13 Colonies Test Flashcards
List the Northern Colonies
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Who founded the Plymouth Colony? Why?
Plymouth Colony was founded by Puritans, Pilgrims, and the Strangers (those who went for economic reasons). The colony was founded so church and state could be separated.
What is the significance of the Mayflower Compact (2 points)?
The Mayflower Compact was the first written government in the New World and it included democratic principles, but excluded women.
Who is Squanto and how did he help the Plymouth Colony?
Squanto was a Native American who was kidnapped by the English, and through a series of returns to the New World and kidnapping ended up with John Smith. Smith took Squanto to New England and Squanto discovers his whole tribe to be dead. He ends up helping the Plymouth colonists by teaching them how to grow native crops in the New World and would help the colonists get a temporary alliance with a local Native American tribe.
What possible causes explain the Salem Witch Trials?
It could be because of boredom, belief in the occult, witchcraft, and/or sorcery, the fear of women growing independence, ergot poisoning, and anxiety from food scarcity, the elements, and the relations with Native Americans (Cold Weather Theory).
Who was most often accused of witchcraft? Why?
People thought women were corrupt due to the story of Adam and Eve. Since Eve got tricked by the snake, all women had the potential to carry out evil things. So by not granting them independence, women wouldn’t have the chance to do evil things.
Describe the economy of the Northern Colonies. How does the geography/climate of the region impact the economy?
These colonies had long winters, short growing seasons, rocky soil, and abundant natural resources (timber, copper, fur, maple syrup, rum, and whiskey). The natural resources would lead to manufacturing, the basis of the economies. These goods would be sold to other English colonies and England.
List the Middle Colonies
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware (Maryland was in between the Middle and South and would later not secede from the Union).
Why was Maryland founded?
Maryland was founded as a refuge for English Catholics who suffered prosecution in England.
How has Maryland impacted the US today?
Maryland contributed to the US’s separation of church and state.
Describe the economy of the Middle Colonies. How does the geography/climate of the region impact the economy?
These colonies had coastal lowlands, fertile soil, and temperate seasons. This made their economies based on agriculture growing foods. These foods would be sold to the other 13 colonies and England.
List the Southern Colonies
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia.
Why was Jamestown initially founded? Was it successful in its first three years? Explain.
Jamestown was founded to make money. Many of them refused to work, there were only four carpenters out of 144 people, those who knew how to farm, fish, etc. were not familiar with the conditions in the ‘New World’, they didn’t have proper tools and they had no source of freshwater on the island. John Smith got the colony in shape until his leg exploded, and left for England for recovery. While Smith is gone everyone became lazy and this lead to the Starving Time. In addition, Jamestown didn’t make any money in these first three years.
Who was John Smith and how did he help the Jamestown Colony?
Smith became the leader of the Jamestown colony. He got an alliance with the Powhatan, in which the colonists would get food for shiny items, made a freshwater well, and he implemented a “No Work, No Food” policy.
What eventually made Jamestown profitable? How did this shape the future of the Southern Colonies? Be specific.
Jamestown became a successful colony when John Rolfe came to the colony. He got his hands on tobacco seeds and the colony started to grow tobacco. The southern colonies would follow suit and grow tobacco and/or other cash crops. Slave labor would also be introduced in Jamestown for growing cash crops and the other southern colonies would do the same.
