New England, the most clearly defined region in the United States, includes the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The region, settled by Native Americans by 10,000 BC, is home to 14 million people today. But in a larger sense, New England has become home to all Americans. Not only is Boston the regional capital, but it is hailed as the cradle of liberty, the starting point of the American Revolution, so it is considered our uniquely American homeplace. Plymouth is dubbed America's hometown. Like grandmother's attic, New England is a place where the past is available, a place where we can recapture the way things used to be and to understand our national origins. This Dictionary covers the facts, history, institutions, literature, names, places, topics and words that characterize the political, economic, social, and cultural life of New England. It intends to be a convenient source of reliable information on all the New England states. It is selective and offers insightful raw material useful to students, visitors, and the curious reader as well as to the specialist or scholar. Like any dictionary, this one covers a wide range of topics, and efforts were taken to explain neglected or forgotten aspects of New England that remain significant in understanding the region, rather than to cover the well-known stories. This book represents a rich lode to be mined at leisure, and that the chronology, selected bibliography, and indexes inspire further reading.