Boston, the capital and most populous city of Massachusetts, is a cultural and financial center of New England, with a population of 675,647 (2020) and a metropolitan area of 5 million (2025). Founded in 1630 by English Puritans led by John Winthrop—after being invited by the first European resident, William Blaxton—it was named after Boston, Lincolnshire, and became a pivotal site in the American Revolution, witnessing the Boston Massacre (1770), Boston Tea Party (1773), Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), and Siege of Boston (1775–1776). The city pioneered many American institutions, including the first public park (Boston Common, 1634), first public school (Boston Latin School, 1635), and first subway system (Tremont Street, 1897). Today, Boston is a global leader in higher education, research, and biotechnology, with an economy driven by finance, technology, and government. Before European colonization, the area was home to the Massachusett people, who built fishweirs over 7,000 years ago, and the city later expanded by filling in land and annexing neighboring towns.