Original 13 Colonies in North America

The nation of the United States of America was formed from 13 British colonies in 1776. A colony is a region of land that is under the political control of another country. Usually the controlling country is physically far away from the colony, as was the case with England & the British American colonies. Colonies are typically founded & settled by people from the home country, however, there may also be settlers from other countries. This was especially true of the American colonies which had settlers from all over Europe.

Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) wanted to establish colonies in the Americas in order to grow the economy of England & to counter the Spanish. The English hoped to find wealth, create new jobs, & establish trade ports along the coast of the Americas. Each colony, however, has its own unique history of how it was founded. Many of the colonies were founded by religious leaders or groups looking for religious freedom or dominance. These colonies included Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, & Connecticut. Other colonies were founded purely in hopes of creating new trade opportunities & profits for investors. The term Great Britain was first used during the reign of King James I of England, (1566-1625). (James VI of Scotland) in 1603, to refer to the separate kingdoms of England and Scotland.

The Thirteen Colonies

Virginia (1607) - John Smith & the London Company.

New York (1626) - Originally founded by the Dutch. Became a British colony in 1664.

New Hampshire (1623) - John Mason was the first land holder. Later John Wheelwright.

Massachusetts Bay (1630) - Puritans looking for religious freedom.

Maryland (1633) - George & Cecil Calvert as a safe haven for Catholics.

Connecticut (1636) - Thomas Hooker after he was told to leave Massachusetts.

Rhode Island (1636) - Roger Williams to have a place of religious freedom for all.

Delaware (1638) - Peter Minuit & the New Sweden Company. British took over in 1664.

North Carolina (1663) - Originally part of the Province of Carolina. Split off from S Carolina in 1712.

South Carolina (1663) - Originally part of the Province of Carolina. Split off from N Carolina in 1712.

New Jersey (1664) - First settled by the Dutch, the English took over in 1664.

Pennsylvania (1681) - William Penn & the Quakers.

Georgia (1732) - James Oglethorpe as a settlement for debtors.