Name:_______________
Mid-Atlantic Colonies Homework
Monday: Use p. 161-162 in your textbook to complete the questions. Write the answers in complete sentences.
1. What colonies made up the Mid-Atlantic region?
New York, New Jersey, Deleware, and Pennsylvania
2. How did glaciers affect the geography in the Middle Colonies?
Melting Glaciers from the Ice Age, scraped up nutrient rich (fertile) soil from the New England
colonies, and deposited it in the Middle Colonies. The soil then, was extremely fertile and
could grow crops well.
3. Why were forests and rivers important resources for people in the Middle Colonies?
The forests were full of wildlife for hunting and trapping animals, while the rivers were
important to transport their crops and hand-crafted merchandise like chairs, silver bowls,
etc. to other towns within the colonies.
Tuesday: Use p. 188-191 to answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. What is a proprietor? How did the Duke of York become the proprietor of New
Netherland?
A proprietor is a person who owned and controlled land in a colony.
The King of England captured the Dutch colony of New Netherland and gave the land to his
brother, James, the Duke of York. James re-named the colony New York.
2. How did the Middle Colonies’ proprietors hope to make money?
They decided to divide the land into smaller pieces and sell or rent the pieces to
colonists to farm.
3. What was William Penn’s dream for his colony? Did his dream come true?
William Penn’s dream to have a colony where all Christians could live together in peace
came true when he was given a charter for the large piece of land that became the colony
of Pennsylvania. Penn’s father was owed money from the King, who offered the charter as
repayment for his debt.
Name:_______________
Mid-Atlantic Colonies Homework
4. How did the geography of Philadelphia help it become a center of trade?
It was located where two rivers met, so ships bringing goods from other colonies and
from Europe could do so in the harbor formed by the two rivers. William Penn made the
transport of goods even better by designing wide straight roads through the city.
Wednesday: Use pgs. 196-199 to answer questions 1-4 in complete sentences.
1. What characteristics made the Middle Colonies ideal for farming?
The climate and the soil made great conditions for farming. The farmers were able to grow
many crops in the fertile soil. The Middle Colonies farmers were able to feed their families
AND have surplus crops to sell to other colonies as well. They grew so much grain, that it
became known as the “breadbasket” of the colonies..
2. What role did children have in farming?
Boys helped plant and harvest crops, while all children who were old enough, helped care for
the animals and for the family’s garden. Girls cooked sewed, and did housework as well.
3. Why did the Middle Colonies have a free market economy?
Since the people had such a strong role in governing themselves, they had a free market
economy, where the people (not the government) decided what would be produced. They
made the decision of what to produce and sell based on what they thought would earn them
the most money.
4. What did young people do as apprentices?
Young people studied under a master artisan to learn a skill or business. Boys would learn skills
such as shoemaking, printing, and bookmaking. Girls learned how to spin thread and weave
cloth. Once trained under the master, they could work in that type business as an
adult.Children were expected to learn a business or run the family farm instead of going to
college.
Name:_______________
Mid-Atlantic Colonies Homework
Thursday: Use Chapter 6 to identify the meaning of each word and how it was important to the Mid-Atlantic colonists.
Word
Meaning
Importance to Middle colonies
proprietor
A person who owned and controlled
all the land of a colony.
Since proprietors were able to sell
and rent the land, people who
wanted to make their own decisions
about their life wanted to come
there to settle and create a
successful life for themselves.
free market
economy
An economic system in which the
people, not the government, decide
what will be produced.
Because of their self-governing, they
were able to make the decision of
what to produce and sell based on
what they thought would earn them
the most money. The trade in the
area greatly grew.
artisan
Someone who is skilled at making
something by hand, such as silver
spoons and wooden chairs.
Artisans helped build the free market
economy and help the cities prosper
by providing quality merchandise
that could be sold and traded.
laborer
A person who does hard, physical
work.
apprentice
Some of labors in the Middle
Colonies were enslaved Africans who
worked at tasks that took a lot of
muscle power and were tiring. The
work could also be boring.
Someone who studies with a master Children were able to learn
to learn a skill or business.
businesses or skills outside of the
family farm by working under a
master. They could then work in that
business as an adult.