
Who founded each of the 13 colonies and why?
Colony Name | Year Founded | Founded By |
Connecticut | c. 1635 | Thomas Hooker |
Rhode Island | 1636 | Roger Williams |
Delaware | 1638 | Peter Minuit and New Sweden Company |
North Carolina | 1653 | Virginians |
Who founded the colonies and why?
Why were the colonies established? Queen Elizabeth wanted to establish colonies in the Americas in order to grow the British Empire and to counter the Spanish. The English hoped to find wealth, create new jobs, and establish trade ports along the coast of the Americas.
What are the two basic reasons the colonies were founded?
Primary sources
- Commager, Henry Steele and Richard B. Morris, eds. The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six': The Story of the American Revolution as told by Participants. ...
- Kavenagh, W. Keith, ed. Foundations of Colonial America: a Documentary History (6 vol. ...
- Sarson, Steven, and Jack P. Greene, eds. The American Colonies and the British Empire, 1607–1783 (8 vol, 2010); primary sources
What were the 13 original colonies?
- Province of New York, later New York and Vermont, a crown colony
- Province of New Jersey, later New Jersey, a crown colony
- Province of Pennsylvania, later Pennsylvania, a proprietary colony
- Delaware Colony (before 1776, the Lower Counties on Delaware ), later Delaware, a proprietary colony
What were the names of the 13 original colonies?
- Delaware (ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787)
- Pennsylvania (ratified the Constitution on December 12, 1787)
- New Jersey (ratified the Constitution on December 18, 1787)
- Georgia (ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788)
- Connecticut (ratified the Constitution on January 9, 1788)
- Massachusetts (ratified the Constitution on February 6, 1788)

Who founded the 13 colonies and why?
In the early 1600s, the British king began establishing colonies in America. By the 1700s, most of the settlements had formed into 13 British colonies: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
Who was the first colony founded?
The first "official" American colony was formed in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. In 1587, a group of 115 English settlers arrived in Virginia....The Southern Colonies.Colony NameVirginiaYear Founded1607Founded ByLondon CompanyBecame Royal Colony162412 more columns•Nov 6, 2020
Who founded America?
Before Columbus We know now that Columbus was among the last explorers to reach the Americas, not the first. Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement.
When were the colonies founded?
1607Thirteen Colonies / FoundedThe first colony was founded at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Many of the people who settled in the New World came to escape religious persecution. The Pilgrims, founders of Plymouth, Massachusetts, arrived in 1620. In both Virginia and Massachusetts, the colonists flourished with some assistance from Native Americans.
What are the American colonies?
The American colonies were the British colonies that were established during the 17th and early 18th centuries in what is now a part of the eastern...
Who established the American colonies?
In 1606 King James I of England granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London to colonize the American coast anywhere between parallels 34° a...
What pushed the American colonies toward independence?
After the French and Indian War the British government determined that the colonies should help pay for the cost of the war and the postwar garriso...
When did the American colonies declare independence?
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, “unanimously” by the votes of 12 colonies (with New York abstaining) res...
Where were the American colonies located?
The American colonies were the British colonies that were established during the 17th and early 18th centuries in what is now a part of the eastern United States. The colonies grew both geographically along the Atlantic coast and westward and numerically to 13 from the time of their founding to the American Revolution.
Which colony was almost entirely English?
New England was almost entirely English, in the southern colonies the English were the most numerous of the settlers of European origin, and in the middle colonies the population was much mixed, but even Pennsylvania had more English than German settlers.
How many colonies were there in the United States?
Alternative Titles: colonial America, thirteen colonies. American colonies, also called thirteen colonies or colonial America, the 13 British colonies that were established during the 17th and early 18th centuries in what is now a part of the eastern United States. The colonies grew both geographically along the Atlantic coast and westward ...
What tax was introduced to the colonies to raise revenue?
It also began imposing tighter control on colonial governments. Taxes, such as the Sugar Act (1764) and the Stamp Act (1765), aimed at raising revenue from the colonies outraged the colonists and catalyzed a reaction that eventually led to a revolt.
What were the colonies like in Britain?
In Britain and continental Europe the colonies were looked upon as a land of promise. Moreover, both the homeland and the colonies encouraged immigration, offering inducements to those who would venture beyond the ocean. The colonies particularly welcomed foreign Protestants.
How did the colonists increase their numbers?
Their numbers were also greatly increased by continuing immigration from Great Britain and from Europe west of the Elbe River. In Britain and continental Europe the colonies were looked upon as a land of promise.
How many colonies did the British have?
Within a century and a half the British had 13 flourishing colonies on the Atlantic coast: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content.
What is the name of the group of colonies that formed the United States?
Thirteen Colonies. The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies or the Thirteen American Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centuries, they declared independence in 1776 and together formed the United States of America .
When were the 13 colonies established?
The Thirteen Colonies were complete with the establishment of the Province of Georgia in 1732, although the term "Thirteen Colonies" became current only in the context of the American Revolution.
What was the population of the 13 colonies in 1760?
In 1760, the cities of Philadelphia, New York, and Boston had a population in excess of 16,000, which was small by European standards. By 1770, the economic output of the Thirteen Colonies made up forty percent of the gross domestic product of the British Empire.
What are the thirteen colonies?
v. t. e. The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies or the Thirteen American Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America.
How many colonies were there in the New World?
All thirteen colonies were part of Britain's possessions in the New World, which also included territory in Canada, Florida, and the Caribbean . The colonial population grew from about 2,000 to 2.4 million between 1625 and 1775, displacing Native Americans.
What did the British trade with the colonies?
The colonists traded foodstuffs, wood, tobacco, and various other resources for Asian tea, West Indian coffee, and West Indian sugar, among other items. American Indians far from the Atlantic coast supplied the Atlantic market with beaver fur and deerskins. British North America had an advantage in natural resources and established its own thriving shipbuilding industry, and many North American merchants engaged in the transatlantic trade.
How many slaves were there in the 13 colonies?
It was of economic importance in the export-oriented tobacco plantations of Virginia and Maryland and on the rice and indigo plantations of South Carolina. About 287,000 slaves were imported into the Thirteen Colonies over a period of 160 years, or 2% of the estimated 12 million taken from Africa to the Americas via the Atlantic slave trade. The great majority went to sugar colonies in the Caribbean and to Brazil, where life expectancy was short and the numbers had to be continually replenished. By the mid-18th century, life expectancy was much higher in the American colonies.
1. Connecticut enacted the first constitution in America
In the late 1630s, the settlements of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield began unifying under a rudimentary form of government that was composed of magistrates and representatives from each town.
2. Maryland was founded as a haven for Catholics
George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, was a government official in England who became interested in colonizing North America.
3. Massachusetts was the birthplace of the American iron industry
In 1644, John Winthrop established the Saugus Works, which had a dam to provide water, a smelting furnace, a forge, and a rolling and slitting mill. The facility produced two types of iron—cast iron that could be poured into molds to make a product, and pig iron, large lumps that could be remelted and used in manufacturing.
4. Pennsylvania was created to pay a debt
After the British monarchy was restored in 1660 and Charles II took the throne, British admiral Sir William Penn, used some of his own personal wealth to rebuild and feed the Royal Navy.
5. New Jersey had the alternate name of New Caesarea
In 1664, King Charles II gave a charter for New Netherland, the land between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers, to his brother James, the Duke of York.
7. New Hampshire offered parcels of land in exchange for one ear of corn each year
After the end of the French and Indian War in 1762, Governor Benning Wentworth, an appointee of King George III, felt it was time to increase the colony’s population.
8. Georgia was founded as a new home for impoverished people and debtors
In the 1730s, James Oglethorpe, a retired British army officer, decided to make it his mission to help the impoverished and debt-ridden inhabitants of London get a fresh start in life. He thought the best solution was for them to resettle in America.
How many colonies were there in the US?
Colonial America. This is a 13 Colonies list that details when the colony was founded and some of the famous people involved with the colony. Plymouth Colony was de-established and eventually merged with the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York was founded by Peter Stuyvesant, but was known as New Amsterdam until it was captured by ...
What was the name of the state in 1788?
June 21, 1788 – New Hampshire becomes the ninth state of the United States of America. June 25, 1788 – Virginia becomes the tenth state of the United States of America. June 26, 1788 – New York becomes the eleventh state of the United States of America.
What happened after the Revolutionary War?
After the Revolutionary War was over the colonies became states. At first they were part of a confederation that was under the Articles of the Confederation, but eventually the government was reformed and the Constitution was written and ratified.
What was the fourth state in the United States?
January 2, 1788 – Georgia becomes the fourth state of the United States of America. January 9, 1788 – Connecticut becomes the fifth state of the United States of America. February 6, 1788 – Massachusetts becomes the sixth state of the United States of America.
Who were the first colonists?
The first founders of colonies were the Euboeans, who founded colonies at the beginning of the 8th century B.C. in Southern Italy and Chalcidice. The two most powerful states on Euboea, Chalcis and Eretria founded numerous colonies in Chalcidice, the most important of which was Olynthus, and they were the first to found colonies in Southern Italy. The first colony that they founded there was Pithecusae on the Isle of Ischia. Subsequently, they founded the colonies of Cumae, Zancle, Rhegium and Naxos.
Why was the colony chosen in advance?
The place to be colonized was selected in advance with the goal of offering business advantages, but also security from raiders. In order to create a feeling of security and confidence in relation to the new colony, the choice of place was decided according to its usefulness.
What were the most important settlements of the Euboeans in Chalcidice?
The most important settlements of the Euboeans in Chalcidice were Olynthos (which colony was settled in collaboration with the Athenians ), Torone, Mende, Sermyle, Aphytis and Cleonae in the peninsula of Athos.
How many Greek colonies were there in the Black Sea?
The Greeks had at one point called the Black Sea shore "inhospitable". According to ancient sources, they eventually created 70 to 90 colonies. The colonization of the Black Sea was led by the Megarans and some of the Ionian cities such as Miletus, Phocaea and Teos.
How did colonization differ from the migrations of the Greek Dark Ages?
This colonization differed from the migrations of the Greek Dark Ages in that it consisted of organised direction ( see Oikistes) by the originating metropolis instead of the simple movement of tribes which characterized the earlier migrations.
Which city was founded by the Euboeans?
Further, the Euboeans founded Naxos, which became the base for the founding of the cities of Leontini, Tauromenion and Catania. In this effort they were accompanied by small numbers of Dorians and Ionians; the Athenians had notably refused to take part in the colonization. The Greek Theatre of Syracuse.
Which two Mediterranean countries were colonized by Corinth?
The Corinthians founded important overseas colonies on the sea lanes to Southern Italy and the west which succeeded in making them the foremost emporia of the western side of the Mediterranean. Important colonies of Corinth included Leucada, Astacus, Anactoreum, Actium, Ambracia, and Corcyra. The Corinthians also founded important colonies in Illyria, which evolved into important cities, Apollonia and Epidamnus was also a Greek colony in Illyria. Nymphaeum was another Greek colony in Illyria. The Abantes of Euboea founded the city of Thronion at the Illyria.

Overview
The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centuries, they began fighting the American Revolutionary War in April 1775 and formed the United States of America by declaring full independence in July 1776. Just prior to declaring independence, the Thirteen Colonies in their tr…
British colonies
In 1606, King James I of England granted charters to both the Plymouth Company and the London Company for the purpose of establishing permanent settlements in America. The London Company established the Colony of Virginia in 1607, the first permanently settled English colony on the continent. The Plymouth Company founded the Popham Colony on the Kennebec River, but it was short-lived. The Plymouth Council for New England sponsored several colonization projects, …
17th century
The first successful English colony was Jamestown, established May 14, 1607, near Chesapeake Bay. The business venture was financed and coordinated by the London Virginia Company, a joint-stock company looking for gold. Its first years were extremely difficult, with very high death rates from disease and starvation, wars with local Native Americans, and little gold. The colony survived and flourished by turning to tobacco as a cash crop.
18th century
In 1702, East and West Jersey were combined to form the Province of New Jersey.
The northern and southern sections of the Carolina colony operated more or less independently until 1691 when Philip Ludwell was appointed governor of the entire province. From that time until 1708, the northern and southern settlements remained under one government. However, during this period, the two halves of the province began increasingly to be known as North Carolina an…
American Revolution
In response, the colonies formed bodies of elected representatives known as Provincial Congresses, and Colonists began to boycott imported British merchandise. Later in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. During the Second Continental Congress, the remaining colony of Georgia sent delegates as well.
Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage feared a confrontation with the colonists; he requested r…
Thirteen British colonies population
The colonial population rose to a quarter of a million during the 17th century, and to nearly 2.5 million on the eve of the American revolution. The estimates do not include the Indian tribes outside the jurisdiction of the colonies. Good health was important for the growth of the colonies: "Fewer deaths among the young meant that a higher proportion of the population reached reproductive age, and that fact alone helps to explain why the colonies grew so rapidly." There w…
Religion
Protestantism was the predominant religious affiliation in the Thirteen Colonies, although there were also Catholics, Jews, and deists, and a large fraction had no religious connection. The Church of England was officially established in most of the South. The Puritan movement became the Congregational church, and it was the established religious affiliation in Massachusetts and Connecticut into the 18th century. In practice, this meant that tax revenues were allocated to ch…
Education
Higher education was available for young men in the north, and most students were aspiring Protestant ministers. Nine institutions of higher education were chartered during the colonial era. These colleges, known collectively as the colonial colleges were New College (Harvard), the College of William & Mary, Yale College (Yale), the College of New Jersey (Princeton), King's College (Columbia), the College of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), the College of Rhode Island (…