13 Colonies Timeline

Virginia - 1607

1604

Virginia was the first successful colony. It was founded at Jamestown, and it was named after Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Virgin queen. As a southern colony, its main industry was agricultural. They grew tobacco, as it was in high demand in Europe. The plantations relied a lot in slave labour, mostly african slaves

New Hampshire - 1623

1623

New Hampshire was a New England colony. Named after Hampshire, England. The colonists mostly relied on fishing and manufacturing. They also grew potatoes, squashes and pumpking. New Hampshire was a puritan colony with no tolerance for other religions

New York - 1624

1624

New York was a middle colony. It was known as the "breadbasket" colony because it was a major food producer and the colonists grew a lot of wheat. New York was named after the Duke of York, King Charles II's brother, after the English gained control of the colony, which previously belonged to the Dutch.

Massachusetts - 1630

1630

Massachusetts was a New England colony formed by puritans with no tolerance for other religions. The colony's main economy focused mostly shipbuilding and trading given that the climate and soil weren't ideal for agriculture.

Maryland - 1634

1634

Maryland was a southern colony. It was formed by English Catholics. As it had a large costal plains, Maryland was able to develop a strong shipbuilding and agriculutral economy. The main plantations were tobacco cash crops.

Connecticut - 1636

Connecticut, another New England colony, was also formed by puritans. Colonists relied on fishing and agriculture, they grew wheat and corn.

1636

Rhode Island - 1636

1636

Rhode Island was a colony founded by two colonists who left Massachusetts for religious freedom. Rhode Island became a haven for religious tolerance in New England. The main source of income in the colony was fishing, whaling and shipbuilding. Agriculture was not a major industry because of poor soil and climate.

Delaware - 1638

1638

Delaware was a Middle colony that belonged to the Swedish until 1664, when the Engish took over. Delaware was named after the Delaware river, which was name after Virginia's first governor. The colonists relied on lumbering, agriculture and shipbuilding. There wasn't a main religion, there were different groups of Christians and a small Jewish community.

North Carolina - 1653

1653

North Carolina was a Southern colony that relied heavily on slave labour in its plantations. The colony produced many different crops like cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar.

South Carolina - 1663

1663

South Carolina was a Southern colony that relied heavily on slave labour in its plantations. The colony produced many different crops like cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar. Like North Carolina it was named after Charles IX of France as well as Charles I and Charles II of England.

New Jersey - 1664

1664

New Jersey was a Middle colony. As other Middle colonies, New Jersey had religious liberties. New Jersey's main income came from manufacturing and exporting to England, products such as tools, kettles, etc.

Pennsylvania - 1682

1682

Pennsylvania was a Middle colony. It was heavily populated by Quakers but also offered religious freedom. Like New York, Pennsylvania was reffered to as a "breadbasket" colony as it grew a lot of wheat.

Georgia - 1732

1732

Georgia was a Southern colony which was founded to protect the southern colonies from the Spanish colonies of the south. Georgia was not dominated by any religion. It's main industry was agriculture. The colonials grew mostly rice. Georgia had a ban on slavery, but it was lifted in 1751 and the plantations started to rely on slavery.