colonies

New England

Population 360,000; Colonies include Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut; Largest City is Boston; Settled mainly by Puritan refugees.

Middle Colonies

Population of 300,000; include Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware; Largest City is Philadelphia, the 2nd largest city in the British Empire.

Chesapeake Colonies

Population 370,000; Colonies are Virginia and Maryland; No major cities; 40% of population are slaves.

Plymouth Colony

Formed by Scrooby separatists led by William Bradford; notable for the Mayflower Compact and assistance from Squanto.

Carolina Colonies

Population 200,000; including North and South Carolina, and Georgia; dominated by rice plantations and a predominantly enslaved population.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in America, founded in 1607; initially struggled with survival, later became economically viable through tobacco.

Virginia Company

Founded in 1606, it was a joint-stock company that established the first English colony in America, Jamestown.

Bacon’s Rebellion

A rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the Tidewater planters and colonial government.

Maryland

Established as a haven for Catholics; developed a tobacco economy, but faced anti-Catholic persecution under Cromwell.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Led by John Winthrop, it attracted many settlers during the Great Migration; enforced biblical law and expelled perceived heretics.

Quakers

A Christian protestant denomination known as the Religious Society of Friends, founded by George Fox; emphasized inner light and social activism.

Georgia Colony

Initially founded by James Oglethorpe; forbade representative government; eventually returned to the King.

Indentured Servants

Individuals who signed contracts to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America; often faced poor conditions.

Tobacco

The main cash crop that transformed the economy of the Chesapeake colonies, particularly Virginia, with cultivation leading to plantation systems.

House of Burgesses

The first legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia, allowing landowners some political control.

Pequot War

A conflict between Pequot tribe and English settlers in 1637; resulted in severe destruction of the Pequot community.

Leisler’s Rebellion

An uprising in New York led by Jacob Leisler against the colonial government post-Dutch rule.

Barbados Slave Code

A set of laws governing the treatment of enslaved people, influencing slavery practices in the Caribbean and mainland colonies.

Glorious Revolution

A 1688 revolution in England that led to the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of William and Mary as rulers.

Proprietary Colony

A type of colony owned by individuals or groups, who had the authority to govern; example includes Maryland.