The English Colonies of America

1. The English Colonies of America Chapter 3

2. 13 English Colonies • By 1733, there were 13 British colonies along the Atlantic coastline. • These are grouped into 3 regions: New England, Middle & Southern Colonies

3. New England Colonies • The New England region included the colonies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut & New Hampshire.

4. Middle Colonies • The 4 Middle Colonies were New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware.

5. Southern Colonies • The 5 Southern Colonies were Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia.

6. Massachusetts • In the early 1600s, religion was very important in England. • The king ruled the Church of England (Anglican Church). • However, not everyone agreed with the Church’s practices.

7. Massachusetts (Puritans) • Puritans wanted to “purify” the Church by making services simpler & doing away with ranks of authority. • Puritans were jailed for not attending Anglican services. • They wanted to move to a land where they could practice their religion freely.

8. Massachusetts (Mayflower) • In 1620, 50 Puritans set sail for America aboard the Mayflower with the hope of building a perfect society. • During their voyage, they signed an agreement called the “Mayflower Compact” that described the way they would govern themselves in America.

9. Massachusetts (Plymouth) • The Puritans landed at Plymouth & were welcomed by the Indians. • The Indians taught them to plant crops, trap animals & catch fish. • In 1621, the Puritans shared a 3-day thanksgiving feast with the Indians (This was the 1st Thanksgiving Day).

10. Massachusetts (Charter) • 10 years later, the king sent off a large group of Puritans to America with a charter for the colony of Massachusetts. • The charter stated that the colonists would govern themselves. This allowed the Puritans to build a community governed by the rules of the Bible.