The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. The name "General Court" is a holdover from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when the colonial assembly, in addition to making laws, sat also as a judicial court of appeals. Before the adoption of the state constitution in 1780, it was called the Great and General Court, but the official title was shortened in the drafting of the state constitution by John Adams. It is a general legislature with plenary power to make law in and for Massachusetts. It is a bicameral parliament derived in some respects from the Westminster model. The upper house is the Massachusetts Senate, comprising 40 members. The lower house, the Massachusetts House of Representatives, has 160 members. It meets in the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill in Boston.
The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacts the first punitive legislation against the Religious Society of Friends.
On October 14, in the year 1656, The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacts the first punitive legislation against the Religious Society of Friends. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of October 14, a notable event in this corner of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on October 14, 1656 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 18 July 2026.
On This Date in History
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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