Colony Notes

Colony / Type of Settlers / Reasons for settlement / Geography/ Climate / Economic Activities / Predominant Religion / Government Style
Massachusetts / first by Pilgrims; later by Puritans / to escape religious
persecution / harsh winters and
warm summers; rich pastures and forests / crop and livestock farming, lumbering / Puritan / self-governing, as described in theMayflower Compact
Rhode Island / former Puritans from Mass. led by Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson / religious freedom fromthe Puritans / humid summers andcold winters;coastal lowlandsand rockywoodlands / farming, lumbering, shipbuilding,
fishing, whaling / various faiths/ tolerant / self-governing
Connecticut / former Mass. Puritans led by Thomas Hooker / establish a new settlement apart from Mass. Puritans / cold winters and mildsummers; forested hills and seacoast / farming,shipbuilding,fishing,whaling / Puritan / self-governing, with written
constitution
New York / Dutch and English / make money / cold winters and hot
summers; wetlands and forested mountains / Trade, furs / various faiths / British-appt. governor/ council; then an elected assembly
Pennsylvania / English Quakers led by William Penn / to safely practice theirreligion / cold winters and hot
summers; rolling hills and fertile soil / farming, trade, lumbering, and
shipbuilding / various faiths / elected assembly
Maryland / English Catholics and Protestants / to find religious and
political freedom / cold winters, hot
summers; low,fertile landsurroundingChesapeake Bay / farming, lumbering, shipping, fishing, iron mining / various faiths, particularly Catholic / originally feudal, but eventually an elected assembly
Virginia / English landowners and skilled laborers / to make a profit / mild winters and
hot summers;coastal lowlandsand woodedmountains / farming / Church of England / elected assembly (House of
Burgesses)
Georgia / debtors from English prisons, and
other Europeans / to find religious freedom
and cheap land / mild winters and hotsummers;wetlands andforested mountains / farming / various faiths / ruled by Oglethorpe, then an electedassembly
South Carolina / Colonists fromEngland, & later,colonists fromBarbados / establish anagricultural basein the Americas / mild winters and humidsummers; swamps andcoastline / agricultural, basedon rice and indigo / all faiths / self-governing

13 original colonies: Regions Summary

SOUTHERN COLONIES

This region had good soil and a hot, wet climate. This allowed the growing of cash crops like tobacco and rice. This also led to the development of large farms, called plantations, which were often worked by slaves. These colonies included Virginia, the Carolinas, Maryland, and Georgia.

MIDDLE COLONIES

This colonial region included a varied landscape of coastal plains, wooded hills and valleys, and rich soil. Farmers here raised a variety of grain crops and livestock. Lumbering and shipbuilding were other occupations here. The people who settled here represented many different religions and cultures. One of these groups were the Quakers who settled in Pennsylvania. Other colonies included New Jersey, Delaware, and New York (formerly New Amsterdam)

NEW ENGLAND COLONIES

People came to this region seeking religious freedom such as the Pilgrims and Puritans. Because of cold winters and rocky, thin soil, farming was difficult. The forests and seas provided useful resources and lumbering, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade became important industries. Colonies in this region were Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.