Georgia
Year Founded:
1732
Founded By:
James Oglethorpe
Motivation for Founding:
In 1732, James Oglethorpe was given a charter from King George II to create a new colony which he would name Georgia. This was located between South Carolina and Florida. It had two main purposes: to serve as a place where debtors in prison could go to start anew and it served as a barrier against Indian raids from Florida.
Significant Events:
Georgia was in the first group of states to ratify the new Constitution after the Revolutionary War ended. However, Georgia was the last of the 13 original colonies to be created!
Important People:
Year Founded:
1732
Founded By:
James Oglethorpe
Motivation for Founding:
In 1732, James Oglethorpe was given a charter from King George II to create a new colony which he would name Georgia. This was located between South Carolina and Florida. It had two main purposes: to serve as a place where debtors in prison could go to start anew and it served as a barrier against Indian raids from Florida.
Significant Events:
- In 1733, a group of settlers joined Oglethorpe to found Savannah, Georgia (the largest city).
- Georgia began with the intention to have no slavery. However, when it became a royal colony in 1752, plantations and slavery became a major part of the Georgian economy.
Georgia was in the first group of states to ratify the new Constitution after the Revolutionary War ended. However, Georgia was the last of the 13 original colonies to be created!
Important People:
- King George II
- James Oglethorpe
Delaware
Year Founded:
1638
Founded By:
Peter Minuit
Motivation for Founding:
Peter Minuit was Dutch and formed New Sweden as part of New Netherland. King Charles II of England gave his brother James New Netherland as a gift. James demanded and received its surrender. James renamed New Sweden to Delaware in honor of Virginia's first governor Lord De La Warr. Early settlers were Dutch traders.
Significant Events:
Year Founded:
1638
Founded By:
Peter Minuit
Motivation for Founding:
Peter Minuit was Dutch and formed New Sweden as part of New Netherland. King Charles II of England gave his brother James New Netherland as a gift. James demanded and received its surrender. James renamed New Sweden to Delaware in honor of Virginia's first governor Lord De La Warr. Early settlers were Dutch traders.
Significant Events:
- Delaware was a part of the Pennsylvania Colony until 1703.
- The colony was governed by Pennsylvania until the Revolutionary War.
- Wilmington is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city, was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn after his friend Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain.
- Peter Minuit
- James, the Duke of York
- Charles II, King of England
Rhode Island
Year Founded:
1636
Founded By:
Roger Williams
Motivation for Founding:
Roger Williams was banished by the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his beliefs in separation of church and state. He fled and lived with the Narragansett Indians and formed Providence in 1636.
Anne Hutchinson was also banished for speaking out against the Church in Massachusetts Bay. She formed Portsmouth.
Two other settlements arose, and all four joined together with permission from England to form Providence Plantations – later called Rhode Island.
Significant Events:
Important People:
Year Founded:
1636
Founded By:
Roger Williams
Motivation for Founding:
Roger Williams was banished by the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his beliefs in separation of church and state. He fled and lived with the Narragansett Indians and formed Providence in 1636.
Anne Hutchinson was also banished for speaking out against the Church in Massachusetts Bay. She formed Portsmouth.
Two other settlements arose, and all four joined together with permission from England to form Providence Plantations – later called Rhode Island.
Significant Events:
- Officially the name is The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Rhode Island is the smallest state in area, the eighth least populated state, but the second most densely populated state of the 50 US states behind New Jersey.
- Providence is the capital and most populous city in Rhode Island.
Important People:
- Roger Williams
- Anne Hutchinson
North Carolina
North Carolina Colony Founded:
1653
Founded By:
8 nobles from Virginia
Motivation for Founding:
In 1653, some Virginians settled in what would become North Carolina. In 1663, King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of Virginia mainly for tobacco farms. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However, because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North and South Carolina out of it in 1729.
Significant Events:
North Carolina Colony Founded:
1653
Founded By:
8 nobles from Virginia
Motivation for Founding:
In 1653, some Virginians settled in what would become North Carolina. In 1663, King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of Virginia mainly for tobacco farms. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However, because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North and South Carolina out of it in 1729.
Significant Events:
- This was a collection of disparate settlers which often led to internal problems and disputes.
- The colony was one of the last hold outs to ratify the Constitution – after it had already gone into effect, and the government had been established.
- The lost colony of Roanoke was located in what is now North Carolina.
- The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh and its largest city is Charlotte.
New York
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Duke of York
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland, a trading post at the mouth of the Hudson River. The name of the colony was changed to New York in honor of the Duke.
Significant Events:
Important People:
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Duke of York
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland, a trading post at the mouth of the Hudson River. The name of the colony was changed to New York in honor of the Duke.
Significant Events:
- The Albany Congress occurred at Albany, New York in 1754 to help unite the colonies for defense against the Iroquois Confederacy.
- The Federalist Papers were published in New York newspapers to sway voters to accept the new constitution.
- New York was the eleventh state to ratify the Constitution.
- New York City has been the most populous city in the United States since 1790. New York City was always the most populous city in the colony of New York.
Important People:
- James, Duke of York
- Thomas Dongan
- Alexander Hamilton
- Peter Minuit
Pennsylvania
Year Founded:
1682
Founded By:
William Penn
Motivation for Founding:
William Penn founded Pennsylvania with a land grant that was owed to his deceased Father. His goal was to create a colony that allowed for freedom of religion due to his desire to protect himself and fellow Quakers from persecution.
Significant Events:
Year Founded:
1682
Founded By:
William Penn
Motivation for Founding:
William Penn founded Pennsylvania with a land grant that was owed to his deceased Father. His goal was to create a colony that allowed for freedom of religion due to his desire to protect himself and fellow Quakers from persecution.
Significant Events:
- The colony was well-advertised and by 1700 was the third biggest and richest colony in the New World.
- The capital is Harrisburg. The largest city is Philadelphia.
- Penn allowed for a representative assembly elected by landowners.
- Freedom of worship and religion was granted to all citizens.
Virginia
Year Founded:
Jamestown was founded in 1607 but in 1624 Virginia was created as a royal colony that included the original Jamestown settlement.
Founded By:
The London Company founded Virginia during the reign of James I (1566-1625).
Motivation for Founding:
Jamestown, colonial Virginia’s largest city, was originally founded mainly from a desire to gain wealth and to a lesser extent to convert the natives to Christianity. Virginia became a royal colony in 1624 when King James I revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company. He felt threatened by the representative assembly known as the House of Burgesses. His timely death in 1625 ended his plans of disbanding the assembly.
Significance:
Important People:
Year Founded:
Jamestown was founded in 1607 but in 1624 Virginia was created as a royal colony that included the original Jamestown settlement.
Founded By:
The London Company founded Virginia during the reign of James I (1566-1625).
Motivation for Founding:
Jamestown, colonial Virginia’s largest city, was originally founded mainly from a desire to gain wealth and to a lesser extent to convert the natives to Christianity. Virginia became a royal colony in 1624 when King James I revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company. He felt threatened by the representative assembly known as the House of Burgesses. His timely death in 1625 ended his plans of disbanding the assembly.
Significance:
- First permanent English settlement in the New World at Jamestown.
- It provided a source of fertile land and great wealth to England in the form of the cash crop, tobacco.
- With the House of Burgesses, America saw the first institutional representative self-government.
Important People:
- Captain John Smith
- Pocahontas
- Chief Powhatan
- John Rolfe
- Nathaniel Bacon
Maryland
Year Founded:
1634
Founded By:
Lord Baltimore (Cecil Calvert)
Motivation for Founding the Maryland Colony:
Lord Baltimore (the largest city was named in his honor) was motivated both by the desire to create a refuge for Catholics who were still being persecuted in England. Lord Baltimore also wanted to make money from his gift from the king.
Significant Events:
Important People:
Lord Baltimore
Year Founded:
1634
Founded By:
Lord Baltimore (Cecil Calvert)
Motivation for Founding the Maryland Colony:
Lord Baltimore (the largest city was named in his honor) was motivated both by the desire to create a refuge for Catholics who were still being persecuted in England. Lord Baltimore also wanted to make money from his gift from the king.
Significant Events:
- Maryland was a proprietorship which means that the proprietor had executive authority.
- Tobacco was very profitable for the colony.
- Religious freedom for different sects of Christianity was widespread, especially after the passage of the Act of Toleration in 1649 which allowed for toleration to all Christians. Maryland eventually became known as a 'haven for Catholics'.
Important People:
Lord Baltimore
New Hampshire
Year Founded:
1623
Founded By:
John Mason
Motivation for Founding:
New Hampshire was a planned colony. The land in the New World was granted to Captain John Mason who lived in Hampshire County, England. He sent settlers to the new territory to create a fishing colony. However, John Mason died before ever seeing where he had spent a considerable amount of money building towns and defenses.
Significant Events:
Important People:
Year Founded:
1623
Founded By:
John Mason
Motivation for Founding:
New Hampshire was a planned colony. The land in the New World was granted to Captain John Mason who lived in Hampshire County, England. He sent settlers to the new territory to create a fishing colony. However, John Mason died before ever seeing where he had spent a considerable amount of money building towns and defenses.
Significant Events:
- This colony was part of Massachusetts at one time until England granted Massachusetts a royal charter in 1679.
- Their ratification (they were the ninth) of the Constitution assured its passage.
- Manchester is the largest city in New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England.
Important People:
- Captain John Mason
- Governor Sir John Wentworth
Connecticut
Year Founded:
1636.
Founded By:
Thomas Hooker and a group of Massachusetts colonists.
Motivation for Founding:
Individuals from the Massachusetts colony moved to what would become Connecticut because they were looking for more freedom and financial opportunities.
Significant Events:
Important People:
Year Founded:
1636.
Founded By:
Thomas Hooker and a group of Massachusetts colonists.
Motivation for Founding:
Individuals from the Massachusetts colony moved to what would become Connecticut because they were looking for more freedom and financial opportunities.
Significant Events:
- Pequot War - 1636-1637 - This 'war' was fought between the settlers in Connecticut and the Pequot Indians. By the end of the war, the Pequot Indians were decimated.
- Bridgeport is the most populous (largest) city but Hartford is the state capital.
- The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were created in 1639. Many believe that this written Constitution would become the basis for the later United States Constitution.
Important People:
- Thomas Hooker
- Jonathan Trumbell
South Carolina
Year Founded:
1663
Founded By:
Eight nobles from Virginia.
Motivation for Founding:
In 1663, King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of North Carolina mainly for growing rice and indigo. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However, because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North Carolina and South Carolina out of it in 1729. Colonial South Carolina’s largest city was Charleston, a port city in the south.
Significant Events:
Year Founded:
1663
Founded By:
Eight nobles from Virginia.
Motivation for Founding:
In 1663, King Charles II issued a royal charter to eight nobles to settle the area south of North Carolina mainly for growing rice and indigo. They created Carolina and included the previous settlement. However, because of internal problems, the crown took over the colony and formed North Carolina and South Carolina out of it in 1729. Colonial South Carolina’s largest city was Charleston, a port city in the south.
Significant Events:
- One of the wealthiest colonies.
- The first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
- More Revolutionary War battles were fought in this colony than any other colony.
New Jersey
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland. He granted land to two of his friends, Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, that would become New Jersey. The two advertised and promised settlers many benefits for colonizing including representative government and freedom of religion. The colony quickly grew.
Quakers eventually purchased both of their charters and created East and West Jersey which were joined by the crown in 1702.
Significant Events:
New Jersey was the third state to ratify the Constitution.
Important People:
Year Founded:
1664
Founded By:
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret
Motivation for Founding:
In 1664, James, the Duke of York, received control of New Netherland. He granted land to two of his friends, Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, that would become New Jersey. The two advertised and promised settlers many benefits for colonizing including representative government and freedom of religion. The colony quickly grew.
Quakers eventually purchased both of their charters and created East and West Jersey which were joined by the crown in 1702.
Significant Events:
New Jersey was the third state to ratify the Constitution.
- Trenton is the state capital. Newark is the state’s largest city.
- New Jersey was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.
- New Jersey was the last northern state to ban slavery.
Important People:
- James, Duke of York
- Lord Berkeley
- Sir George Carteret
Massachusetts
Year Founded: 1630
Founded By: John Winthrop and other Puritans
Motivation for Founding:
The Puritans wanted to create a colony where they would be free to practice their religion. In 1629, King Charles I began to take action against the Puritans. John Winthrop, who had previously not been associated with the company decided to join and help colonize the Massachusetts Bay colony. He would later become its governor.
Significance:
John Winthrop gave a speech while aboard the Arbella in which he said, "For we must Consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world, we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of god and all professors for God’s sake...."
These words embody the spirit of the Puritans who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. While they immigrated to the New World to be able to freely practice their religion, they did not espouse freedom of religion for other settlers.
In 1691, Plymouth Colony would become part of the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Important People:
Year Founded: 1630
Founded By: John Winthrop and other Puritans
Motivation for Founding:
The Puritans wanted to create a colony where they would be free to practice their religion. In 1629, King Charles I began to take action against the Puritans. John Winthrop, who had previously not been associated with the company decided to join and help colonize the Massachusetts Bay colony. He would later become its governor.
Significance:
John Winthrop gave a speech while aboard the Arbella in which he said, "For we must Consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world, we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of god and all professors for God’s sake...."
These words embody the spirit of the Puritans who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. While they immigrated to the New World to be able to freely practice their religion, they did not espouse freedom of religion for other settlers.
In 1691, Plymouth Colony would become part of the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Important People:
- John Endecott - First Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Was governor for 16 years. Endecott was a staunch Puritan who persecuted those who held opposing views.
- John Winthrop - Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony for 12 years. His 'City Upon a Hill' speech (given in Boston, the state’s largest city) has inspired many politicians throughout the years including John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
Play this game to label the 13 colonies on a map! Click here.