Part 1: Coming to America
The first colonies in North America were along the eastern coast. Settlers from
Spain, France, Sweden, Holland, and England claimed land beginning in the 17th
century. The struggle for control of this land would continue for more than a
hundred years.
The first permanent settlement in North America was the English
colony at Jamestown, in 1607, in what is now Virginia. John Smith
and company had come to stay. The Pilgrims followed, in 1620, and
set up a colony at Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts.
Other English colonies sprang up all along the Atlantic coast, from
Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. Swedish and Dutch
colonies took shape in and around what is now New York.
As more and more people arrived in the New World, more and more disputes arose
over territory. Many wars were fought in the 1600s and 1700s. Soon, the two
countries with the largest presence were England and France.
The two nations fought for control of North America in what Americans call the
French and Indian War (1754-1763). England won the war and got control of
Canada, as well as keeping control of all the English colonies.
By this time, the English colonies numbered 13. They were Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Virginia Colony
Engraving of Captain John Smith of Jamestown - Virginia Colony
Year Founded:
1607 (Jamestown was founded).
In 1624, Virginia was created as a royal colony that included the original
Jamestown settlement.
Founded By:
The London Company founded Virginia during the reign of James I (1566-1625).
Motivation for Founding:
Jamestown was originally founded from a desire to gain wealth and to a lesser
extent to convert the natives to Christianity. Virginia became a royal colony in 1624
when King James I revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company. He felt
threatened by the representative assembly known as the House of Burgesses. His
timely death in 1625 ended his plans of disbanding the assembly.
Significance:
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First permanent English settlement in the New World at Jamestown.
It provided a source of fertile land and great wealth to England in the form of the
cash crop, tobacco.
With the House of Burgesses, America saw the first institutional instance of
representative self government.
Massachusetts Colony
Year Massachusetts Colony Founded:
1620
Founded By:
Separatists - Puritans
Motivation for Founding:
Separatists in England fled to Holland in 1608 and then decided to find refuge in
America where they could create a home for themselves in the Massachusetts
Colony. They came over on the Mayflower.
Significance:
The Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower created the Mayflower Compact. This agreement
to form a government and to submit to the will of the majority set up the precedent
of written constitutions.
Important People:
William Bradford - Chosen governor thirty times in annual elections.
Priscilla and John Alden
John Winthrop
New Hampshire Colony
Year Founded:
1623
Founded By:
John Mason
Motivation for Founding:
New Hampshire was a planned colony. The land in the New World was granted to
Captain John Mason who lived in Hampshire County, England. He sent settlers to
the new territory to create a fishing colony. However, he died before ever seeing
where he had spent a considerable amount of money building towns and defenses.
Significant Events:
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This colony was part of Massachusetts at one time until England granted
Massachusetts a royal charter in 1679.
Their ratification (they were the ninth) of the Constitution assured its passage.
Important People:
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Captain John Mason
Governor Sir John Wentworth
Maryland
Year Maryland Colony Was Founded:
1634; Was given the charter for founding in 1632
Maryland Colony Founded By:
Lord Baltimore (Cecil Calvert)
Motivation for Founding the Maryland Colony:
Lord Baltimore was motivated both by the desire for profit and the desire to create
a refuge for Roman Catholics who were still being persecuted in Protestant England.
Significant Events:
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Maryland was a proprietorship which means that the proprietor had executive
authority.
Tobacco was very profitable for the colony.
Religious freedom for different sects of Christianity was widespread, especially
after the passage of the Act of Toleration in 1649 which allowed for toleration to
all Christians. Maryland eventually became known as a 'haven for Catholics'.
Important People:
Lord Baltimore
Connecticut Colony
Year Connecticut Colony Founded:
c. 1635/1636; Colonists were moving into and starting towns in future Connecticut
in 1635 but the main towns did not join together to form the Connecticut colony
until 1636.
Founded By:
Thomas Hooker and a group of Massachusetts colonists.
Motivation for Founding:
Individuals from the Massachusetts colony moved to what would become
Connecticut because they were looking for more freedom and financial
opportunities.
Significant Events:
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Pequot War - 1636-1637 - This 'war' was fought between the settlers in
Connecticut and the Pequot Indians. By the end of the war, the Pequot Indians
were decimated.
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were created in 1639. Many believe that
this written Constitution would become the basis for the later United States
Constitution.
Important People:Thomas Hooker
Rhode Island Colony
Year Founded:
1636
Founded By:
Roger Williams
Motivation for Founding:
Roger Williams was banished to England by the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his
beliefs in separation of church and state and freedom of religion. He fled and lived
with the Narragansett Indians and formed Providence in 1636.
Anne Hutchinson was also banished for speaking out against the Church in
Massachusetts Bay. She formed Portsmouth.
Two other settlements arose and all four joined together with permission from
England to form Providence Plantations – later called Rhode Island.
Significant Events:
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This colony was the first to guarantee all its citizens freedom of worship.
The colony was founded on separation of church and state.
Rhode Island is known for its fierce independence.
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The colony was the last to ratify the U.S. Constitution – after it had already gone
into effect and the government had been established.
Important People:
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Roger Williams
Anne Hutchinson
Delaware Colony
Year Delaware Colony Founded:
1638
Founded By:
Peter Minuit and the New Sweden Company
Motivation for Founding:
Peter Minuit was Dutch and formed New Sweden as part of New Netherland. When
Charles II, King of England gave his brother James, the Duke of York, New
Netherland, he demanded and received its surrender. He renamed New Sweden to
Delaware.
Significant Events:
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Delaware was a part of Pennsylvania until 1703.
The colony was governed by Pennsylvania until the Revolutionary War.
Important People:
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Peter Minuit
James, the Duke of York
North Carolina Colony
Year North Carolina Colony Founded:
1653
Founded By:
Virginians
Motivation for Founding:
In 1653, some Virginians settled in what would become North Carolina. In 1663,
King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of
Virginia. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However,
because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North and
South Carolina out of it in 1729.
Significant Events:
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This was a collection of disparate settlers which often led to internal problems
and disputes.
The colony was one of the last hold outs to ratify the Constitution – after it had
already gone into effect and the government had been established.
The lost colony of Roanoke was located in what is now North Carolina.
North Carolina Colony
Year North Carolina Colony Founded:
1653
Founded By:
Virginians
Motivation for Founding:
In 1653, some Virginians settled in what would become North Carolina. In 1663,
King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of
Virginia. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However,
because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North and
South Carolina out of it in 1729.
Significant Events:
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This was a collection of disparate settlers which often led to internal problems
and disputes.
The colony was one of the last hold outs to ratify the Constitution – after it had
already gone into effect and the government had been established.
The lost colony of Roanoke was located in what is now North Carolina.
New Jersey Colony
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland. He granted
land to two of his friends, Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, that would
become New Jersey. The two advertised and promised settlers many benefits for
colonizing including representative government and freedom of religion. The colony
quickly grew.
Quakers eventually purchased both of their charters and created East and West
Jersey which were joined by the crown in 1702.
Significant Events:
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New Jersey was the third state to ratify the Constitution.
New Jersey was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.
Important People:
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James, Duke of York
Lord Berkeley
Sir George Carteret.
New York Colony
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Duke of York
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland. The name of
the colony was changed to New York in honor of the Duke.
Significant Events:
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The Albany Congress occurred at Albany, New York in 1754 to help unite the
colonies for defense against the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Federalist Papers were published in New York newspapers to sway voters to
accept the new constitution.
New York was the eleventh state to ratify the Constitution.
Important People:
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James, Duke of York
Thomas Dongan
Alexander Hamilton
Peter Minuit
Pennsylvania Colony
Year Founded:
1682
Founded By:
William Penn
Motivation for Founding:
William Penn founded Pennsylvania with a land grant that was owed his deceased
Father. His goal was to create a colony that allowed for freedom of religion due to
his desire to protect himself and fellow Quakers from persecution.
Significant Events:
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The colony was well-advertised and by 1700 was the third biggest and richest
colony in the New World.
Penn allowed for a representative assembly elected by landowners.
Freedom of worship and religion was granted to all citizens.
Georgia Colony
Year Founded:
1732
Founded By:
James Oglethorpe
Motivation for Founding:
In 1732, James Oglethorpe was given a charter from King George II to create a
new colony which he would name Georgia. This was located between South
Carolina and Florida. It had two main purposes: to serve as a place where debtors
in prison could go to start anew and it served as a barrier against Spanish
expansion from Florida.
Significant Events:
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In 1733, a group of settlers joined Oglethorpe to found Savannah, Georgia.
Georgia began with the intention to have little landholding and no slavery.
However, when it became a royal colony in 1752, plantations and slavey became
a major part of the Georgian economy.
Georgia was in the first group of states to ratify the new Constitution after the
Revolutionary War ended.
Important People:
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George II
James Oglethorpe
COLONY
NAME
YEAR
FOUNDED
FOUNDED BY
BECAME ROYAL
COLONY
Virginia
1607
London Company
1624
Massachusetts
1620
Puritans
1691
New
Hampshire
1623
John Wheelwright
1679
Maryland
1634
Lord Baltimore
N/A
Connecticut
c. 1635
Thomas Hooker
N/A
Rhode Island
1636
Roger Williams
N/A
Delaware
1638
Peter Minuit and New Sweden
Company
N/A
North Carolina
1653
Virginians
1729
South Carolina
1663
Eight Nobles with a Royal
Charter from Charles II
1729
New Jersey
1664
Lord Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret
1702
New York
1664
Duke of York
1685
Pennsylvania
1682
William Penn
N/A
Georgia
1732
James Edward Oglethorpe
1752
Overview of Colonial America 1607 - 1754
The New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies
From the foundation of the colonies beginning with the founding of Jamestown until
the beginning of the Revolutionary War, different regions of the eastern coast had
different characteristics. Once established, the thirteen British colonies could be
divided into three geographic areas: New England, Middle, and Southern. Each of
these had specific economic, social, and political developments that were unique to
the regions.
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New England
Colonies: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. These
were known for being rich in forests and fur trapping. Harbors were located
throughout the region. The area was not known for good farmland. Therefore,
the farms were small, mainly to provide food for individual families. New England
flourished instead with fishing, shipbuilding, lumbering, and fur trading along
with trading goods with Europe. The famous Triangle Trade occurred in the New
England colonies where slaves were sold in the West Indies for molasses. This
was sent to New England to make Rum which was then sent to Africa to trade for
slaves.
In New England, small towns were the centers of local government. In 1643,
Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven formed the New
England Confederation to provide defense against Indians, Dutch, and the
French. This was the first attempt to form a union between colonies.
A group of Massasoit Indians organized themselves under King Philip to fight the
colonists. King Philip's War lasted from 1675-78. The Indians were finally
defeated at a great loss.
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Middle Colonies
Colonies: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. This area was
excellent for farming and included natural harbors. Farmers grew grain and
raised livestock. The Middle Colonies also practiced trade like New England, but
typically they were trading raw materials for manufactured items.
One important event that happened in the Middle Colonies during the colonial
period was the Zenger Trial in 1735. John Peter Zenger was arrested for writing
against the royal governor of New York. Zenger was defended by Andrew
Hamilton and found not guilty helping to establish the idea of freedom of the
press.
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Southern Colonies
Colonies: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Southern colonies grew their own food along with growing three major cash
crops: tobacco, rice, and indigo. These were grown on plantations typically
worked by slaves and indentured servants. The main commerce of the South was
with England. Plantations kept people widely separate which prevented the
growth of many towns.
An important event that occurred in the Southern Colonies was Bacon's
Rebellion. Nathaniel Bacon led a group of Virginia colonists against Indians who
were attacking frontier farms. The royal governor, Sir William Berkeley, had not
moved against the Indians. Bacon was labeled a traitor by the governor and
ordered arrested. Bacon attacked Jamestown and seized the government. He
then became ill and died. Berkeley returned, hanged many of the rebels, and was
eventually removed from office by King Charles II.
Virginia
Jamestown was the first English settlement in America (1607). It had a hard time
at first and didn’t flourish until the colonists received their own land and the
tobacco industry began flourishing, the settlement took root. People continued to
arrive and new settlements arose. In 1624, Virginia was made a royal colony.
Massachusetts
Pilgrims wishing to flee persecution and find religious freedom traveled to America
and formed the Plymouth Colony in 1620. Before landing, they established their
own government, the basis of which was the Mayflower Compact. In 1628, Puritans
formed the Massachusetts Bay Company and many Puritans continued to settle in
the area around Boston. In 1691, Plymouth joined with the Massachusetts Bay
Colony.
Connecticut
A group of individuals led by Thomas Hooker left the Massachusetts Bay Colony due
to dissatisfaction with harsh rules and settled in the Connecticut River Valley. In
1639, three settlements joined to form a unified government creating a document
called the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the first written constitution in
America. King Charles II officially united Connecticut as a single colony in 1662.
Rhode Island
Roger Williams argued for freedom of religion and separation of church and state.
He was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded Providence. Anne
Hutchinson was also banished from Massachusetts and she settled Portsmouth. Two
additional settlements formed in the area and all four received a charter from
England creating their own government eventually called Rhode Island.
New Hampshire
In 1622, John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges received land in northern New
England. Mason eventually formed New Hampshire and Gorges land led to Maine.
Massachusetts controlled both until New Hampshire was given a royal charter in
1679 and Maine was made its own state in 1820.
Maryland
Lord Baltimore received land from King Charles I to create a haven for Catholics.
His son, the second Lord Baltimore, personally owned all the land and could use or
sell it as he wished. In 1649, the Toleration Act was passed allowing all Christians
to worship as they pleased.
North Carolina and South Carolina
Eight men received charters in 1663 from King Charles II to settle south of Virginia.
The area was called Carolina. The main port was Charles Town (Charleston). In
1729, North and South Carolina became separate royal colonies.
New York
The Dutch owned a colony called New Netherland. In 1664, Charles II granted New
Netherland to his brother James, Duke of York. He just had to take it from the
Dutch. He arrived with a fleet. The Dutch surrendered without a fight.
New Jersey
The Duke of York granted some land to Sir George Carteret and Lord John Berkeley
who named their colony New Jersey. They provided liberal grants of land and
freedom of religion. The two parts of the colony were not united into a royal colony
until 1702.
Pennsylvania
The Quakers were persecuted by the English and wished to have a colony in
America. William Penn received a grant which the King called Pennsylvania. Penn
wished to begin a “holy experiment.” The first settlement was Philadelphia. This
colony quickly became one of the largest in the New World.
Delaware
When the Duke of York got New Netherland, he also received New Sweden which
had been founded by Peter Minuit. He renamed this area Delaware. This area
became part of Pennsylvania until 1703 when it created its own legislature.
Georgia
James Oglethorpe received a charter to create a colony between South Carolina and
Florida. He founded Savannah in 1733. Georgia became a royal colony in 1752.
1754 marked a changed era in America with the beginning of the French and Indian
War. From this period on, the colonists became more discontent with British rule as
new acts and sanctions were created. The increasing tension between Britain and
the colonies would lead to the Revolutionary War.