- The colony was established by the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620, and a second group of Puritans founded Boston in 1630.
- The Massachusetts Bay Colony was officially chartered by King Charles I of England in 1629, and it quickly became the dominant settlement in the region.
- The Massachusetts Colony was a religious community, and the Puritans sought to establish a society based on their Calvinist beliefs.
- The colony experienced rapid growth in the 17th century, attracting settlers from England and Europe.
- The Massachusetts Colony was known for its self-governance and its representative democracy. The General Court, the colony's legislative body, was elected by the male members of the community.
- The Massachusetts Colony was a center of trade and commerce in the region, and it also became known for its intellectual and cultural achievements, including the founding of Harvard College in 1636.
- The Massachusetts Colony played an important role in the American Revolution, and it was the site of several key battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.
- The colony's charter was revoked by the English Crown in 1684, and it was briefly part of the Dominion of New England until the Glorious Revolution in 1688.
- The Massachusetts Colony was restored to its previous status in 1691, and it remained a British colony until the American Revolution.