Establishing Colonies
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Objective: To describe the country of origin of the first settlers in each colony.
Teaching Notes and Mapping Activity
You or your students can mark the following on the Thirteen Colonies
map. Before introducing a colony, ask students to identify the colony
that was founded next.
1. The first permanent English colony was established in 1607 in
Virginia and was named Jamestown. Its first settlers were men and
boys looking for gold. Outline Virginia and label it E for English.
2. Thirteen years later, the English settled a second colony in
Plymouth, Massachusetts. Many of its first settlers were Pilgrim
families looking for religious freedom. Label Massachusetts E.
3. Dutch settlers founded the third colony, New Netherland, in 1626.
In 1664, the Dutch surrendered their territory to the English.
New Netherland became New York. Label New York D for its
original Dutch settlers.
4. Maryland, the fourth colony, was given to the first Lord Baltimore,
George Calvert, by the king. However, Calvert died before the
charter was signed. His son received the land. Maryland was
settled by the English, but neither Calvert ever saw the colony.
Label Maryland E.
5. The fifth and sixth colonies were settled by English colonists who
left or who were driven out of Massachusetts. Many of these
colonists moved to Connecticut and Rhode Island looking for
religious freedom. Label both colonies E.
6. The seventh colony, Delaware, was first settled by the Swedish. In
1654, New Sweden (as it was called) was captured by the Dutch and
became part of New Netherland. Ten years later, it was captured by
the English. Label Delaware S for its original Swedish settlers.
7. The very first English colony wasn’t Jamestown; it was Roanoke in
what is now North Carolina. Arriving in 1587, the English settlers
mysteriously disappeared a few years later.
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Thirteen Colonies
Over a century later, North Carolina and South Carolina became
part of one large land grant. These eighth and ninth colonies
were settled by the English. Label both colonies E.
8. New Jersey, the tenth colony, was settled by the Dutch in the
north and the Swedes in the south. Like its neighbor, Delaware,
the Swedes were forced out by the Dutch and the Dutch land was
captured by the English. Label New Jersey D in the north and S
in the south.
9. Pennsylvania, the eleventh colony, was originally part of New
Sweden. But, like its neighbors, New Sweden was captured by the
Dutch and then by the English. In 1681, the colony was granted
to William Penn in payment for a debt. Label Pennsylvania S for
its original settlers.
10. New Hampshire, the twelfth colony, was settled by the English. It
was part of Massachusetts from 1641 to 1680 before it became its
own colony. Label New Hampshire E.
11. The thirteenth colony, Georgia, was originally part of South
Carolina. English settlers arrived in 1732. Label Georgia E.
✰
Ask students to look at the groups that originally settled each
colony. Have them look for patterns, comparing New England,
Middle, and Southern colonies.
✰
Using the Thirteen Colonies map, have
students make a timeline charting the
founding of the colonies and other key
events in their histories.
Correlates with:
The Nystrom Atlas of
United States History,
pages 23–25
● Mapping United States History
Lesson 12
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