13 Colonies Study guide
Why did the English want colonies in North America?
Gold (making money), God (spread religion), and glory
What are the 3 regions of the 13 colonies?
1. New England
2. Middle Colonies
3. Southern Colonies
New England
1. Name some natural resources from New England.
Trees, fish, fur, and whales
2.
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What exports contributed to New England’s economy?
Fish
Whales
Lumber
ships
3. What religious groups founded New England (and Massachusetts in particular)?
Puritans and Pilgrims
4. Who made the following quote and what does it mean? “We shall be as a city upon a hill,
they eyes of all the people will be upon us”
John Winthrop
It means that the Puritans should be an example to the people around them and show them how to
live.
5. Who founded Rhode Island and why?
Roger Williams founded Rhode Island for religious freedom
6. Most New England colonies were founded for what reason?
Religious freedom
7. Explain the interactions between colonists in New England and the Natives that lived there.
They fought over land and eventually fought King Philip’s War. The colonists won and the Native
population declined.
8. What was King Philip’s real name? Metacomet
9. How were town governments in New England democratic?
New England colonists could vote at town meetings
Middle Colonies
10. What was the nickname of the Middle Colonies and why?
They were called the “Bread Colonies” because they grew a lot of grain.
11. Who founded Pennsylvania and why?
William Penn founded Pennsylvania so the Quakers could have a safe place to practice their
religion.
12. What natural resources did the Middle Colonies have?
They had trees, fertile soil, iron, and broad rivers
13. What exports contributed to the economy of the Middle Colonies?
 Wheat
 Iron
 Timber
 furs
Southern Colonies
14. What was the name of Virginia’s legislature?
House of Burgesses
15. What is self-government?
People govern (make laws for) themselves
16. Who founded Maryland and why?
Lord Baltimore founded it for the Catholics
17. Who founded Georgia and why?
James Oglethorpe founded it so that poor debtors would have a chance to start a new life
18. What exports contributed to the economy of the Southern Colonies?
 Tobacco
 Indigo
 Cotton
 Rice
19. What are triangular trade routes?
They are 3-sided trade routes between Africa, the Americas, and Europe
20. What is the Middle Passage?
The part of the triangular trade route in which captured and enslaved Africans were sent by ship,
under terrible conditions, to be sold in the Americas
21. List the classes of colonial society from lowest to highest.
 Field slaves
 Household slaves
 Free blacks
 Farmers
 Middling class
 Gentry
22. Decide what historical figure YOU think is the most important to the history of each region.
Why do you think that? We will call this person your regional “MVP” (most valuable
person).
a. New England
b. Middle Colonies
c. Southern Colonies