13 Colonies Exam Prep

Review Sheet: The 13 Colonies

Key Vocabulary

Make sure you understand these terms and their significance.

  1. Colony – A settlement ruled by a distant country.

  2. Pilgrims – Settlers of Plymouth Colony seeking religious freedom.

  3. Puritans – A religious group that settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

  4. Quakers – Religious group promoting equality and peace; founded Pennsylvania.

  5. Indentured Servant – A person who worked for a set time to pay for their passage to America.

  6. Mayflower Compact – The first agreement for self-government in the colonies.

  7. Middle Passage – The horrific journey enslaved Africans endured across the Atlantic.

  8. Triangular Trade – A trade system between the Americas, Europe, and Africa, involving slaves, goods, and raw materials.

  9. Cash Crop – Crops like tobacco and rice are grown for profit.

  10. Plantation – Large farms in the Southern Colonies that relied on enslaved labor.

  11. Religious Tolerance – Acceptance of different religious beliefs; promoted in Pennsylvania.

  12. New Amsterdam – A Dutch settlement later renamed New York by the British.

Key Questions

Study these questions to prepare for the test.

  1. Colonial Regions

    • What were the differences between the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies?

    • How did the geography of each region affect its economy?

  2. Founders and Purpose of Colonies

    • Why was Plymouth Colony founded, and who settled there?

    • What was the significance of William Penn and Pennsylvania?

    • Why was Georgia established as a colony?

  3. Government and Laws

    • What was the Mayflower Compact, and why is it important?

    • How did New England town meetings demonstrate early democracy?

  4. Cultural and Economic Systems

    • What was the triangular trade, and how did it shape the economy of the colonies?

    • Why were cash crops and plantations significant to the Southern Colonies?

  5. Slavery and the Middle Passage

    • What was the Middle Passage, and how did it affect enslaved Africans?

    • How was the Southern economy dependent on enslaved labor?

  6. Religious Tolerance

    • How did William Penn promote tolerance in Pennsylvania?

    • Why was Rhode Island known for its religious freedom?

  7. New Amsterdam and New York

    • Why was New Amsterdam a key settlement, and what happened to it in 1664?

  8. Primary Sources

    • What does the Mayflower Compact tell us about the Pilgrims’ values?

    • What can we learn about life on plantations from primary source descriptions?

    • How does William Penn’s philosophy reflect the idea of equality?

Key Points to Remember

  • The 13 colonies were divided into three regions: New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies. Each region had unique economies, cultures, and government structures.

  • Religious freedom was a major reason for founding several colonies, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

  • The Southern Colonies relied on plantation farming and enslaved labor, while the New England Colonies focused on fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.

  • The Middle Colonies were known as the "Breadbasket" for their production of grain and diverse population.

  • Self-government began early in the colonies, as shown by the Mayflower Compact and New England town meetings.Test on the 13 Colonies

    Name: ___________________________

    Part I: Multiple Choice (25 questions - 2pts each)

    Circle the correct answer.

    1. Which of the following colonies was founded for religious freedom?
      a) Virginia
      b) Massachusetts Bay
      c) Georgia
      d) New York


    1. Who was the founder of Pennsylvania?
      a) Roger Williams
      b) James Oglethorpe
      c) William Penn
      d) John Winthrop


    1. What cash crop helped save the Jamestown colony?
      a) Rice
      b) Cotton
      c) Indigo
      d) Tobacco


    1. The Middle Colonies were known as:
      a) The Breadbasket Colonies
      b) The Plantation Colonies
      c) The Frontier Colonies
      d) The Trade Colonies


    1. What was the main reason for establishing the colony of Georgia?
      a) As a haven for Catholics
      b) To serve as a buffer against Spanish Florida
      c) For fur trading
      d) To spread Quaker beliefs



    1. Which colony was founded by people seeking separation from Massachusetts?
      a) New Hampshire
      b) Rhode Island
      c) Connecticut
      d) Maryland


    1. What is an indentured servant?
      a) Someone who works in exchange for land
      b) Someone who works to pay off a debt or passage to the colonies
      c) A plantation owner
      d) A religious leader


    1. Which geographic feature contributed to the economic success of the Southern Colonies?
      a) Rocky terrain
      b) Dense forests
      c) Fertile soil
      d) Cold climate


    1. Which group settled Plymouth Colony?
      a) Puritans
      b) Pilgrims
      c) Quakers
      d) Catholics


    1. What was the main port city in Pennsylvania?
      a) Boston
      b) Charleston
      c) New York City
      d) Philadelphia


    1. What religious group was Maryland established to protect?
      a) Puritans
      b) Catholics
      c) Pilgrims
      d) Quakers



    1. Which region had the most diverse population?
      a) New England
      b) Middle Colonies
      c) Southern Colonies
      d) Backcountry


    1. Which colony was originally a Dutch settlement?
      a) Delaware
      b) New York
      c) Virginia
      d) New Jersey


    1. The economy of the New England Colonies relied on:
      a) Plantation farming
      b) Shipbuilding and fishing
      c) Mining
      d) Rice production


    1. What is the "triangular trade"?
      a) A system of trading goods between three ports, including slaves
      b) A route for farming equipment
      c) A Native American trading network
      d) A legal system in the colonies


    1. The Southern Colonies' economy was based primarily on:
      a) Shipbuilding
      b) Trade and fishing
      c) Plantation farming
      d) Gold mining


    1. Why was the Mayflower Compact significant?
      a) It was the first written constitution in America
      b) It was the first agreement for self-government in the colonies
      c) It established slavery in the colonies
      d) It allowed women to vote



    1. What type of government was most common in the New England Colonies?
      a) Direct democracy through town meetings
      b) Monarchy
      c) Dictatorship
      d) Oligarchy


    1. Which colony was named after King Charles II?
      a) North Carolina
      b) New York
      c) South Carolina
      d) Virginia


    1. Which of these was NOT a reason colonists came to the Americas?
      a) Religious freedom
      b) Escaping debt
      c) Gold mining opportunities
      d) To overthrow the monarchy


    1. Which of the following was the capital of New Netherland?
      a) Boston
      b) Philadelphia
      c) New Amsterdam
      d) Jamestown


    1. New York was originally settled by the:
      a) Spanish
      b) Dutch
      c) English
      d) French


    1. Plantation life in the Southern Colonies was heavily reliant on:
      a) Free laborers
      b) Immigrant workers
      c) Indentured servants and enslaved Africans
      d) None of the above



    1. What was one effect of plantation agriculture on the Southern economy?
      a) It limited trade with Europe
      b) It created a dependence on enslaved labor
      c) It reduced the need for cash crops
      d) It made Southern colonies less wealthy


    1. William Penn’s philosophy of tolerance was based on the belief in:
      a) Military conquest
      b) Equality and religious freedom
      c) Economic independence
      d) Loyalty to the king

    Part II: Matching (10 questions - 2 pts each)

    Section A: Founders and Settlements

    1. __ Virginia

    2. __ Pennsylvania

    3. __ Plymouth

    4. __ Rhode Island

    5. __ New Amsterdam

    a) William Penn’s colony of tolerance
    b) First permanent English settlement
    c) Dutch settlement later called New York
    d) Pilgrim colony for religious freedom
    e) Established for religious tolerance by Roger Williams

    Section B: Terms and Concepts

    1. __ Cash crop

    2. __ Indentured servant

    3. __ Triangular trade

    4. __ Plantation farming

    5. __ Mayflower Compact

    a) A legal agreement for self-government
    b) A trade system involving slaves, goods, and raw materials
    c) A laborer working to pay off a debt
    d) Farming system in the Southern Colonies
    e) Tobacco and rice


    Part III: Mayflower Compact (2 questions - 2 pts each)

    Use the excerpt below to answer the questions.

    "In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten... do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic..."

    1. What was the purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

    1. How does the Mayflower Compact reflect the idea of democracy?

    Part IV: Middle Passage (2 questions - 2 pts each)

    Use the excerpt below to answer the questions.

    "The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded …


    1. How did the conditions of the Middle Passage impact enslaved Africans?
      a) Encouraged rebellion for  captors
      b) Caused physical and emotional suffering
      c) Improved their ability to adapt to slavery
      d) Gave them opportunities for social mobility