American Colonial History Settling the Colonies © North Carolina Community College System Clip art from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx
Before colonists came to America, Native Americans (American Indians) lived here.
The first permanent colony was settled in Virginia in 1607.
People came to America for many reasons.
Some came for religious freedom Some came for religious freedom. Some religious ideas were not tolerated in Europe.
Some came for political liberty. They did not like the government in Europe.
Some came for economic opportunity. Land was expensive in Europe. Land in America was free or cheap.
Some did not want to come. People from Africa came as slaves.
There were thirteen colonies. Their names are Virginia (1607) Massachusetts (1620)
New Hampshire (1623) Maryland (1634) Connecticut (1635-1636)
Rhode Island (1636) Delaware (1638) North Carolina (1653)
South Carolina (1663) New Jersey (1664) New York (1664)
Pennsylvania (1682) Georgia (1732)
Colonists settled twelve colonies in the 1600s Colonists settled twelve colonies in the 1600s. They settled the last colony—Georgia—in 1732. Next, we look at the Founding Fathers of the new country: the United States of America.