AP US History 13 Colonies Chart

Name and Date Founded

Reason for Founding

Early Leaders

Location

Resources/ Economy

Role of Religion

Contributions to American Political System

The first kind of representative assembly was born in Virginia; this assembly, known as the House of Burgesses, was established and authorized by the London Company. It set a precedent for future parliaments and assemblies in America.

Virginia
Est. 1607

England was motivated by both its victory over Spain and the writings of Richard Hakluyt, who argued that American colonization was key to national prosperity. James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London, a jointstock company, which set up a settlement in Jamestown. Their main goals were to find gold and to find a passage that would lead them to the Indies.

John Rolfe: husband of Pocahontas; discovered profitable strain of tobacco; became major cash crop in Virginia; economic savior John Smith: this captain led the colonist through the winter; his leadership demonstrated what you had to do in order to survive; He who works not, eats not Sir William Berkeley: royal governor of Virginia; mainly governed based on large planters; angered the smaller farmers which led to Bacons Revolution Lord De La Warr, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir Thomas Dale: London Company gave dictatorial powers to these governors Edwin Sandys: promised the settlers the same rights they had in England in order to attract more immigrants

About 40 miles up from the James River from Chesapeake Bay; the settlement was located on a swampy location, which was harmful because of diseases and contaminated water. On the north of Virginia is Maryland and on the south is North Carolina.

To increase its labor forces, the Virginia used the indenture system, where poor workers in England would travel to New England for financial means and to obtain a stable life. John Rolfe found the tobacco industry; it became a main cash crop in Virginia and the English had a constant demand for tobacco. Although it was profitable, the plant was ruinous to the soil of the ground and could only be planted every two years; tobacco industry promoted the broad acred plantation system and increased demands for more labor.

Virginia had a law stating that one must worship in the Anglican Church; nontolerance towards nonChristians

New Hampshire
Est. 1623

New Hampshire was originally part of Massachusetts Bay but King Charles II separated it from the Bay colony because he wanted more royal control in the colonies;

John Mason: founded New Hampshire with many others; Mason was given land and he sent settlers over from England, initially start a fishing company.

New Hampshire was bordered by Massachusetts on both the North and South, and New York to the West.

The economy of New Hampshire revolved around ship-making because it was connected to the sea. Also, private sector businesses were a big part of the economy, such as warehouses and sawmills. Main exports included masts for ships, fish, and lumber. The main resources that the colony had was the forest; the forest was used for shipbuilding and logging; sometimes economically dependent on Massachusetts. Farming was difficult in Massachusetts. They established manufacturing and trade posts. The main agricultural products were fishing, corn, and other livestock. Lumbering and shipbuilding was the largest manufacturing industry in the colony. Fur trading was also very profitable in the colony. Massachusetts became one of the biggest and influential New England outposts.

The main religion in New Hampshire was Puritanism; very strict system and had no leniency towards religious tolerance and freedom.

Like many other colonies, New Hampshire was a royal colony and a governor was given authority; this was the type of government that America later breached out from.

Massachusetts
Est. 1628

Some Puritans who believed they were being treated unfairly in England, moved to set a Puritan community in America. They sought to charter a joint-stocked company called Massachusetts Bay Company; Great Migration: mass immigration of Puritans

John Winthrop: taught that the Puritan colony should provide an example of what a true Christian society was; John Cotton: prominent clergy; came to Massachusetts to avoid persecution in England. worked to defend the governments role to impose religious rules.

Massachusetts is located both on top and bottom of New Hampshire. The bottom portion of Massachusetts borders New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Massachusett s was exclusively a Puritan Colony with no religious tolerance or freedom. they had a strict interpretation of the Bible and were against the Anglican Churchs unscriptural practices;

The government included a governor and a representative assembly, which was called the General Court; this was a major stepping stone because it was the first time the people had a voice; the freemen (adult church members) chose the governor and the General Court.

Maryland
Est. 1634

Rather than granting charters to joint-stock companies, England decided to grant charters to proprietors, who would be responsible for the colony instead of the king. Lord Baltimore was the first proprietor and established Maryland for economic reasons and to provide Catholics with a refuge.

Lord Baltimore (George Calvert): prominent English Catholic; came to New England for economic purposes and to find refuge for persecuted Catholics; allowed freedom of worship; Cecil Calvert: second Lord Baltimore; set about to implement his fathers plans in 1634

Maryland is located just north of the Potomac River and borders Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware

Like Virginia, Maryland also thrived economically due to the profitable tobacco. Also, similar to Virginia, Maryland depended on indentured servants for labor; later in the 17th century, black slaves began to be imported. Manufacturing businesses in Maryland focused on shipbuilding and iron works. Agricultural products included corn, rice, indigo, and wheat.

Catholic colony but Protestants outnumbered the Catholics; Calvert proposed the Act of Toleration, which granted religious freedom for all Christians; however, it also sanctioned less toleration for other religions who did not believe in Jesus; late 1600s, Protestant revolts and minor civil war between Protestants and Catholics. Protestants win and Catholics lose right to vote in Maryland Assembly. Mainly Puritans who slightly disagreed with the leadership in Massachusett s; sought more religious freedom but still maintained strictness of Puritans.

Calvert also allowed the existence of a representative assembly; the representative assembly passed the Act of Toleration in 1649.

Connecticut
Est. 1635

Established by Reverend Thomas Hooker and Boston Puritans who sought more religious and economic freedom.

Thomas Hooker: led a group of settlers who slightly disagreed with the teachings of the Puritans and the authority of John Winthrop; John Davenport: also found a neighboring colony (which would later be chartered into one colony); he led settlers who argued that Winthrop wasnt strict enough

Connecticut borders New York on the West, Rhode Island on the East, and Massachusetts on the North. The fertile Connecticut River Valley flows through the colony.

Farming conditions were excellent; major industry focused on agriculture, mainly wheat and corn. fishing industry also developed due to access to sea. Natural resources were soils, forests (timbers), and fish.

Established the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut; the first written constitution; impacted formation of todays constitution; representative government existed and included legislature by vote and governor.

Rhode Island
Est. 1636

Rhode Island was created when Roger Williams gained a charter combining Providence, Portsmouth, and other settlements in the area; it was meant to grant colonies complete religious toleration; however, Rhode Island attracted mostly lawbreakers and troublemakers making the colony in continuous turmoil;

Roger Williams: initially a Puritan preacher; however, his teachings were deemed to be disruptive and he was kicked out of Massachusetts; fled to the Narragansett Bay and found the settlement of Providence with his followers. Anne Hutchinson: openly contradicted the teachings of Puritan doctrine; fled to Narragansett with her followers and founded settlement called Portsmouth; later killed by Indians; significant because she was a woman; believed in antinomianism (only faith is necessary to attain salvation).

On almost two sides of Rhode Island is water. On the north of the colony was Massachusetts and on the west was Connecticut.

The climate and fields were suitable for agriculture, which includes dairy products and raising livestock. Rhode Island has access to the sea, making the fishing industry profitable as well. Also, Rhode Island has forests so the lumber industry flourished as well.

Rhode Island was established under the principles of religious tolerance and freedom; defined a clear distinction between Church and State.

The political influence that Rhode Island has on contemporary governments is limited; the same idea, however, lies in Rhode Islands ability to deal with crime and political turmoil;

Delaware
Est. 1638

Was initially a part of Pennsylvania but William Penn granted a separate legislature; the same governor of Pennsylvania also served as the governor for Delaware; the people of Delaware

Peter Minuit: Founder of Delaware; first to settle near the Delaware Valley and Christina River; Penn granted Minuit to form the colony

There were three colonies that surrounded Delaware. New Jersey and Maryland surround Delaware and Pennsylvania also lies close to the Delaware colony.

The economy of Delaware was also a mix. Delaware had fertile lands for agriculture in which they grew indigo, rice, and grain. The forests covered part of Delaware and so the lumber business thrived. Industrial works included trading lumber, ironworks, and shipbuilding.

Delaware, similar to Rhode Island, also granted religious freedom and tolerance for people; therefore, the colony held many different religions together

Delaware adapted similar political aspects with Pennsylvania because it was run by the same governor; also the idea of political freedom allows such liberties to exist today;

North Carolina
Est. 1653

Initially just the Carolina, eventually in 1729, two colonies, North and South Carolina were formed; North Carolina grew as an overflow from Virginia; (see also information for South Carolina).

Besides the eight noblemen who were the proprietors of the colony, there werent any significant leaders in the early colonies

On the North of North Carolina is Virginia, which explains how many Virginians come to North Carolina to farm tobacco; to the south of the colony is South Carolina.

North Carolina developed differently from South Carolina. The farmers were mostly from Virginia and therefore established selfsufficient tobacco farms. Only small number of good harbors and the colony had very poor transportation; little available manual labor

In North Carolina, religious tolerance and freedom was practiced and therefore different religious groups lived there.

North Carolina was famous for its democratic views and freedom from British oppression. This not only foreshadows the democratic ideals that are held today in the government but also the American Revolution when the colonies earn autonomy from British rule.

New York
Est. 1664

The Duke of York was given land between Connecticut and Delaware Bay from the king and seized the Dutch colony by force. He established a colony and named it New York;

Duke of York: later to be known as the future James II, combined his land with land of the Dutch by seizing it;

On the south, New York borders both Pennsylvania and New Jersey; to the East is New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

New Yorks economy was comprised of mainly agriculture and manufacturing. In the agricultural fields, they produced grain, cattle, indigo, rice, and wheat; the manufacturing aspects included iron works and shipbuilding.

New York had people coming from different areas and thus brought a diversity of religions into the colony; the colony practiced religious freedom.

James was opposed to a representative assembly; allowed foreign Dutch to be treated well; implemented tax without consent of representative assembly; this practice is illegal today because of its injustices; later, James appointed New York governor and gave general political and civil rights to the people and allowed the formation of the representative assembly, stepping stones to the type of assemblies and rights people have today.

New Jersey
Est. 1664

James gave Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret part of New York because James thought the land was too big to rule. So he gave them the land and the two proprietors attracted various groups, esp. Quakers and sold their lands; amid the process, confusing property lines confused people

Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret: founders of the colony; administered West new Jersey and East New Jersey respectively until charter declared they be combined

New Jersey is near the sea; to the north, it borders New York, to the west is Pennsylvania, and to the south is Delaware.

New Jerseys economy mainly centers around agriculture; they mainly breed livestock; also, New Jersey mined and manufactured goods for sale.

Established through the principles of religious freedom and gave various groups that came into New Jersey the right to freely believe and practice their faith.

Like many different colonies, New Jersey also tried to attract settler by offering representative governments. These governments foreshadowed the free and representative governments today.

South Carolina
Est. 1670

Charles II rewarded eight noblemen who had helped him regain the crown; these noblemen became the proprietors of Carolinas, before it divided; most people in South Carolina were planters from Barbados;

Besides the eight noblemen who were the proprietors of the colony, there werent any significant leaders in the early colonies

South Carolina has North Carolina to the North and Georgia to the South. To its east is the sea and the west is the open frontier

South Carolinas economy was heavily based on agriculture. Initially, South Carolinas economy was mostly based on fur trading and providing food for the Indies, but in the mid 18th century, South Carolina began to develop is rice-growing plantations, which also produced tobacco, indigo, rice, cattle, and cotton.

Diverse groups of people came into South Carolina and thus South Carolina, too, had a diversity of religion and practiced religious freedom.

The Carolinas were initially planned to become hierarchal societies, a social structure which was unpopular. There were no significant singularities about South Carolinas political aspects except the slaves were brought. In foreshadows the slave debates in the future that will incite the Civil War and also many aspects of the government, including whether slaves count towards the population or not.

Pennsylvania
Est. 1681

Mainly found for being a refuge for persecuted Quakers. Penn wanted to accomplish three main things through his colonies: provide refuge for Quakers, implement liberal governmental ideas, and make income and wealth for himself; this was called the holy experiment

William Penn: convert to the Quaker faith; when his father died, he left Penn lots of money; king also owed him money; used the money to set a colony;

Pennsylvania has open frontier to the west; to the east is New Jersey; to the north is New York; and to the south is Maryland and a little bit of Delaware.

Mixed economy of both agriculture and manufacturing; fertile soil allowed for productive agricultural farming and manufacturing included textiles, paper making, and shipbuilding.

The main purpose for the establishment of the colony was to provide religious freedom and tolerance for Quakers. once the colony had stabilized, it provided religious freedom for all types of worship and this declared in the Charter of Liberties (1701)

William Penn wanted to implement liberal governmental policies in the new colony; he provided the Frame of Government (1682 1683) which promoted a representative assembly elected by landowner; he also wanted to promote political freedom among the people, which had a last influence to todays government.

Georgia
Est. 1733

Last British colony and only one to receive direct funds from London; colony created because Britain needed a defensive buffer colony so that it can protect the wealthy plantation farms and owners from invasion of Spanish Florida. Also, countless people in London were living in poverty and imprisonment from debt and these people can start their life over in the colonies.

James Oglethorpe: founder of the colony; British philanthropist and obtained a charter for Georgia so that the poor can have a place where they could make a living.

Georgia was the southernmost colony. On the north, Georgia bordered South Carolina and in the South, Georgia served as a buffer for the conflicting Spanish-held Florida.

Agriculture was the main economic facet in Georgia. Agricultural crops included rice, sugar, and indigo. Slowly adopted the plantation mechanisms from South Carolina.

There were very few settlers in Georgia but those who did live there had religious tolerance and freedom.

Like todays governmental system, Georgia had a governor that would work to make the colony prosper. strict regulations; became a royal charter; other than that, not much influence on contemporary US government.