1. What were the differences in geography in the 13 colonies?

2. By the end of the lesson - you should be able to answer the following questions:
If you were a farmer who really wanted to make profits, why would you not have settled in the New England Colonies?
Why was farming in the Middle and Southern colonies better than in New England?
In which category of colonies (NE, Middle, or Southern) do you suspect many indentured servants completed their arrangement? Why?
Make a prediction - why would slavery become a large part of the life and economy of the Southern Colonies?

3. Geographic Regions of the Colonies
Region - an area that shares physical or human characteristics
English settlers - usually settled in one of three regions
New England Colonies
Middle (Mid-Atlantic) Colonies
Southern Colonies

4. II. The New England Colonies
Thin rocky soil - colder weather/longer winters
Crops did not grow well
short season (5 months)
Farming possible - subsistence farming
enough agriculture to feed one’s own family
Excellent harbors in Massachusetts -
trade flourished and merchants became wealthy
Dense forests/access to timber
Shipbuilding - fishing - whaling also profitable

5. III. The Middle Colonies
Richer soil, mild climate = longer growing season for farmers
Grew wheat, grain, oats
“Bread basket” of the 13 colonies
Plentiful sun and rainfall
Access to rivers = easy transportation of goods for trade
Forests available as well - hunt deer and beaver (fur trade)
Excellent harbors as well, NYC for example.
Merchants became wealthy as well

6. IV. The Southern Colonies
Best climate and soil for agriculture - longest growing season about 7-8 months
Several cash crops
tobacco, rice, cotton, sugarcane, indigo
Large plantations - large farms where typically one cash crop is grown
huge part of the Southern economy

7. Answer the following questions:
If you were a farmer who really wanted to make profits, why would you not have settled in the New England Colonies?
Why was farming in the Middle and Southern colonies better than in New England?
In which category of colonies (NE, Middle, or Southern) do you suspect many indentured servants completed their arrangement? Why?
Make a prediction - why would slavery become a large part of the life and economy of the Southern Colonies?

8. Who were the early colonial leaders in New England?
Roger Williams
William Bradford
Was forced out of Massachusetts
Promoted the need for religious tolerance which many were against
Will establish the colony of Providence, Rhode Island in 1644
Was the first place in America to allow freedom of religion
Leader of the Pilgrims
Establish Plymouth, Massachusetts as the 1st New England colony

9. Early Colonial leaders
Thomas Hooker
John Wheelwright
1636 – will lead his congregation out of Massachusetts
Will establish the colony of Hartford, Connecticut in 1639
Two years after Hooker leaves (1638)
Leads group north to New Hampshire, which will still be under the control of Massachusetts
Will take a while for it to become a colony (1679)

10. Early Colonial leaders
John Winthrop
Anne Hutchinson
Will lead Puritans from Plymouth to Northern Massachusetts in about 1630
Settled in Boston
Will become the 1st governor of Massachusetts
1634: arrives in Massachusetts
1637: put on trial for criticizing the Church – questioned role of women in colony & Church
Will join Roger Williams in Rhode Island