1. New England Colonies

2. MAssachusetts
The puritans were English colonists who settled in New England in the 1600s. They wanted to form communities where their could practice their religious beliefs.
They named their colony Massachusetts Bay Colony. In this colony, only male church members could vote or be a part of the government. The town leaders made all the laws on how people practiced their religion.
On Sundays, the town gathered at a meeting house for church. This was the most important building in their community. They also had town meetings there, where they held elections and voted on laws.
Everyone could attend, but only male property owners could vote.

3. Rhode Island
Some of the colonists thought that the Puritan leaders should not tell them what to do. These people were called dissenters.
Roger Williams was a dissenter who wanted more religious freedom. He was banished (forced to leave) from Massachusetts.
Williams founded a new colony that became known as Rhode Island. People in this colony could worship freely and government was separated from church.

4. Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine
A minister named Thomas Hooker also did not like some of the rules made by Puritan leaders. He wanted to form a new colony where all men could vote, even if they were not church members.
Hooker led about 100 colonists out of Massachusetts Bay and settled in the areas that became Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.

5. Life In New England: Economy
Most New Englanders were farmers. Because farming in New England was difficult, colonists looked for other ways to earn a living.
Many chose to specialize in fishing and shipbuilding.
The ocean waters off New England were full of fish and the fishing industry grew quickly. Merchants sold the most common fish, cod, as an export to Europe and the West Indies.
Sailors also hunted whales.
Trade was important to New England colonies. They imported such goods as tea and spices.
Slave trade was also common during this time.

6. Life In New England: Geography and climate
Many forests, rugged mountains, and rocky terrain
Summers were warm but winters were bitterly cold. Farming season was very short.
Many natural resources, such as wood, fish, and whales.

7. Life In New England: Home Life
New England families were large, often with six or seven children.
They lived in small, wooden houses with few rooms. Many homes had just one main room with a fireplace.
Many families slept on mattresses near the fire to keep warm.
Homes were also their workshops. Almost all of their goods needed to be made at home. They planted their own crops and made such things as clothing, soap, and candles.
Some children were taught at home, but many New England towns had schools.
For fun, New England participated in horseracing, bowling, ice skating, sledding, and town ball (like basketball).

8. Middle Colonies

9. New York and New Jersey
English settlement of the Middle colonies began in 1664, when England captured the area that had previously been owned by the Dutch.
The King of England gave this colony to James, the Duke of York. James became the colony’s proprietor, which means he owns and controls the colony.
James kept part of the land and named it New York. He gave the rest of the land to two of his friends, who made the land into New Jersey.
The proprietors of New York and New Jersey wanted to make some money off their land. They divided up the land into smaller pieces and sold or rented them to colonists.

10. Pennsylvania and delaware
The colony of Pennsylvania was the idea of William Penn. In England, he was a member of a religious group called the Quakers.
Quakers believed that all Christians should be free to worship in their own way.
Penn and many other Quakers were put into jail for their beliefs, and some were even killed.
Penn hoped to start a colony where all could live in peace. King Charles II gave him a large piece of land which he named Pennsylvania, or “Penn’s woods”
Part of this colony would later become Delaware.

11. Philadelphia
Penn also planned the colony’s first big city, Philadelphia.
Philadelphia was planned where two rivers would meet, making a great harbor for the city.
Philadelphia became the center of trade in the 1700s.
Benjamin Franklin was Philadelphias most famous citizen.

12. Life In the middle colonies: Geography and climate
Fertile soil meant there were great crops in the region
Rolling hills and valleys
The growing season was much longer than in New England. They had many sunny days and plenty of rain.
Wide rivers, ideal for transportation.
Full of wildlife, such as deer and beaver.

13. Life In the middle colonies: Economy
Farming was excellent due to the climate and the soil.
Children helped out as soon as they were old enough.
Livestock such as cattle and pigs.
Many farmers had a surplus of goods and were able to sell them to make a living. Some also sold wood or furs from their land.

14. Life In the middle colonies: Home Life
Most children learned how to read and write, but useful skills were the most important thing for colonists.
Parents expected their children to learn a business or run a farm instead of going to college.
Types of trades learned:
Artisan – someone who is skilled at making something by hand
Laborer – someone who does hard physical work
Apprentice – someone who studies with a master to learn a skill

15. Southern Colonies

16. Virginia
Virginia became the first permanent English settlement in
Many plantations were created in Virginia. A plantation is a large farm where crops are grown by workers who live on the farm.
Most plantation workers were servants or slaves. Many plantation owners became wealthy by selling crops such as tobacco and rice.
In 1619, colonist created the first elected legislature, which is a group of people who have the power to make laws. This legislature was called the House of Burgesses.

17. Maryland
The colony of Maryland began in 1632, when King Charles I of England gave land to Cecilius Calvert. Calvert was a Catholic. Catholics in England were often punished for their beliefs, so Calvert wanted to make Maryland a refuge for Catholics.
In 1649, Maryland passed the Toleration Act, which promised that all Christians could worship freely.

18. The Carolinas
In the late 1600s, England, France, and Spain all claimed the land south of Virginia. The new king, Charles II, wanted to keep France and Spain out of the land, so he made a new colony called Carolina.
The southern part of Carolina had good farmland and many excellent harbors. The city of Charles Town (later Charleston) grew large and wealthy.
The northern part of Carolina had few harbors and farming was not as good. It grew more slowly than the south.
In 1729, Carolina split into North and South Carolina.

19. Georgia
In 1732, King George II started another colony to keep the French and Spanish out of Carolina. He gave this land to James Oglethorpe.
The colony was named Georgia to honor King George.
Oglethorpe wanted the colony to be place for the poor and debtors, or person who owes money.
Many plantations were created and Georgia soon became a wealthy plantation colony like South Carolina.
Slaves were common in the colony during this time.

20. Life In the Southern colonies: Geography and climate
Very different from the other colonies
Watery world of rivers, bays, and wetlands. This area is called the tidewater.
The climate and soil was excellent for farming. The weather was warm for much of the year, and crops could grow for seven or eight months.
The waterways were used to ship crops to markets in other towns.
The area of mountains from the Appalachian Mountains to New England was called the backcountry. Farms were small because the area was steep and covered with forests.

21. Life In the Southern colonies: Economy
Farming was excellent. Crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo (blue dye) were common.
Many southern planter sold their crops to people in other colonies for high prices.
Cities (like Charles Town) were busy centers of trade
Plantations relied on laborers and slaves to keep their plantations running.

22. Life In the Southern colonies: Home Life
The children of wealthy planters lived an easy life. Most were educated at home and did not have to do the household jobs. Instead, they were able to learn reading, writing, dancing, and music.
Boys learned to ride horses and hunt, while girls learned to sew and sing. Later, boys would learn how to run the plantation while girls would learn how to manage the household and the servants.
In the backcountry, children were still needed to help around the house and were only educated if their parents were able to teach them.
Those who were enslaved were not treated well. They were bought and sold as property, and families were often torn apart. They also had to endure harsh punishment.