The first 13 Colonies

The New England Colonies Massachusetts (Maine) New Hampshire Massachusetts Connecticut Rhode Island

Reasons for coming to the USA. Some people didn’t like the Church of England. They wanted the Church to be more pure. These people were called Puritans. They decided to start a colony in the North East part of the USA.

Settling in Massachusetts John Winthrop was the leader of the Puritans. Massachusetts means at or near the great hill in Algonkian, Native American language. The colony’s first settlement was Boston along the Charles River. They wanted to still be a part of England, but have a more “pure” religion.

New England Colonies Religions Church is very important to colonists in this region, especially the Puritans who are very strict. People come from England for religious freedom. The Pilgrims think the English Church kept too many Catholic ways. There is a large variety of beliefs in the New England colonies. Typically each settlement is for a specific belief, although any religion is allowed in Providence.

Colonial Life Massachusetts and Connecticut had laws saying that if there were 50 families, a teacher needed to be hired and a school setup. These schools were called grammar or writing schools.

Schools Boys went to grammar schools while girls went to dame school. There was no chalkboards, maps, or paper. School teachers were strict and were allowed to hit their students or make them wear a dunce hat.

Physical Geography The land had poor, rocky soil and a short growing season. This was not good for crops. The ocean, Charles River, and other various lakes and rivers provided many varieties of seafood. Whales were also abundant in this region.

Climate There is snow in the winter. Short growing season. Spring and summer are cool and comfortable.

Natural Resources There was a large variety of seafood, including fish, lobster and whales. The seafood was obtained by the many bodies of water in New England. There was also wild deer and hogs for food. There were many forests. There are maple trees in the forests which provide wood and sap for syrup. There was also granite.

Manufacturing in the New England Colonies Naval products : All the things needed to build and sail a ship. England encouraged the New England shipbuilding industry: England’s forests were used up.

Middle Colonies The Middle colonies included: NY The Middle colonies included: New York (NY) , New Jersey (NJ) , Delaware (DE), and Pennsylvania (PA). PA NJ DE Picture Credit: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/graphics/13mapnew.htm

Resources The climate was good farming land for grains and raising livestock. They called the Middle Colonies “The Breadbasket”. Other resources were furs and iron.

Manufacturing in the Middle Colonies Manufacturing in the Middle Colonies : iron ore products like tools, kettles, nails and plows and huge blocks of iron to export to Britain.

People Groups People came from Germany, Scotland & Ireland. -Quakers (plain living, peaceful, against slavery and dancing) -Germans (Pennsylvania Dutch, skilled workers and loved music). -Scotch-Irish farmed and hunted.

Interesting Facts about Middle Colonies -Called Breadbasket of Colonial America. The farmers raised a surplus so they could sell. -Germans invented Pennsylvania rifle & Conestoga wagon. -Philadelphia means brotherly love.

William Penn -William Penn owned Pennsylvania and made it a place for religious freedom.

Religion There was more religious freedom in the Middle Colonies than in New England. No single church or religion dominated in the Middle Colonies.

MD Southern Colonies VA NC The Southern Colonies included: Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA), North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), and Georgia (GA). SC GA

Southern Colonies Climate Rich land, plenty of rain & a long growing season. Coastal plains, swamps, forests, harbors.

People Groups -Maryland was a safe place for Roman Catholics. -South Carolina settled by French. -Georgia founded by Oglethorpe for new start for debtors in England.

What about people in Georgia? Last of the original 13 colonies was Georgia. In 1733 the king gave land to a man named James Oglethrope. The king planned this colony as a place to get rid of people in England he did not want. The colony was to protect the other colonies from he French and Spanish to the south and west. Oglethorpe brought many people to Georgia who had been in jail or who owed money they could not pay. The first settlement was Savannah. Georgia was named in honor of King George of England.

Interesting Facts about Southern Colonies -Southern Plantations used slaves to harvest cash crops. The cash crop for Virginia was tobacco. Indigo and rice was also grown in the Southern Colonies.

The Triangular Trade Routes During the 1600s and 1700s, people who lived on the continents of Europe, Africa, and North America all had products that the others needed. For example, Europeans produced furniture and tools, while colonists in North America had fish and lumber. Many ships crossed the Atlantic Ocean carrying these and other goods to trade between the continents. The three continents formed the points of large triangles, giving the trade routes their name. http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/applications/imaps/maps/g5s_u3/index.html