The Patriots are from New England, specifically based in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The team was originally founded as the Boston Patriots in 1959 and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). They became part of the NFL in 1970 through the AFL-NFL merger. In 1971, the team moved from Boston to Foxborough and changed its name to the New England Patriots to represent the New England region rather than just the city of Boston. The name "Patriots" refers to the colonists of the Thirteen Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution, a historical connection to Massachusetts and the region.
