MassachusettsHISTORY EXPLORERS GRADES 3–8
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evidence
Information from a source that helps us test a claim.
source
A document, object, image, or account we can examine.
inference
An explanation based on clues; it still needs checking.
migration
Moving from one place to another to live.
immigrant
A person who moves to another country to live.
estimate
An approximate amount, based on available information.
oral history
A recorded interview about someone’s memories and experiences.
community
People connected by a place, relationships, or shared activities.
ancestry
Family origins across generations.
primary source
Evidence created by someone who experienced a time or event.

Harbors, ferries & sea routes

Investigate harbors and coastal charts, then look for modern ferry connections. Always check whether a map is historical or current.

Showing 8 of 8 resources

Live map tool

Airports, ferry routes, rail, and seaports

Open transportation layers to compare ways of moving people and goods.

Which travel routes can cross water?

Open the official map resource ↗
Boston Harbour in New England
Boston Harbour in New England — [1689]Leventhal Map & Education Center / Boston Public Library; Seller, John, fl. 1658-1698, Southack, Cyprian, 1662-1745 Image source ↗
historical

Boston Harbour in New England

regional · 1600s

Study a harbor map from the seventeenth century.

A question to investigate

Why would a sailor need more than a coastline?

Dig deeper · grades 6–8

Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.

Explore the official source ↗
[Chart of Nantucket Island and the eastern half of Martha's Vineyard]
[Chart of Nantucket Island and the eastern half of Martha's Vineyard] — 1776Leventhal Map & Education Center / Boston Public Library; Des Barres, Joseph F. W. (Joseph Frederick Wallet), 1722-1824 Image source ↗
historical

Nantucket and eastern Martha’s Vineyard

Vineyard · 1700s

Study an eighteenth-century chart of the two islands.

A question to investigate

What information would help a ship avoid shallow water?

Dig deeper · grades 6–8

Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.

Explore the official source ↗
Map of the island of Martha's Vineyard with its dependencies
Map of the island of Martha's Vineyard with its dependencies — [1782]Massachusetts Historical Society / Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center; St. John de Crèvecoeur, J. Hector, 1735-1813 Image source ↗
historical

Martha’s Vineyard and its dependencies

Vineyard · 1700s

See how the island was drawn in an eighteenth-century printed map.

A question to investigate

Which neighboring islands are included?

Dig deeper · grades 6–8

Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.

Explore the official source ↗
The harbor of Holmes' Hole
The harbor of Holmes' Hole — 1847Leventhal Map & Education Center / Phillips Academy; United States Coast Survey Image source ↗
historical

The harbor of Holmes’ Hole

Vineyard · 1800s

Read a nineteenth-century chart of today’s Vineyard Haven harbor.

A question to investigate

What can the water-depth numbers tell a sailor?

Dig deeper · grades 6–8

Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.

Explore the official source ↗
New England regional transportation map = Mapa do transporte regional da Nova Inglaterra = Nueva Inglaterra, mapa regional de transporte = Carte de transport régionale de la Nouvelle Angleterre = 新英格蘭區域交通路線圖
New England regional transportation map = Mapa do transporte regional da Nova Inglaterra = Nueva Inglaterra, mapa regional de transporte = Carte de transport régionale de la Nouvelle Angleterre = 新英格蘭區域交通路線圖 — [2015?]Leventhal Map & Education Center / Boston Public Library; Massachusetts. Department of Transportation, Connecticut. Department of Transportation, Maine. Department of Transportation, New Hampshire. Department of Transportation, Rhode Island. Department of Transportation, Vermont. Agency of Transportation Image source ↗
transportation

New England regional transportation map

regional · 2000s

Compare regional travel connections, including Vineyard ferry-route insets.

A question to investigate

How would you combine two kinds of transportation?

Dig deeper · grades 6–8

Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.

Explore the official source ↗
Map collection

NOAA Historical Map & Chart Collection

Search older nautical charts and coastal surveys by place.

What details do nautical charts show especially well?

Open the official map resource ↗
Map collection

Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System

Explore ocean resources, coastal habitats, and human uses of the sea.

Where might fishing, shipping, and habitats overlap?

Open the official map resource ↗

Sources checked September 23, 2026. Open the source for current programs, hours, access, and map updates. Historical maps may contain outdated language or incomplete representations of Native homelands.

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