The 13 American Colonies

Servants and Colonists in Colonial America

Establishing the 13 American Colonies

This article on the first 13 American Colonies provides facts and information about:

  • The original names of the first 13 American Colonies
  • The location and a map of the 13 American Colonies
  • The first 13 American in order of their establishment
  • Fast facts and an overview of the 13 American colonies consisting of the New England, Middle and the Southern Colonies
American Colonies Index
The First 13 Colonies

History of the Colonization of America and the original 13 Colonies

 The 13 American Colonies: The Establishment and Settlement of the 13 original colonies

List of the 13 American Colonies
The 13 American Colonies article covers the time in early American history from 1607 to 1775 and the outbreak of the War for Independence. The original 13 American Colonies were located on the Atlantic coast of North America and founded between 1607. The first American colony was in Virginia and the last American was established in  Georgia in 1733. What were the names of the original 13 American Colonies? The names of the original 13 American Colonies are detailed on the following list:

The Plymouth Colony is not included as one of the original 13 American colonies as it was de-established 1691.

 

Puritan Girl

 

13 American Colonies Map

Where were the original 13 American Colonies situated? The English settlements of the original 13 American Colonies were located on the Atlantic coast of North America. The original 13 American Colonies were Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Bay Colony, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island.  The original 13 American Colonies were divided into three geographic areas or regions consisting of the New England colonies, the Middle colonies, and the Southern colonies, the New England colonies are sometimes referred to as the North Colonies.

Map of 13 American Colonies Chart

Map of the 13 American Colonies

New England Colonies

Middle Colonies

Southern Colonies

For interesting facts and information check out the British Colonies in 1763

13 American Colonies Chart
The 13 American Colonies Chart provides important information and interesting facts about each colony including the date the colony was established, the region (New England, Middle or Southern) the system of government, names of major towns and the names of famous people associated with the founding and establishment of each of the 13 American colonies. The 3 systems of government detailed in the in the 13 American Colonies Chart were in operation just before the American Revolutionary War. The 13 American Colonies Chart provides the ability to see at a glance the differences between the regions on a chart which consist of the New England, Middle and the Southern .

13 American Colonies Chart

Date Name of Colony
or Settlement
Region Government
in 1775
Major Towns Famous
People
1630 Massachusetts New England Charter Boston, Quincy, Plymouth, Salem, Lexington and Concord John Winthrop
1636 Rhode Island Colony New England Charter Providence, Portsmouth and Newport Roger Williams
Anne Hutchinson
1636 Connecticut Colony New England Charter Hartford, New Haven,
Wethersfield and Windsor
Thomas Hooker
1638 New Hampshire Colony New England Royal Dover and Exeter John Mason
1626 New York Colony Middle Royal New York City and Albany Peter Minuit
Peter Stuyvesant
1638 Delaware Colony Middle Proprietary Wilmington & Georgetown Peter Minuit
1664 New Jersey Colony Middle Royal Trenton and Princeton Lord Berkeley
 George Carteret
1682 Pennsylvania Colony Middle Proprietary Philadelphia, Lancaster and York William Penn
1607 Virginia Colony Southern Royal Jamestown, Williamsburg and Richmond John Smith
1633 Maryland Colony Southern Proprietary Baltimore and Annapolis George Calvert
1653 North Carolina Colony Southern Royal Brunswick Town and Raleigh Lords Proprietors

Charter of Carolina
1663 South Carolina Colony Southern Royal Charleston and Sumter
1732 Georgia Colony Southern Royal Savannah, Hardwicke and Wrightsboro James Oglethorpe
Date Founded Name of Colony
or Settlement
Region Government
in 1775
Major Towns Famous
People

13 American Colonies Chart

For more facts and information refer to the article on Colonies to States for details of
how and when the 13 original colonies became states

Government of the 13 American Colonies
There were 3 types of Colonial Government in the 13 American colonies. The types of government could change according to the whims of the English monarchs.

  • A Royal Colony were ruled directly by the English monarchy
  • A Proprietary Colony was established in territories which had been granted by the English Crown to one, or more, proprietors who had full governing rights
  • A Charter Colony was generally self-governed, and their charters were granted to the colonists as opposed to proprietors

Each of the 3 systems of government in the 13 American colonies were democratic and elected their own legislature. Each of the 13 American colonies had a Governor, a Governor's court and a Court System.

The 13 American Colonies -  Facts about the New England (North) Colonies
The original names of the New England American Colonies were the Province of New Hampshire, later New Hampshire, the Province of Massachusetts Bay, later Massachusetts and Maine, the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, later Rhode Island and the Connecticut Colony, later Connecticut. Information and facts about the 13 American Colonies. Facts about the New England Colonies of Colonial America:

  • Fact 1 - Geography: The geography of New England consisted of mountains thick with trees, rivers and poor rocky soil that was difficult to farm and unsuitable for agriculture
  • Fact 2 - Natural Resources: Fish, whales, forests. Imported agricultural products from other colonies
  • Fact 3 - Religion: Puritans - No religious freedom. Refer to Religion in the Colonies
  • Fact 4 - Climate: Coldest of the three regions, leading to difficult winters but less disease

The New England American regions are also referred to as the North Colonies

The 13 American Colonies -  Facts about the Middle Colonies
The original names of the Middle American Colonies were the Province of New York, later New York and Vermont, the Province of New Jersey, later New Jersey, the Province of Pennsylvania, later Pennsylvania and the Delaware Colony (before 1776, the Lower Counties on Delaware), later Delaware. The 4 Middle Colonies of Colonial America consisted of a mix of both northern and southern features and its early settlement was dominated by non-English Europeans, mostly Dutch and German, the English colonists were in the minority. Information and facts about the 13 American Colonies - Facts about the Middle American Colonies:

  • Fact 1 - The climate and geography of the Middle Colonies was a mix of the New England and Southern features
  • Fact 2 - Good farmland, timber, furs and coal. Iron ore was a particularly important natural resource. The Middle colonies are often referred to as the breadbasket colonies because they grew so many crops, especially wheat.
  • Fact 3 - Not dominated by a specific religion which gave way to religious freedom for Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews and others. Refer to Religion in the Colonies

The 13 American Colonies -  Facts about the Southern Colonies
The original names of the Southern American Colonies were the Province of Maryland (later Maryland), the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, (later Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia), the Province of North Carolina, (later North Carolina and Tennessee), the Province of South Carolina, (later South Carolina) and the Province of Georgia, (later Georgia). The Dominion of Virginia and the Province of Maryland comprised the Chesapeake Colonies. Information and facts about the 13 American Colonies - Facts about the Southern American Colonies:

  • Fact 1 - The geography was hilly coastal plains with plenty of forests
  • Fact 2 - The Southern colonies concentrated on developing plantations that eventually grew cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar cane and indigo (a purple dye)
  • Fact 3 - Not dominated by a specific religion which gave way to religious freedom for Baptists, Anglicans and others
  • Fact 4 - Warmest of the 3 regions, winters not difficult to survive, warmer climate gave rise to the spread of disease
  • Fact 5 - Trade and Industry was dominated by the Slave Plantations

13 American Colonies

  • Interesting Facts and information via the 13 American Colonys
  • 13 American Colonies history timeline
  • Fast Facts and info with the 13 American Colonys timeline
  • The 13 American Colonys is great history timeline resource for kids
  • Social Studies Homework help for kids on 13 American Colonys

Pictures and Videos of the 13 American Colonies
The 13 American Colonies were classified in three separate regions consisting of the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies and the Southern Colonies.  Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Bay Colony (which included Maine), New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Delaware, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.. We hope that this article on the 13 American Colonies will assist in your studies or homework and that you will enjoy watching the videos featuring many pictures of the colonists. A great educational resource for kids on the subject of the 13 American Colonies.

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