History of the Thirteen Colonies

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence became one of the founding documents of the United States of America. Addressed to King George III, the king of Great Britain it explains the grievances of the American colonies and that they were leaving the British Empire. The preamble of this great document reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and…

of Confederation were adopted. Adjustments were made for the next number of months, until the final copy was completed on July 9, 1778 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, it wasn’t until 1781 when the Thirteen Articles were officially set into motion after being ratified in each of the thirteen states. The document…

The original thirteen colonies of the United States were settled along the east coast of North America. For many years, few colonists went beyond the Appalachian Mountains. However, as the country gained independence and continued to grow, more land was needed. In the early 18th century the country began to expand into the west even further because many people needed new land to farm and hunt. This called great disturbance to many Native tribes. The Cherokee tribe decided to fight back to keep…

During this stretch of time each colony and group of Indians had their own social, economic, and political tactics for dealing with their new neighbors. These very tense relationships were created because each group (Indians and Europeans) tried to force their traditions on to one another. The Indians initially tried to help the Americans but the colonists couldn’t become accustomed to their ways of life, this led to many wars and rebellions. So even though many colonies and Native Americans…

Mississippi. To their dismay, the company went out of business and New Orleans was for the most part consider uninhabitable due to the climate and difficulties farming. Colonists travelled westward in hopes to find more furs to trade.The Chesapeake colonies, also affected by climate, had terribly low life expectancies. In Virginia, the James River was mostly at fault in the arid summers because the salt water obstructed the water full of pollutants, so the colonists were unknowingly consuming…

This act put taxes on numerous goods such as foreign cloth, sugar, indigo, coffee, and wine imported into the colonies, etc. (page 23). The sugar act generated extreme problems for all who depended on trade with the French and Spanish West Indies (page 27). Colonist dreaded the taxes put on foreign goods would diminish trade and endanger America’s ability to pay…

Fundamental Differences between the New England and Chesapeake Colonies During the 17th century, the English were leaving their country by the hundreds, all with different motivations to go to the New World. If you were headed toward New England, chances are you were a Puritan trying to escape religious persecution, and you valued family and unity. If you were headed toward the Chesapeake colonies, you were likely an indentured servant headed to work on a large plantation, or you were a farmer…

The indecisive, inefficient leadership in the Virginia colony of Jamestown and the complications of succession and religious inequality in Maryland established a poor precedent for England’s experiment in the New World. The Massachusetts Bay Colony sought to change that precedent. Founded in 1629 and lead by Puritan leader John Winthrop, the settlement was conceived with the intention of escaping both…

individuals. I would prefer to be in the French revolution if I was part of the lower class. Although famine, taxes, and inflation were negative externalities of the Revolution, I feel the formation of the new form of government from Third Estate was a history changing revolution to be a part of. They created a document that reflected the rights of every individual, not just the nobility. They earned their freedom and as Locke said, “the government’s purpose is to serve the people, if they fail…

the lack of rights compared to Englishmen and the extra tax they were forced to pay. Colonies occupied a large portion of western territory as a result of the victory in the French and…