanism, Jefferson needed to have a nationwide party to challenge the Federalists, which Hamilton was building up with allies in major cities. Foreign affairs took a role in 1794–95 as the Republicans vigorously opposed the Jay Treaty with Britain. Republicans saw France as more democratic after its revolution, while Britain represented the hated monarchy, the party denounced many of Hamiltons measures as unconstitutional, especially the national bank. The party was strongest in the South and weakest in the Northeast and it demanded states rights as expressed by the Principles of 1798 articulated in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions that would allow states to nullify a federal law. Above all, the party stood for the primacy of the yeoman farmers, Republicans were deeply committed to the principles of republicanism, which they feared were threatened by the supposed monarchical tendencies of the Hamiltonian Federalists. The party came to power in 1801 with the election of Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election, the Federalists—too elitist to appeal to most people—faded away, and totally collapsed after 1815. The Republicans dominated the First Party System, despite internal divisions, the party selected its presidential candidates in a caucus of members of Congress. They included Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe, by 1824, the caucus system had practically collapsed. After 1800, the party dominated Congress and most state governments outside New England, by 1824, the party was split four ways and lacked a center, as the First Party System collapsed. The emergence of the Second Party System in the 1830s realigned the old factions, one remnant followed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren into the new Democratic Party by 1828. Another remnant led by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay formed the National Republicans in 1828, the precise date of founding is disputed, but 1791 is a reasonable estimate, some time by 1792 is certain. The elections of 1792 were the first ones to be contested on anything resembling a partisan basis, in most states the congressional elections were recognized, as Jefferson strategist John Beckley put it, as a struggle between the Treasury department and the republican interest
9.
Board of selectmen
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The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms, three is the most common number, historically. In most New England towns, the voting population gathered annually in a town meeting to act as the local legislature, approving budgets. However, the towns grew, the more power would be distributed among other elected boards, such as fire wardens. For example, population increases led to the need for police departments. The advent of tarred roads and automobile traffic led to a need for full-time highway maintainers and plowmen, leaving selectmen to serve as Supervisors of Streets and Ways. The function of the board of selectmen differs from state to state, Selectmen almost always serve part-time, with a token or no salary. It is the executive branch of local government in the open town meeting form of government. In larger towns, the daily administrative duties are delegated to a full-time town administrator or town manager. In some towns, the board of selectmen acts more like a city council, sometimes this is a part-time position, with larger towns hiring a full-time town administrator, who answers to the first selectman. In some towns and cities, the first selectman exercises some of the powers associated with mayors. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the presiding selectman is usually called the chairman and is chosen annually by his or her fellow selectmen, in New Hampshire cities, a selectman is an elected position that is responsible for organizing elections for local, state, and federal offices. Three selectmen, a moderator, and a clerk are elected in each city ward, a rare use of the term outside of New England is in Georgetown, Colorado, where the town governing body is called the Board of Selectmen. Local government in counties, towns, and villages, Chap, Town Structure and Urban Concepts in New England, The Professional Geographer 16,1. New England town law, a digest of statutes and decisions concerning towns and town officers, New Englands gift to the nation—the township. The origin, organization, and influence of the towns of New England, the Connecticut town-officer, Part I, The powers and duties of towns, as set forth in the statutes of Connecticut, which are recited, pp. 7–97 Zimmerman, Joseph F. The New England Town Meeting, Democracy in Action Praeger Publishers,1999
10.
Oxford County, Maine
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Oxford County is a county located in the state of Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 Census, the county had a population of 57,833 and its county seat is the town of Paris. The county was formed on March 4,1805 from northerly portions of York and it borders the Canadian province of Quebec. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 2,176 square miles. The population density was 26 people per square mile, there were 32,295 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 98. 25% White,0. 17% Black or African American,0. 28% Native American,0. 37% Asian,0. 02% Pacific Islander,0. 11% from other races, and 0. 80% from two or more races. 0. 53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race,23. 6% were of English,13. 9% French,13. 7% United States or American,10. 1% Irish and 8. 4% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 95. 9% spoke English and 2. 6% French as their first language,25. 60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11. 00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the family size was 2.87. In the county, the population was out with 24. 20% under the age of 18,6. 50% from 18 to 24,27. 80% from 25 to 44,25. 50% from 45 to 64. The median age was 40 years, for every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males, the median income for a household in the county was $33,435, and the median income for a family was $39,794. Males had an income of $30,641 versus $21,233 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,945, about 8. 30% of families and 11. 80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14. 80% of those under age 18 and 10. 10% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 57,833 people,24,300 households, the population density was 27.8 inhabitants per square mile. There were 36,055 housing units at a density of 17.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 96. 8% white,0. 6% Asian,0. 4% American Indian,0. 4% black or African American,0. 3% from other races, and 1. 5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1. 0% of the population, in terms of ancestry,23. 6% were English,14. 8% were Irish,8. 2% were American,6. 4% were German, and 5. 6% were French Canadian
11.
Major general (United States)
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In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general, a major general typically commands division-sized units of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Major general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the United States Navy. The United States Code explicitly limits the number of general officers that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army,61 for the Marine Corps, some of these slots are reserved or finitely set by statute. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank and this list is then sent to the service secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for review before it can be sent to the President, through the Secretary of Defense for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the secretary, and if applicable. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, the Senate must then confirm the nominee by a majority vote before the officer can be promoted. Once confirmed, the nominee is promoted to rank on assuming a position of office that requires an officer to hold the rank. For positions of office that are reserved by statute, the President nominates an officer for appointment to fill that position, since the grade of major general is permanent, the rank does not expire when the officer vacates a two-star position. Tour length varies depending on the position, by statute, and/or when the officer receives a new assignment or a promotion, in the case of the Air National Guard, they may also serve as The Adjutant General for their state, commonwealth or territory. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement of general officers, all major generals must retire after five years in grade or 35 years of service, whichever is later, unless appointed for promotion or reappointed to grade to serve longer. Otherwise, all officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday. However, the Secretary of Defense may defer a general officers retirement until the officers 66th birthday, because there are a finite number of General Officer positions, one officer must retire before another can be promoted. As a result, general officers typically retire well in advance of the age and service limits. The rank of general was abolished in the U. S. Army by the Act of March 16,1802. Major general has been a rank in the U. S. Army ever since, to address this anomaly, Washington was posthumously promoted by Congress to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States in 1976. The position of Major General Commanding the Army was entitled to three stars according to General Order No.6 of March 13,1861
12.
War of 1812
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Historians in the United States and Canada see it as a war in its own right, but the British often see it as a minor theatre of the Napoleonic Wars. By the wars end in early 1815, the key issues had been resolved, the view was shared in much of New England and for that reason the war was widely referred to there as Mr. Madison’s War. As a result, the primary British war goal was to defend their North American colonies, the war was fought in three theatres. Second, land and naval battles were fought on the U. S. –Canadian frontier, Third, large-scale battles were fought in the Southern United States and Gulf Coast. With the majority of its land and naval forces tied down in Europe fighting the Napoleonic Wars, early victories over poorly-led U. S. armies demonstrated that the conquest of the Canadas would prove more difficult than anticipated. Despite this, the U. S. was able to inflict serious defeats on Britains Native American allies, both governments were eager for a return to normality and peace negotiations began in Ghent in August 1814. This brought an Era of Good Feelings in which partisan animosity nearly vanished in the face of strengthened American nationalism, the war was also a major turning point in the development of the U. S. military, with militia being increasingly replaced by a more professional force. The U. S. also acquired permanent ownership of Spains Mobile District, the government of Canada declared a three-year commemoration of the War of 1812 in 2012, intended to offer historical lessons and celebrate 200 years of peace across the border. At the conclusion of the commemorations in 2014, a new national War of 1812 Monument was unveiled in Ottawa. The war is remembered in Britain primarily as a footnote in the much larger Napoleonic Wars occurring in Europe, historians have long debated the relative weight of the multiple reasons underlying the origins of the War of 1812. This section summarizes several contributing factors which resulted in the declaration of war by the United States, as Risjord notes, a powerful motivation for the Americans was the desire to uphold national honour in the face of what they considered to be British insults such as the Chesapeake–Leopard Affair. The approaching conflict was about violations of American rights, but it was also vindication of American identity. Americans at the time and historians since often called it the United States Second War of Independence, in 1807, Britain introduced a series of trade restrictions via a series of Orders in Council to impede neutral trade with France, with which Britain was at war. The United States contested these restrictions as illegal under international law, the American merchant marine had come close to doubling between 1802 and 1810, making it by far the largest neutral fleet. Britain was the largest trading partner, receiving 80% of U. S. cotton, the British public and press were resentful of the growing mercantile and commercial competition. The United States view was that Britains restrictions violated its right to trade with others, during the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy expanded to 176 ships of the line and 600 ships overall, requiring 140,000 sailors to man. The United States believed that British deserters had a right to become U. S. citizens and this meant that in addition to recovering naval deserters, it considered any United States citizens who were born British liable for impressment. Aggravating the situation was the reluctance of the United States to issue formal naturalization papers and it was estimated by the Admiralty that there were 11,000 naturalized sailors on United States ships in 1805
13.
13th United States Congress
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It met in Washington, D. C. from March 4,1813, to March 4,1815, during the fifth and sixth years of James Madisons presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Third Census of the United States in 1810, both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority. The first two sessions were held at the Capitol building while the third, convened after the Burning of Washington, took place in the First Patent Building. Despite radical outcries among Federalists for New England secession and a peace with Great Britain, moderates outnumbered them. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the Changes in membership section, following the 1810 census, the size of the House was increased to 182 seats from 142. President, Elbridge Gerry, until November 23,1814, thereafter vacant, president pro tempore, William H. Crawford, March 4,1813 – March 23,1813 Joseph B. Senators are listed by seniority, and Representatives are listed by district, senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, the count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress. Otis Charles Cutts, elected October 11,1814 Sergeant at Arms, Mountjoy Bayly Chaplain, Jesse Lee, the Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts
14.
Edmund Rice (colonist)
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Edmund Rice, was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony born in Suffolk, England. He lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire before sailing with his family to America and he landed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, thought to be first living in the town of Watertown, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter he was a founder of Sudbury in 1638, and he was a Deacon in the Puritan Church, and served in town politics as a selectman and judge. He also served five years as a member of the Great and General Court, Edmund Rices rough birth date of 1594 is reckoned from a 3 April 1656 court deposition in Massachusetts in which he stated that he was 62 years old. His likely birthplace, somewhere in Suffolk in East Anglia, is found through the town of his marriage, many of the church records from 1594 in Suffolk are lost, so any record of his birth or the names of his parents or any of his forebears is unknown. Edmund Rice had a brother, Henry, who married Elizabeth Frost on 12 November 1605 at St. James Church, Stanstead. He moved from Stanstead to Berkhamsted sometime in 1626, based upon the baptismal dates of his children Thomas, under the incumbency of Rev. Newman, Rice served as a churchwarden at St. Peters Church and acted as overseer of the poor for eight years. While living in Berkhamsted, Rice acquired and was taxed on 3 acres of land in 1627, there is no record in Berkhamsted of Rice paying taxes on his land in 1638, possibly due to its sale to finance his trip to America. However, the 1638 petition to the General Court to found Sudbury did not explicitly mention Rices name, the first documented record of his presence in Massachusetts is in the Township Book of Sudbury prior to 4 April 1639 in which he was already serving as a selectman. Between 1638 and 1657, Rice resided in Sudbury where he became a leader in the community, on 3 April 1640, Rice was granted 20 acres in southeastern Sudbury near the Old Connecticut Path. He served as a selectman in Sudbury in 1639 and 1640 and he was designated a freeman on 13 May 1640, and was first elected as a deputy of the Great and General Court in October 1640. He was later appointed by the General Court on 2 June 1641 as a Judge of Small Causes for Sudbury, then from 1648 until 1654 he was elected and reelected locally in Sudbury as one of the municipal judges. He was reelected for another term as a deputy of the General Court in 1643. On 18 June 1645, Rice and his colleagues reported to the General Court on their survey, in 1648, Rice was ordained as a Deacon in the Puritan Church at Sudbury. Stone erected a gristmill on his property of Stones End in 1656 that would become the village of Saxonville. Edmund Rice was particularly successful in his own real estate transactions, within a year, Philemon Whale and Thomas Axtell, former town mates and kin from Berkhamstead, England established their homesteads on adjacent lots nearby. In October 1643 Rice sold Philemon Whale 9 acres of land, on 8 April 1657, Rice purchased the 200 acres Jennison Farm in the southeastern part of Sudbury. The General Court made grants of land to Rice in what is now Framingham,50 acres in 1652 and 80 acres in 1659 and these lands in Framingham were passed on to Rices son Henry in 1659, and became to be known as Rices End
15.
Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Territory claimed but never administered by the colonial government extended as far west as the Pacific Ocean. The earlier Dutch colony of New Netherlands disputed many of these claims, arguing that they held rights to lands beyond Rhode Island up to the side of Cape Cod. The Massachusetts Bay Colony began in 1628 and was the second attempt at colonization. The colony was successful, with about 20,000 people migrating to New England in the 1630s, the population was strongly Puritan, and its governance was dominated by a small group of leaders who were strongly influenced by Puritan religious leaders. Its governors were elected, and the electorate were limited to freemen who had been examined for their religious views, as a consequence, the colonial leadership exhibited intolerance to other religious views, including Anglican, Quaker, and Baptist theologies. The colonists initially had decent relationships with the local Indian populations and these led first to the Pequot War and then to King Philips War, after which most of the Indians in southern New England made peace treaties with the colonists. The colony was successful, engaging in trade with England. A shortage of currency in the colony prompted it to establish a mint in 1652. Political differences with England after the English Restoration led to the revocation of the charter in 1684. King James II established the Dominion of New England in 1686 to bring all of the New England colonies under firmer crown control, Sir William Phips arrived in 1692 bearing the charter and formally took charge of the new province. The political and economic dominance of New England by the state of Massachusetts was made possible in part by the early dominance in these spheres by the Massachusetts Bay colonists. The total Indian population in 1620 has been estimated to be 7,000 with the population of New England at 15–18,000, the land-use patterns of the natives included plots cleared for agricultural purposes, and woodland territories for the hunting of game. Land divisions between the tribes were well understood, during the early 17th century, several European explorers charted the area, including Samuel de Champlain and John Smith. Plans began in 1606 for the first permanent British settlements on the east coast of North America, on April 10,1606, King James I of England granted a charter forming two joint-stock companies. Under this charter, the first Colony and the second Colony were to be ruled by a Council composed of 13 individuals in each colony, the charter provided for an additional council of 13 persons to have overarching responsibility for the combined enterprise. No name was given to either the company or council governing the respective colonies, the first Colony ranged from the 34th- to 41st-degree latitude north, the second Colony ranged from the 38th- to 45th-degree latitude. The London Company proceeded to establish Jamestown, the Plymouth Company under the guidance of Sir Ferdinando Gorges covered the more northern area, including present-day New England, and established the Sagadahoc Colony in 1607 in present-day Maine. The experience proved exceptionally difficult for the 120 settlers, however, Gorges noted that there was no more speech of settling plantations in those parts for a number of years
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Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
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Massachusettss 1st congressional district is located in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest and it has the states highest point, Mount Greylock. The district includes the cities of Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, Holyoke, the shape of the district underwent some changes effective from the elections of 2012, after Massachusetts congressional redistricting to reflect the 2010 census. The entire Springfield area is included in the new 1st district, richard Neal, a Democrat from Springfield, represents the district. In Hampshire County, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, in Worcester County, Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Warren. When the District was created it covered part of eastern Massachusetts, franklin County, Towns of Ashfleld, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Rowe, and Shelburne. Hampshire County, Towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, hampden County, City of Holyoke and towns of Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, and Westfield. Hamdpen County, Cities of Holyoke and Westfield, towns of Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, and Tolland. Hampshire County, Towns of Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worcester County, Towns of Athol, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, and Templeton. 1963, Berkshire County, Cities of North Adams and Pittsfield, hampden County, Cities of Holyoke and Westfield. Towns of Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Towns of Amherst, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfield, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington. Worcester County, Towns of Athol, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston,1972, Berkshire County, All cities and towns. Hampden County, Cities of Holyoke and Westfield, Towns of Agawam, Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, and West Springfield. Towns of Amherst, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Pelham, Plainfleld, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington. Worcester County, Towns of Athol, Barre, Hardwick, Hubbardston, New Braintree, Oakham, Petersham,1973, Berkshire County, All cities and towns. Franklin County, All towns except Orange, hampden County, Cities of Holyoke and Westfleld. Towns of Agawam, Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, in Middlesex County, Ashby, Pepperell, Townsend. Massachusettss congressional districts List of United States congressional districts Martis, Kenneth C, the Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress
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Fisher Ames
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Fisher Ames was a Representative in the United States Congress from the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts. He was an important leader of the Federalist Party in the House, Ames was born in Dedham, Massachusetts. His father, a physician, died when Fisher was but six years old, at the age of six he began the study of Latin, and at the age of twelve, he was sent to Harvard College, graduating in 1774 when he began work as a teacher. While teaching school Ames also studied law and he was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Dedham in 1781. His father, Dr. Nathaniel Ames, was the author of the Ames Almanack, in 1788, he served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He became a member of the Massachusetts convention that ratified the United States Constitution that same year, Ames was elected to the First United States Congress, having beaten Samuel Adams for the post. He also served in the Second and Third Congresses and as a Federalist to the Fourth Congress and he served in Congress from March 4,1789 to March 3,1797. During the First Congress, he was chairman of the Committee on Elections and he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1793. In 1796, he was not a candidate for renomination but resumed the practice of law in Dedham and he stayed in politics and was a member of the Governors Council from 1798 to 1800. In his new role, Ames offered one of the great orations on the death of President Washington and he also published a number of essays, critical of Jeffersons followers. He was a member of the Federalist Party, specifically its Essex Junto, in 1805, Ames was chosen president of Harvard University. He declined to serve because of failing health, four years later, in 1808, he died in Dedham on July 4. He was interred in the Old First Parish Cemetery after a funeral in Boston. Despite his limited number of years in service, Fisher Ames ranks as one of the more influential figures of his era. Ames led Federalist ranks in the House of Representatives and his acceptance of the Bill of Rights garnered support in Massachusetts for the new Constitution. His greatest fame however may have come as an orator, for which one historian has dubbed him the most eloquent of the Federalists, Ames offered one of the first great speeches in American Congressional history when he spoke in favor of the Jay Treaty. Despite his Federalist sympathies, Ames would dissent from his party when he felt it was not in the countrys best interest, for example, in 1789 Ames argued against the appointment of Thomas Willing as the President of Hamiltons newly created Bank of the United States. Hamiltons Federalists, although they too agreed with a Republic, advocated a federal government with similar powers to the British example
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Samuel Dexter
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Samuel Dexter was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet. After he passed the bar in 1784, he began practicing in Lunenburg and he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and served from 1788 to 1790. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Federalist and he served in the United States Senate from March 4,1799, to May 30,1800. Dexter responded by questioning why Catholics were not required to denounce allegiance to the Pope, in December 1799, he delivered the Senate eulogy for George Washington. Dexter served in the Senate for less than a year, during his time at the War Department he urged congressional action to permit appointment and compensation of field officers for general staff duty. When Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott Jr. resigned in December 1800, Adams appointed Dexter as interim Secretary, in a letter to his wife on March 5,1801, Gallatin said that Dexter had behaved with great civility. He returned to Boston in 1805 and resumed the practice of law and he left the Federalists and became a Democratic-Republican because he supported the War of 1812. He was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1814,1815 and 1816. Dexter was an ardent supporter of the movement and presided over its first formal organization in Massachusetts. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and he died on May 4,1816, shortly before his 55th birthday and is buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Simon Newton Dexter and Andrew Dexter, Jr. were his nephews, samuel W. Dexter, founder of Dexter, Michigan, was his son. Samuel Dexter is the namesake of Dexter, Maine, the USRC Dexter was named in his honor. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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Benjamin Goodhue
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Benjamin Goodhue was a Representative and a Senator from Massachusetts. He supported the Patriot during the American Revolution, and was a member of the Federalist Party. He was described by contemporaries as a member of the so-called Essex Junto. Benjamin Goodhue was born in Salem, Massachusetts to Benjamin and Martha Goodue and his father was a blacksmith by trade, but later became a successful merchant. The younger Benjamin graduated from Harvard College in 1766 and joined his father in the merchant business and he then won election as a state representative to the inaugural Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1780, and was later elected to the state senate, serving in 1783 and 1786-1788. After adoption of the United States Constitution, Goodhue was elected to the First, Goodhue was a supporter of the strong central government, and joined the Federalist Party when it was organized. He was one of a number of prominent Federalists from Essex County that were described by John Hancock as the Essex Junto and he was one of two Congressmen who drafted the nations first revenue code. He served as chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures in the Fourth United States Congress and he was elected in 1796 to the United States Senate, filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of George Cabot. He was reelected and served from June 11,1796, to November 8,1800 and he died in Salem on July 28,1814. Goodhue is buried in Salems Broad Street Cemetery, a World War II Liberty ship was named in his honor. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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Samuel Holten
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Samuel Holten was an American physician and statesman from Danvers, Massachusetts. He represented Massachusetts as a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the United States House of Representatives, Holten was born in Danvers, Massachusetts on June 9,1738. He was educated locally, studied medicine and established a practice in Gloucester and he soon returned to Danvers, where he continued the practice of medicine. During the American Revolution Holten supported the Patriot cause, Holten served in the militia as a major in the First Essex County Regiment. He was a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress from 1774 to 1775 and he served in the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1780 and in the United States in Congress Assembled,1783 to 1785, and again in 1787. He was elected Chairman of the United States in Congress Assembled on August 17,1785, ″His Excellency the president, being, by indisposition, prevented from attending the House, Congress proceeded to the election of a Chairman, and, the ballots being taken, the honble. Samuel Holten was elected. ″ Holten was a member of the constitutional convention in 1779. From 1780 to 1782 Holten served in the Massachusetts Senate, and he served again in 1784,1786,1789, in 1787 he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. From 1780 to 1782 Holten was a member of the Massachusetts Governors Council, and he served again in 1784,1786,1789 to 1792,1795, in 1792 Holten was elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the Third Congress. Holten also served as judge of the Essex County Court and he was appointed judge of the Essex County Probate Court in 1796, and he served until his resignation in 1815. He died in Danvers on January 2,1816, and was buried at Holten Cemetery in Danvers, biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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Theodore Sedgwick
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He served as the fourth Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 1802, born in West Hartford, Connecticut, Sedgwick was the son of Benjaman Sedgwick. His paternal immigrant ancestor Major General Robert Sedgwick arrived in 1636 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Sedgwick attended Yale College, where he studied theology and law. He did not graduate, but went on to law under the attorney Mark Hopkins of Great Barrington Sedgwick was admitted to the bar in 1766 and commenced practice in Great Barrington. During the American Revolutionary War, he served in the Continental Army as a major, and took part in the expedition to Canada and the Battle of White Plains in 1776. As a relatively young lawyer, Sedgwick and Tapping Reeve pleaded the case of Brom and Bett vs. Ashley, Bett was a black slave who had fled from her master, Colonel John Ashley of Sheffield, Massachusetts, because of cruel treatment by his wife. Brom joined her in suing for freedom from the Ashleys, the attorneys challenged their enslavement under the new state constitution of 1780, which held that all men are born free and equal. The jury agreed and ruled that Bett and Brom were free, the decision was upheld on appeal by the state Supreme Court. Bett marked her freedom by taking the name of Elizabeth Freeman, and she chose to work for wages at the Sedgwick household and she worked there for much of the rest of her life, buying a separate house for her and her daughter after the Sedgwick children were grown. After Freemans death, the Sedgwicks buried her at Stockbridge Cemetery in the Sedgwick Pie, the family marked Freemans grave with an inscribed monument, and it is beside that of their fourth child, writer Catharine Maria. A Federalist, Sedgwick began his career in 1780 as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was elected as representative to the house, and then as state senator. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts. In 1789 Sedgwick was elected as Representative to Congress from Massachusetts first congressional district and that year he was elected to the United States Senate, and served until 1799. In 1799 he was re-elected as a Representative, this time from the fourth district, in 1802, Sedgwick was appointed a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. He held this position until his death, around 1767, Sedgwick married Elizabeth Eliza Mason, the daughter of a deacon from Franklin, Connecticut. In 1771, Sedgwick contracted smallpox which he passed on to his wife who was pregnant with the couples first child. She died of the disease on April 12,1771 while eight months pregnant, Sedgwick married a second time on April 17,1774 to Pamela Dwight of the New England Dwight family
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.
