From Colonies to Country

How 13 Individual Colonies United to Become One Nation

Whats A Colony?
Many countries in Europe began exploring throughout Africa, Asia and the Americas. Spain and Portugal mainly explored Central and South America,while France and England explored North America. These European countries began to set up colonies that were created to make money to send back to their home countries.

Virginia

As you already know Jamestown grew from a small settlement of English settlers in 1607 into Englands FIRST colony in America: Virginia.

Massachusetts

And as youve already learned The Pilgrims religious settlement in Plymouth, founded in 1620, grew to become the second English Colony: Massachusetts.

The Original 13 Colonies

Besides Virginia and Massachusetts, there were 11 other English colonies which included: New Hampshire New York Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Georgia

The Southern Colonies

Englands Colonies in the South (like Virginia) were dependent upon Slavery because their economies were based on Agriculture due to the landscape (lots of farmland). These Southern Colonies needed slaves to plant, grow and pick the crops.

The Northern Colonies

Because the English Colonies in the North (like Massachusetts) did not have land for farming, their economies were more industrial. Industrial colonies did not have the same need for slaves that the Agricultural colonies did.

Colonial $uccess
The 13 English Colonies in America began to experience financial success (they were making lots of moneyfor England!) England taxed the colonies A LOT, taking money away from the colonies who felt they had rightfully earned it!

Imagine
Imagine if you had a job where you were making $200/week and a family member TOOK over half of it ($125) for themselves when they did NO work to earn it! How would you feel?! How do you think the Colonists felt?!

Revolutionary Fervor
England kept taxing the American Colonies, taking away money the colonists had earned. The American Colonists were angry and started staging revolts against the unfair taxation. You learned about some of these in 5th grade, including the Boston Tea Party.

The Great AWAKEning

American Colonists began to think that if they were able to worship God however they wanted, then they should be able to govern (rule) themselves. The Colonists felt like they didnt need England anymore!

Declaration of Independence

On the 4th of July (Independence Day!), 1776 a bunch of American Colonial leaders signed The Declaration of Independence saying that they were no longer part of England, and that they were their own country!

Important Words in American History

The Declaration of Independence included wording that we still use today when talking about the rights of Americans: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness All MEN Are Created Equal.

The Hypocrisy of Independence

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Did African slaves have liberty (freedom)? Were American Indians able to pursue happiness as their land was stripped away? What about poor white indentured servants?

All MEN Are Created Equal.

What about Slaves? Or women? Or American Indians? Or poor people?

 England was not happy with its colonieswho

American Revolution

did they think they were? A war raged between the newly created United States of America and England; it is called the American Revolution or the Revolutionary War.
The bitter war lasted from 1776 to 1789 when England finally surrendered.

Independence Spreads
As the English Colonies in America fought for their independence, the excitement spread. In France, the people declared independence from the Monarchy (king)and created a democracy. In Central and South America, colonies began to declare their independence from Spain and Portugaland they celebrated their own dia de independencia!