The Last 6 Colonies Timeline: Part 1
Establish: The creation of the last of the original 13 American colonies.
Have you ever been to North or South Carolina? What about New Jersey? Do you know when these three colonies became states? Can you point to them on the map below?
The 13 colonies were settled from 1607 to 1733 and were divided into three geographic groups or regions based on where they were located: (1) the New England Colonies, (2) the Middle Colonies, and (3) the Southern Colonies.
The New England Colonies
Colonists in the New England colonies endured bitterly cold winters and mild summers. Land was flat close to the coastline but became hilly and mountainous farther inland. Soil was generally rocky, making farming difficult. Cold winters reduced the spread of disease.
The Middle Colonies
The Middle Colonies spanned the Mid-Atlantic region of America and were temperate in climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains along the coastline, piedmont (rolling hills) in the middle, and mountains farther inland. This area had good coastal harbors for shipping. Climate and land were ideal for agriculture. These colonies were known as the “breadbasket” because of the large amounts of barley, wheat, oats, and rye that were grown here.
The Southern Colonies
The Southern Colonies enjoyed a warm climate with hot summers and mild winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains in the east to piedmont farther inland. The westernmost regions were mountainous. The soil was perfect for farming and the growing season was longer than in any other region. Hot summers, however, propagated diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
Let’s Reflect:
- Looking again at the map above of the United States, can you point to each of the original 13 colonies that are now states?
- How many of these states have you visited or want to visit and why?
- Looking at a physical map of the United States, why do you think the colonies were divided into three groups?
- How might the colonies be different based on where they are located?
Each colony was established for a slightly different purpose in a region of early America. Some of the colonies were started for faith-based reasons, while others were for financial and economic reasons.
Check out the timelines and facts about the last of the colonies to be founded and established in early America.
1663
The Colonies of North & South Carolina
North Carolina was first settled in 1587. 121 settlers led by John White landed on present-day Roanoke Island on July 22, 1587. It was the first English settlement in the New World. On August 18, 1587, White’s daughter gave birth to Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. By 1590, however, all of the colonists on the island had disappeared. To this day, no one knows what happened to them, though some believe they integrated with and were absorbed by one of the local tribes. Today, the colony is referred to as “The Lost Colony”.
In 1663, the Carolina region was established. The Province of Carolina was founded when King Charles II gave land to the Lord’s Proprietors to start a colony. The Lord’s Proprietors were a group of eight noblemen who supported the king. At the time, the province included both North and South Carolina. The area had a lot of trees for timber (wood) and good land for farming. The settlers also survived off of deer and wild turkey. The northern part of the region, which later became known as North Carolina, did well off of its tobacco crops. The southern portion grew indigo, which was used to make a blue dye, and also rice.
In 1665, a second permanent colony in North Carolina on the Cape Fear River near present-day Wilmington was established. In 1670, a settlement near present-day Charleston, South Carolina (Charles Town), was established. This settlement grew quickly because it had a natural harbor and allowed easy access to trade with the West Indies. This region would officially split into North and South Carolina in 1729. North and South Carolina would later join the United States at different times. As the ninth colony to join, South Carolina became a state on May 23, 1788. North Carolina joined the United States as the twelfth state on November 21, 1789.
1664
The New York Colony
In 1624, a group of Dutch settlers (i.e., people from the Netherlands or Holland) founded New Netherland. The colony was located in present-day New York City. The colony would be controlled by the Dutch for almost 100 years. Much in the same way that Christopher Columbus reached America, New Netherland was founded by accident. An English sailor named Henry Hudson was hired by the Dutch East India Company to find a northeast passage to India by ship. This plan was not successful because what Hudson found instead was the New World. After this accidental discovery, a different company, the Dutch West India Company, saw promise in the region and sent a group of 30 families to set up a colony.
New Netherland was not founded on religious beliefs like the other colonies. Instead, the colony was established for financial purposes. People living in New Netherland became interested in the fur trade, which helped their friendship with the Native Americans living nearby. New Netherland was known for welcoming people from other countries to their colony. At one time, the colony was home to people from many different European countries. After some time, the British saw the success of New Netherland and took it over for themselves. King Charles II, the King of England, gave his brother James, the Duke of York, large pieces of land, and New Netherland was part of this gift. So, in September 1664, New Netherland became New York. On July 26, 1788, New York became the eleventh state to join the United States.
