1. How and why the colonies were founded
Colonial Foundations
How and why the colonies were founded

2. Founding the English Colonies
A colony refers to an area under the full or partial political control of another country. The country can be close, or far away, and the colony can be occupied by settlers or not.
The English colonies were located mainly along the Atlantic Coast. This gave the colonies easy access to water sources.
Why is this important?
Access to trade routes (via the Atlantic)
Water is necessary to grow crops and for survival.
Review– the two primary reasons why the English settlers came to the New World:
Desire to find wealth
Escape religious persecution

3. NE Characteristics Founded for religious freedom;
Consisted of Massachusetts (which included Maine), Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire
Founded for religious freedom;
Soil was very hilly/rocky– made farming difficult;
Focused instead on fishing, shipbuilding and trade.

4. Puritans vs. Pilgrims– the differences
The Pilgrims were Separatists who wanted to break away (i.e. separate) from the Anglican Church in England.
They landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.
The original destination was the Virginia Colony, but their ship, the Mayflower, had been blown off course.
The Puritans had a different goal. Instead of separating from the church, they wanted to purify it by removing the extreme views they felt had developed.
They believed heavily in the righteousness and sovereignty of God.
They landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629.
Their colony became known as the Massachusetts Bay colony, and their leader was a man named John Winthrop.

5. Came for religious freedom
Pilgrims
Came with a group of a few settlers (~100)
Mainly lower class
Uneducated
Puritans
Came with a large group of a few settlers (~700)
Middle/upper class
Educated
Came for religious freedom
Settled in Mass.

6. Middle Characteristics
Consisted of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
Nicknamed ‘breadbasket colonies’ due to their high grain (wheat, oat, rye) production;
Major port cities for trade– New York and Philadelphia;
Industries: sawmills, mines and ironworks

7. Southern Characteristics
Consisted of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
Population very spread out due to the size of farms;
Warm climate and long growing season;
Cash crops:
Tobacco- Big in MD, VA, and NC
Tar, pitch, turpentine- NC
Rice, indigo- SC, GA

8. New England Colonies Name of Colony Year Founded Founder(s)
Type of government
Main Religion(s)
Reason Founded
Massachusetts
Plymouth
Mass. Bay
1620
1629
Pilgrims (William Bradford)
Puritans (John Winthrop)
- Royal– under charter
Puritan
Religious freedom!
Rhode Island
1636
Roger Williams
Charter
Religious and political freedom
Connecticut
Thomas Hooker
New Hampshire
1638
Settlers from Massachusetts
Royal
Economic opportunities

9. Middle Colonies Name of Colony Year Founded Founder(s)
Type of government
Main Religion(s)
Reason Founded
New York
1626
Dutch settlers
Royal
Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans and Jews
Religious freedom and economic opportunity
Delaware
1638
Swedish settlers
Proprietary
Economic opportunities
New Jersey
1636
John Berkeley and George Carteret
Pennsylvania
1682
William Penn
Quakers** Catholics, Lutherans and Jews
Religious and political freedom

10. Southern Colonies Name of Colony Year Founded Founder(s)
Type of government
Main Religion(s)
Reason Founded
Virginia
1607
John Smith
Royal
Anglican and Baptist
Economic opportunities
Maryland
1638
George Calvert (Lord Baltimore)
Proprietary
Catholics**
Anglicans and Baptists
Religious and political freedom
The Carolinas NC SC
1653
1663
8 Lord’s proprietors
Georgia
1732
James Oglethorpe
Economic opportunity for debtors
Buffer zone from Spanish Florida

11. Colonial Bumper Sticker and License Plate Mini-Project
In your pair/group, you will create a set of 3 bumper stickers/license plates to reflect your understanding of the colony you are assigned. You must create at least one of each– 1 license plate and 1 bumper sticker, and the 3rd is your choice.
Guidelines:
Must resemble a license plate/bumper sticker
Must reflect some aspect(s) of your colony– geography, social characteristics, religious characteristics, etc.
Be creative– both in your design and your message!