THE 13 COLONIES

NEW ENGLAND COLONIES

MASSACHUSETTS

• Founded in the year 1620.
• William Bradford and John Winthrop found it for religious freedom.
• Interesting Facts: ~John Carver was the first governor. ~Peregrine White was the first baby born in the New World. ~42 out of 102 pilgrims died the first winter.

CONNECTICUT

• Founded in the year1635.
• Thomas Hooker found it for political and religious freedom.
• Interesting Facts: ~Puritans don't tolerate any religion other than their own. ~Connecticut is from a Algonquin word, quinnektukqut, meaning beside the river. ~They major in fish, wheat, & corn.

RHODE ISLAND

• Found in the year 1636.
• Roger Williams found it for the separation of church and state.
• Interesting Facts: ~Rhode Island is Dutch for "red island". ~They major in livestock, dairy, lumber, & fish. ~First to declare independence from Britain on May 4th.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Found in the year 1638.
• John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges found it because the trade and fish areas wanted to be separate colonies.
• Interesting Facts: ~Named after a country in England. ~They major in potatoes, fish, textiles, and ships. ~First of the colonies to create an independent government.

MIDDLE COLONIES

NEW YORK

• Founded in the year 1626.
• Peter Minuit and the Duke of York found it for economic and political reasons.
• Interesting Facts: ~Named after the Duke of York. ~Industry includes cattle, grain, rice, wheat, indigo, iron, & ships. ~Only colony that didn't vote for independence.

NEW JERSEY

• Found in the year 1664.
• Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret obtained it after the Duke of York split New York.
• Interesting Facts: ~Named after the Isle of Jersey in England. ~Majors in ironworks and lumber. ~Referred to as the "American Crossroads".

PENNSYLVANIA

• Found in the year 1682.
• William Penn found it so Quakers could worship freely.
• Interesting Facts: ~Majors in wheat, cattle, corn, dairy, textiles, paper, & ships. ~Named after William Penn. ~Sylvania means forest in Latin.

DELAWARE

• Found in the year 1638.
• Peter Minuit found it since they wanted a separate government.
• Interesting Facts: ~Majors in fish and lumber. ~First colony to accept the Declaration. ~Named after Lord de la Warr.

SOUTHERN COLONIES

MARYLAND

• Found in the year 1633.
• Lord Baltimore found it so Catholics could worship freely.
• Interesting Facts: ~Named after Queen Henrietta Maria of England. ~Majors in ships and ironworks. ~After Anglicanism became the religion, many people migrated from Virginia to here.

VIRGINIA

• Found in the year 1607.
• John Smith found it so people could profit from trade and farming.
• Interesting Facts: ~Majors in tobacco, wheat, and corn. ~Named after Queen Elizabeth. ~Williamsburg was Virginia's capital from 1699-1780.

NORTH CAROLINA

• Found in the year 1663.
• Tobacco farmers found it so they could profit from tobacco.
• Interesting Facts: ~Majors in indigo, rice, and tobacco. ~In 1712, Carolina split to North and South Carolina. ~In 1729, North and South Carolina were officially declared separate colonies.

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Found in the year 1663.
• Eight English nobles found it so people could profit from farming and trading.
• Interesting Facts: ~Majors in cotton, cattle, rice, indigo, and tobacco. ~South Carolina had the most cotton plantations. ~One of the only colonies to have slaves.

GEORGIA

• Found in the year 1732.
• James Oglethorpe found it so debtors would have a place.
• Interesting Facts: ~Named after King George II. ~Majors in indigo, rice, and sugar. ~In Northern Georgia, gold was found in the mountains.