In a kaleidoscope of history, author/historians Judith Clark and Robert J. Allison submit a remarkable accomplishment through their ability to mesmerize readers with a fresh and personable approach that makes Massachusetts, From Colony to Commonwealth, take on life! There is little missing from the Bay State. Colonists settled in Massachusetts during the seventeenth century, patriots from the state fought for a nation's liberty during the eighteenth century, and inventors and phi'losophers developed their ideas in the settled security of nineteenth-century Massachusetts. In recent times, statesmen and politicians have strived, along with reformers and entrepreneurs, to make Massachusetts a shining example of democracy at work. A fascinating array of illustrations offer views of people and places'some intriguingly familiar, others vanished into yesterday. This unique collection of photographs, sketches, paintings, postcards, and maps is enriched by brilliant color images.