Colonial+America

Know the Thirteen Colonies
Check out this video introducing the Thirteen Colonies and the Pilgrimsmedia type="youtube" key="kwJDraGAV44" width="560" height="315"!

Roanoke (the "first" colony) 1587
The history of Roanoke is short and sad but also very interesting. To this day there is much speculation about what happened to the first English colonists of America.



Jamestown, Virginia (the first real colony) 1607
You can still visit England's first PERMANENT colony in the New World. Check out this question and answer page on Jamestown to understand more information about the history behind Jamestown.





Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony 1620, 1630
The Pilgrims came to America in 1620. After surviving a devastating winter and making peace with a Native American tribe, they had much to be thankful for that first Thanksgiving celebration. Keep in mind the reasons why the Pilgrims came to America and how these are reflected in the picture below.

The Puritans The Puritans established Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. There a many key similarities and differences between the Pilgrims and Puritans and you should work to understand them.

New Hampshire 1623
New Hampshire was founded by settlers of Massachusetts. Here is a picture of early New Hampshire settlers harvesting maple syrup.

New York 1624 (Dutch), 1664 (English)
The Dutch originally settled New York City until 1664 when the land was reclaimed by the Duke of York for England. Here is a picture of the Dutch governor Peter Stuveysent making the decision to surrender his colony upon being faced by the far superior English navy.



New York City, from its very beginning, would become America's most important commercial city where business, trade, and industry all converged.



Maryland 1632
Maryland was founded by Roman Catholics as a place to safely practice their religion. This lasted for a little while...



Connecticut 1635
Connecticut was founded in 1636 by a Puritan minister named Thomas Hooker (see below). Hooker dissented from many views held by fellow Puritans in Massachusetts. Hooker would later write the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a document which broadened voting powers and ideas of representation and self-government in early colonial America.



Rhode Island 1636
Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams, the founder of the first Baptist church in America. Williams, who was kicked out by the Puritans in Massachusetts, was rescued by Native Americans. His colony became the first colony in America to offer religious toleration for all and also promised peace and harmony to all Native Americans within the colony.



Delaware 1638
Swedish immigrants claimed Delaware in 1638. The colony would later became controlled by the Dutch for a brief period of time before the English took over.

North Carolina 1663
King Charles II granted the charter for the establishment of North Carolina in 1663.

South Carolina 1663
King Charles also granted the charter for South Carolina. This colony became an immediate center for trade and commerce in the Southern colony.

New Jersey 1664
King George II granted Philip Carteret the first governor of New Jersey in 1664.

Pennsylvania 1682
William Penn established Pennsylvania as a colony of religious toleration, low taxes and public debt, and lots of fertile farmland. These things quickly attracted many settlers.

Georgia 1732
James Oglethorpe established George as a refuge for debtors or what he called "the worthy poor." Georgia was the last of the Thirteen Colonies established.

Colonial American Life
Life in the home

Apprenticeships
Blacksmith

Cooper

Printer

Wheelwright

The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War played a key role in early history of our country. Although the war itself was spread out over time and geography, and may not have had the most exciting figures/battles in our history, the results of the war are very critical to the development of our country.

media type="custom" key="24021664" The video provides a brief introduction of the course of the war.

media type="custom" key="24021670" The video shows a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Niagara in 1759.

This helpful map demonstrates important boundaries at the start of the war.

Early on in the war, the Native Americans easily ambushed the British military who stood like sitting ducks in the heavy forrest.

These British tactics led to the death of military leaders like General Braddock.

Yet Braddock's death allowed the American colonists, led by George Washington, to prove their ability as soldiers. In this picture, what do you notice about the American soldiers? Thankfully for the British, the tide of the war turned and gutsy victories like Quebec in 1759 enabled Britain to gain momentum in the war.

The British victory at Quebec did not come without a price as this famous painting shows the death of British General James Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec.

The results of the war enabled the British to expand their dominance in North America.

It also ended this very important policy called Salutary Neglect...