13 original colonies US8 jkleinmha

13 Original Colonies

The first permanent English settlement in North America was Jamestown, founded in 1607. In 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. By 1754 (over 100 years later), there were 13 British colonies along the Eastern coast of the present-day United States. Each of these colonies was established by a different group for a different reason. Still, the colonies can be generally grouped into three regions based on their founding histories, geographic location, economic characteristics, and political and social customs - New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. The population of the American colonies through the 18th century was a mixture of immigrants from different countries in Europe and slaves from Africa. By 1776, about 85% of the white population in the British colonies was of English, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh descent, with 9% of German origin and 4% Dutch. These populations continued to grow rapidly because of high birth rates and relatively low death rates. Over 90% of colonists were farmers, with several small cities were seaports linking the colonies to the larger British Empire. Most colonial cities were seaports- located on the coast and responsible for shipping out exports (goods sent out of a country to be sold by another). By 1750, the population of Philadelphia had reached 25,000; New York had reached 15,000, and the port of Baltimore had reached 7,000. As time went on, many new immigrants ended up on the frontiers because of the cheaper land. By 1780, about 287,000 slaves had been imported into the 13 colonies, most into the southern colonies.

Southern Colonies

Middle Colonies

13 Original Colonies

The British set up colonies along the Eastern Coast. Each group had different ways of life, reason for settling, and experiences. Click on each group to see about their lives.

New England Colonies

Government: In New England, the Puritans created self-governing communities of religious congregations of farmers and their families. Politicians gave out plots of land to male settlers. Large portions were usually given to men of higher social standing, but every white man had enough land to support a family. Economy & Geography: Eventually, later settlers came to New England to seek economic opportunities (ways to make money). Most New Englanders lived on small, subsistence farms or in towns. In general, they valued hard work and thrift (being careful with money), which allowed them to prosper. Climate, geography, and natural resources help determine the economic activities in an area. The thin, rocky soil and hilly terrain of the New England colonies and its cold climate and short growing season made large-scale farming in the New England region difficult. However, the many miles of coastline and good natural harbors made fishing, shipbuilding, and trade very profitable. Boston became the major port city of New England and a center for trade with Britain. New England was a central part of a system of trade routes known as the “Triangle Trade.” New England later became a center for manufacturing.

New England Colonies

Society: Many of the original settlers at Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay in New England were Puritans who came to the New World to escape religious persecution in England. As a result, the government and society of these colonies was heavily focused on religion. The government and the church worked closely together to maintain social and religious standards. Church attendance was mandatory. The colonists’ social status depended on their status within the church, and most people lived in small, close-knit towns or villages. The Puritans who began the Massachusetts Colony grew increasingly intolerant of other religions and dissenters (people who disagreed with the Puritan church and its relationship with the government). Eventually, one of these dissenters, Roger Williams, founded the colony of Rhode Island (also in New England), which was the only colony to have complete religious freedom. The New England colonists primarily originated from England, Ireland, and Scotland. They included more educated men as well as many skilled farmers, tradespeople, and artisans. They settled in small villages, many for everyday religious activities, and Puritans initially dominated the region.

Geography: The Middle Colonies’ coastal lowlands had many harbors and bays and wide, deep rivers. There, settlers found rich farmland and a moderate climate, which supported small-scale farming of wheat, rye, oats, corn, and barley (they are sometimes called the “breadbasket” colonies). Geography/Economy: The rich farmland was also perfect for producing livestock. The Middle Colonies had a variety of economic activities (ways of making money). While some places were agricultural, many artisans and traders were involved in shipbuilding, ironworks, and textile manufacturing. Because ships could quickly come in and out, many coastal areas became major trading centers. Cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore became commercial centers and important ports for trade with England and the other colonies.

Middle Colonies

Society: Some Mid-Atlantic, or Middle Colonies, like Maryland and Pennsylvania, were founded to allow certain groups to escape persecution. Maryland was established to provide Catholics with religious freedom, and William Penn established Pennsylvania to provide a haven for Quakers. The other Middle Colonies, such as New York and New Jersey, were mainly created to provide economic opportunity to the settlers. As a result, society in the Middle Colonies tended to be more tolerant and flexible than in New England. The Middle Colonies also had many settlers of different nationalities, such as the Dutch, Swedes, Scots-Irish, and Germans, and religious minorities such as Jews and Huguenots (Protestants from France). The Middle Colonies had a variety of representative governments with participation from its diverse population. Economy: A middle class of craftspeople, business owners, and small farmers began to emerge, with social status often tied more to business success than to religious or family background. For this reason, the large trading cities were usually the hub of both economic and political power.

Geography/Economy: The Southern Colonies had good harbors (such as Charleston SC and Savannah GA) and many rivers near the coast, and a warm, humid climate that made it ideal for growing many crops, nearly year-round. The scale and type of farming, though, differed depending on the area. On the Eastern coastal plains, flat, fertile soil and a temperate climate made large plantations profitable. These plantations grew cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo. Southern planters relied heavily on African slave labor to work their lands. Further to the west, though, most colonists lived on small, subsistence farms and hunted and traded in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Southern Colonies

Society: The founders of the Southern colonies were primarily interested in making money, and almost everyone in the Southern colonies made their living by farming. The social structure of the Southern colonies was based on family status and wealth and was usually measured by land ownership. Because farming was the most common way of life, most of the population was spread out across large rural counties instead of cities and towns. Most Southern colonists were members of the Anglican Church (the established Church of England) and maintained strong ties to Great Britain. The large plantation owners in the coastal east dominated both society and politics. They relied on indentured servants (Europeans who plantation owners paid their way to the Americas in return for several years of work). Later southern plantation owners changed to using slaves for labor. Current and former indentured servants made up as much as 80% of the population in Virginia in the 17th century. By the end of the 1600s, a very wealthy class of rice planters who relied on slaves had risen to power in the southern part of the Carolinas, especially around Charleston. By 1715, South Carolina had a black majority because of the number of slaves in the colony.