Colonial America

Study Notes

13 original colonies were established along the east coast of what is now the United States, divided into three regions: New England Colonies, Middle Colonies, and Southern Colonies.

Consisted of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
People lived on farms or in towns, with many working in the fishing and shipping industries.
Citizens gathered at town meetings to discuss current issues and make laws for themselves.
Economy was based on maritime trade, fishing, and ship-building.

Consisted of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Had a temperate climate and large areas of rich soil, making farming an important industry.
Some people traded goods for furs, while others made products such as paper, tools, and guns.
New York was originally settled by the Dutch, but was taken over by the English and renamed "New York".

Consisted of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Maryland.
Were mainly agricultural, with large plantations growing crops like tobacco, cotton, and rice.
Slaves were brought from Africa to work on these plantations.
Chesapeake Bay was an important region in the Southern Colonies.

In the 1500s, Europeans brought around 12 million Africans to the Americas to work as slaves.
Slaves were packed tightly on ships with little food, water, or fresh air, and many died on the long sea voyage.
Southern colonists used slaves to help them grow cash crops on their plantations.
The life of a slave was cruel and harsh.

A system of trade routes between England, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the West Indies.
Goods were traded for other goods, rather than being bought or sold.
The Triangular Trade routes included four main routes:
- England to Africa to the Americas
- England to Africa to the West Indies
- Europe to the West Indies to the Americas
- Americas to the West Indies to Europe
The Slave Trade was a part of the Triangular Trade, with Sir John Hawkins being a pioneer of the British slave trade.
The Triangular Trade allowed for goods to be traded for other goods, rather than being bought or sold.

Fought between Great Britain and France from 1754 to 1763.
Both sides asked Native Americans to join them in the fight.
Great Britain eventually won the war, taking most of the land France claimed in North America.

The French and Indian War left Great Britain in debt, leading to new taxes on the colonists.
The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Quartering Act were passed, leading to protests from the colonists.
Some colonists began discussing becoming independent from Great Britain.