The Thirteen Colonies Study Guide
The first permanent English settlement was Jamestown.
The middle colonies were nicknamed the bread colonies.
The colony begun as a refuge for English Catholics was Maryland.
Colonial South Carolina’s biggest cash crops were rice and indigo.
The colonies with the biggest plantations were the southern colonies.
The city, which became the largest in the 13 colonies, was Philadelphia.
John Smith said that colonists who did not work could not eat.
The trip from Africa to America was called the Middle Passage.
On large plantations, slaves did most of the work.
James Oglethorpe tried to start a colony in Georgia for poor people.
The Pilgrims sailed to America on the Mayflower.
People in a Puritan colony had strict rules.
Roger Williams believed that religion should be separate from government.
New England had poor farmland but good harbors.
The Quakers believed that all people are equal.
The name of the contract the Pilgrims wrote was the Mayflower Compact.
The colonist declared their independence from Britain in Philadelphia.
The New Amsterdam today is called New York City.
Settlers in the middle colonies came from Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The group that founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony was the Puritans.
Vocabulary Words
aristocracy – people in the highest social class, who usually have the most power
blacksmith –someone who makes iron tools and weapons
cash crop –a crop that a farmer grows in large amounts to sell
charter –an official paper from the government that gives people permission to do something
congregation –a group of people who worship together
contract –a written agreement that the law can enforce
dame –in colonial America, a respectful word for a woman who was married or whose husband had died
forge –a workshop where a blacksmith makes metal tools and other things
gentleman –in England in the 1600s, a man who belonged to the upper classes
governor –a leader who is either appointed or chosen by the people
harbor –a place where ships can land easily and safely
hold –a place below decks in a ship, where cargo is usually stored
independence –not being ruled by another country
marsh –soft, wet land
massacre –the deliberate killing of a large group of people
merchant –someone who makes a living by buying and selling large quantities of goods
palisade –a fence of large pointed stakes, or posts, to protect against attack
Parliament –a group of people in England elected to make laws
region –an area whose landscape, climate, soil, and way of life make it different from other areas
sin –an act that breaks God’s law