Thirteen Colonies Study Guide

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the regions, governments, economies, religious groups, leaders, and major historical events of the Thirteen Colonies.

New England Colonies

A colonial region including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, founded primarily to escape religious persecution and create a "city upon the hill."

Middle Colonies

A colonial region including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, founded to escape religious persecution and demonstrate England's power over the Dutch.

Southern Colonies

A colonial region consisting of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, established to find gold, generate profit for the Virginia Company, and provide a refuge for Catholics.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement framed in 1620 aboard the Mayflower by pilgrims and strangers through discussion, compromise, and debate to prevent conflict, foster unity, establish just and equal laws, and elect officials.

Royal Governments

Colonial governments established on land owned and ruled by the English monarchy, headed by royal governors appointed by and accountable to the king.

Proprietary Governments

Colonial governments formed on land granted to companies or individuals by the king, where leaders and officials were chosen from among colony members with guarantees of religious freedom.

Colonial Governors

Officials in the Southern colonies chosen by the English monarchy who possessed authority over the military, judicial system, and official appointments.

Governors Council

An advisory body in the Southern colonies appointed by the English monarchy, typically made up of 12 upper-class colonists who held authority over funds and taxation.

House of Burgesses

An assembly of representatives elected by the people in the Southern colonies with the power to introduce bills concerning taxation and government expenditures.

Jamestown

The first permanent English colony in North America, founded in 1607 in Virginia by the Virginia Company to search for gold and earn profits.

Plymouth

A colony established in 1620 by the Pilgrims seeking religious freedom after departing England and the Netherlands.

Quakers

A religious group also called "friends" who believed each individual had a personal relationship with God without needing clergy or a formal church, advocated equal rights regardless of race, class, or gender, and opposed violence.

Puritans

A religious group that sought to reform the Church of England from within rather than separate, valued strict devotion to God, and banished individuals who opposed orthodox beliefs.

Pilgrims

A religious group that broke away from the Church of England, relocated to the Netherlands in pursuit of religious freedom, sailed to Plymouth in 1620, and hosted the first Thanksgiving.

Virginia Company

A trading enterprise that sent colonists to Virginia in 1607 to establish Jamestown and hunt for gold, ultimately profiting by exporting tobacco back to England.

Salem Witch Trials

A series of proceedings in 1692 sparked by Betty and Abigail (Reverend Paris's daughter and niece) acting strangely, resulting in over 100 accused, 19 people hanged, 5 deaths in jail, and 1 person tortured to death.

Fur Trading

A commercial system from the 1600s to the 1800s between indigenous peoples and European traders (English and French) exchanging animal pelts for manufactured goods such as knives, kettles, beads, blankets, and firearms.

John Winthrop and William Bradford

Prominent historical leaders of the New England colonies.

Willam Penn and Peter Stuyvesant

Prominent historical leaders of the Middle colonies.

John Smith and Cecilius Calvert (Lord Baltimore)

Prominent historical leaders of the Southern colonies.

Wompanoag

An important indigenous group living in the New England colonial region.

Powhatan

An important indigenous group interacting with English settlers in the Southern colonial region.