1. Colonial Research Paper
Guidelines and Using MLA Formatting

2. Topics to Research General background (founders/years)
Economy (goods traded, crops grown, jobs, other economic activities)
Geography (climate, soil, etc.)
Relations with Natives
Religion/tolerance
Diversity
Slavery

3. Thesis/Introduction
Thesis statements typically appear at the end of an introduction paragraph, and contains your position/opinion [in this case, which colonial region is best] and why [what makes this region superior to the others]

4. Sample Introduction
The colonial states of America were grouped into three geographical regions: the New England colonies, the middle colonies, and the southern colonies. The New England colonies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire were the farthest north. They were rich in the natural resources of fish, whales, lumber, and furs. Many of the colonists living in New England had left Europe to escape religious persecution. Because the settlers were able to practice their religion, govern and educate themselves, and most importantly make a living from the abundant resources found in the Northeast, the New England colonies were a great success.

5. Using Images
You cannot copy and paste an image into your paper, but you can use one as a source
EXAMPLE:
As shown in the engraving by John Hall, captioned “William Penn’s treaty with the Indians, when we founded the Province of Pennsylvania”, the colonists in Pennsylvania had a positive and peaceful relationship with the local Native tribes.

6. Using Images
EXAMPLE:
The New England colonies did not have a large Black population and therefore did not rely heavily on slave labor, as evidenced by the “Population of the New England Colonies, ” graph.

7. Possible Outlines INTRO CONCLUSION Background info about region
Climate/weather
Economy
Religion
Relations with Natives
Negatives about other regions
CONCLUSION

8. Possible Outline INTRO CONCLUSION Background info about region
Specific colony #1
Specific colony #2
Specific colony #3
Specific colony #4
CONCLUSION

9. Possible Outline INTRO CONCLUSION Background about region
Economy – compare/contrast
Climate – compare/contrast
Relations with Natives – compare/contrast
Religion – compare/contrast
CONCLUSION

10. MLA Format: Works Cited
Purdue OWL: MLA format KnightCite: Citation maker