# data[].attributes.headline
Was the American Revolution Unavoidable?

# data[].attributes.subject
Was the American Revolution Unavoidable?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Throughout this inquiry students investigate the complex interconnected roles of individuals and groups as well as the economic, social, and geographical forces that contributed to the American Revolution. Students wrestle with issues concerning historical determinism as they move toward an evidence…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Let's Begin...

How did America become the country it is? We started out as colonies. In this video by Flocabulary, you will learn about Colonial America and how these colonies set up the future success, failures, and conflicts when America won it's independence and became a country.

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How did America become the country it is? We started out as colonies. In this video by Flocabulary, you will learn about Colonial America and how these colonies set up the future success, failures, and conflicts when America won it's independence and became a country.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Let's Begin...

Have you ever wondered about how people colonized America? This lesson focuses on the first English settlement in North America, Jamestown. Watch the video from Kid's Academy and then complete the lesson.

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jamestown Settlement | Jamestown Colony | Educational story for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Have you ever wondered about how people colonized America? This lesson focuses on the first English settlement in North America, Jamestown. Watch the video from Kid's Academy and then complete the lesson.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this lesson, you’ll learn about the (English) colonies in what is now the United States including the first permanent English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, the various theocracies in Massachusetts, the feudal kingdom in Maryland, and even a bit about the spooky lost colony at Roanoke Island. Wha…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The U.S.: 13 Colonies - Map Quiz Game - Seterra

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The original Thirteen Colonies were British colonies on the east coast of North America, stretching from New England to the northern border of the Floridas. It was those colonies that came together to form the United States.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
13 Colonies Timeline
Timeline Description: After Sir Walter Raleigh decides that Great Britain should have an empire that rivals that of Spain, he establishes the first English settlement on the island of Roanoke. That settlement disappears, but opens the door for English settlers to go to the New World and establish colonies that will later become part of the United States of America.

Colonial America Timeline
Jamestown Timeline
Rhode Island Colony Timeline
Virginia Colony Timeline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After Sir Walter Raleigh decides that Great Britain should have an empire that rivals that of Spain, he establishes the first English settlement on the island of Roanoke. That settlement disappears, but opens the door for English settlers to go to the New World and establish colonies that will later become part of the United States of America.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Economics of the Thirteen British Colonies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The British arrived in North America in 1587 through the sponsorship of the Plymouth Company, which established a short-lived settlement called Roanoke in present-day Virginia. Then in 1606, the London Company established a presence in what would become Jamestown, Virginia. These companies pursued the economic opportunities afforded by the natural resources abundant in this "New World."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For thousands of years, North America was populated mainly by Native Americans and was mostly unknown to Europe. In the 1500s, Europeans began arriving in North America; they found a land with many natural resources and began to claim parts of it. While the French moved into the north and the Spanish settled in the south and west, the British founded colonies on the east coast.

The British settlers came to these new lands for many reasons. Some wanted to make money or set up trade with their home country while others wanted religious freedom. In the early 1600s, the British king began establishing colonies in America. By the 1700s, most of the settlements had formed into 13 British colonies: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

The colonists, or people living in the colonies, were unhappy about paying taxes without having any say in their government. This unhappiness would eventually lead to a clash between the Americans and the British and lead to the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). When the British were defeated at the end of the war, America was free to take the first steps toward creating a new system of government.

Before the American Revolutionary War, each state had its own constitution, which gave people certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. During the war, the 13 colonies united to free themselves from British rule. The states were very different from each other, but they realized that in order to grow and prosper, they needed to form a union.

The states joined together to set up a central covernment. Delegates from each state met and a plan for unity was initially submitted at the Second Continental Congress on July 12, 1776. After much debate, on November 15, 1777, the states finally established a "firm league of friendship" that became known as the Articles of Confederation. The Articles, however, did not go into effect until March 1, 1781.

In September of 1786, there was a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland where representatives from New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and Pennsylvania met to see what they could do about trade problems among the states. As time passed it became clear that changes to this system of government had to be made.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For thousands of years, North America was populated mainly by Native Americans and was mostly unknown to Europe. In the 1500s, Europeans began arriving in North America; they found a land with many natural resources and began to claim parts of it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Colonies - Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut

Climate/Geography - Colonists in the New England colonies endured bitterly cold wintersand mild summers. Land was flat close to the coastline but became hilly and mountainous farther inland. Soil was generally poor and rocky, making farming difficult. Cold winters reduced the spread of disease.

Religion - The New England colonies were dominated by the Puritans, reformers seeking to "purify" Christianity, who came over from England to practice religion without persecution. Puritans followed strict rules and were intolerant of other religions, eventually absorbing the separatist Pilgrims in Massachusetts by 1629. Life in New England was dominated by church, and there were severe consequences for those who failed to attend, or, those who spoke out against the Puritan ways. Singing and celebrating holidays were among things prohibited in Puritan New England.

Economy - New England's economy was largely dependent on the ocean. Fishing(especially codfish) was most important to the New England economy, though whaling, trapping, shipbuilding, and logging were important also. Eventually, many New England shippers grew wealthy buying slaves from West Africa in return for rum, and selling the slaves to the West Indies in return for molasses. This process was called the "triangular trade."

Important Founders:
William Bradford (Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts)
William Bradford was an English Separatist (Pilgrim) leader in Plymouth Colony. He was a signer of the Mayflower Compact and served as Plymouth Colony Governor five times covering about thirty years between 1621 and 1657.

Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson (Rhode Island)
Williams and Hutchinson were residents of Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony. They began to preach ideals that the Puritans didn't agree with. Williams came first and was banished. He went south and founded Rhode Island. Hutchinson came later and when she was banished, she joined Williams in Rhode Island.

Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after disagreeing with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He believed in government by the people, for the people. Connecticut ratified the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut which would be the f irst written constitution in America. It marked the beginnings of American democracy, and Thomas Hooker was a major influence on it. The government of the United States today is more similar to that of Connecticut than to that of any of the other thirteen colonies.

Middle Colonies
Colonies- New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware

Climate/Geography - The Middle colonies spanned the Mid-Atlantic region of America and were moderate in climate with warm summers and cold winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains along the coastline, rolling hills in the middle, and mountains farther inland. This area had good coastal harbors for shipping, and it was also convenient to be centrally located. Climate and land were ideal for agriculture. These colonies were known as the " breadbasket" because of the large amounts of barley, wheat, oats, and rye that were grown here.

Religion - Religion in the Middle Colonies was varied as no single religion seemed to dominate the entire region largely due to Quaker beliefs of equality. Religious tolerance attracted immigrants from a wide-range of foreign countries who practiced many different religions. Quakers, Catholics, Jews, Lutherans and Presbyterians were among those religious groups that had significant numbers in the Middle Colonies.

Economy - The Middle Colonies enjoyed a successful and diverse economy. Largely agricultural, farms in this region grew numerous kinds of crops, most notably grains and oats. Logging, shipbuilding, textiles production, and paper-making were also important in the Middle Colonies. Big cities such as Philadelphia and New York were major shipping hubs, and craftsmen such as blacksmiths, silversmiths, cobblers, wheelwrights, wigmakers, milliners, and others contributed to the economies of such cities.

Important Founders:
William Penn (Pennsylvania) William Penn was born in London, England. He was educated in theology and the law. In his twenties he converted to the Quaker religion and was jailed several times for his resistance to the Church of England. In 1681, he received a royal charter to form a new colony in America, to be named Pennsylvania; he envisioned this territory as a peaceful refuge for members of all religious beliefs ( religious tolerance).

Southern Colonies
Colonies- Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia

Climate/Geography - The Southern Colonies enjoyed warm climate with hot summers and mild winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains in the east to rolling hills farther inland. The westernmost regions were mountainous. The soil was perfect for farming and the growing season was longer than in any other region. Hot summers, however, propagated diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

Religion - Most people in the Southern Colonies were Anglican (Baptist or Presbyterian), though most of the original settlers from the Maryland colony were Catholic, as Lord Baltimore founded it as a refuge for English Catholics. Religion did not have the same impact on communities as in the New England colonies or the Mid-Atlantic colonies because people lived on plantations that were often distant and spread out from one another.

Economy - The Southern economy was almost entirely based on farming. Rice, indigo, tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton were cash crops. Crops were grown on large plantations where slaves and indentured servants worked the land. In fact, Charleston, South Carolina became one of the centers of the American slave trade in the 1700′s.

Important Founders:
James Oglethorpe ( Georgia) As visionary, social reformer, and military leader, James Oglethorpe conceived of and implemented his plan to establish the colony of Georgia as a haven for debtors. His idea began when a friend was placed in prison for not being able to pay his debts which resulted in Oglethorpe's friend dying of smallpoxs that he contracted from another prisoner. As a result, Oglethorpe began a campaign for prison reform. Prison reform did not, however, solve the larger plight of the large number of poor people in England. Oglethorpe and several colleagues from the jails committee began exploring the possibility of creating a new colony in America. They believed that if given a chance, England's "worthy poor" could be transformed into farmers, merchants, and artisans.

13 Colonies Foldable

Create a 4 page foldable over the 13 Colonies; each set of colonies, the New England, Middle and Southern, should take up a left and right hand side of a page as shown in the picture to the left. Create a map of each region, and put it on the left. Fill the right side with the information below on the left.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Colonies - Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut Climate/Geography - Colonists in the New England colonies endured bitterly cold wintersand mild summers. Land was flat close to the coastline but became hilly and mountainous farther inland. Soil was generally poor and rocky, making farming difficult. Cold winters reduced the spread of disease.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Franz Xaver Habermann. Vuë de Boston. Prospect von Boston gegen der Bucht am Hasen Vuë de Boston vers le Cale du Port / gravé par Francois Xav. Habermann. [177-] Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

This section includes material that has a general focus on commerce, business, and the economic situation in Colonial America. Some titles have a wider scope than Colonial America, but we have tried to explain what is contained in those titles that may be of interest. Also, many of the titles included can be quite old but have been included as they are referenced extensively and are important titles to know about for this time period.

To research more specialized topics related to the business, commercial and economic situation of Colonial America that are not currently covered in this guide, we recommend using some of the more general sources included here, in combination with focused searches of those topics in books, journal articles, and databases.

We have not included general histories or books about colonization though those sources can be helpful in understanding the economic and commercial activities in Colonial America. While we also did not generally include contemporary materials related to voyages which can offer insight into the period, we did include some material related to Richard Hakluyt.

Many titles that offer a more detailed picture of business and commerce in the colonies are likely to be focused on a particular town, city, state, or region. This means that some books with a limited geographical focus will be important sources for those looking for information on crops, activities, or other topics that were concentrated in particular areas. Many of these types of collections can be found in local and state historical societies.

For those researchers that need go even deeper there are original records of various departments of the various governments which, in general, are not included in this guide. For example, the British government departments of interest include the Colonial Office, the Treasury Office, and the Exchequer. Materials from the House of Commons and the House of Lords may also prove useful and informative in some situations. While many of these records may be held and/or accessed in the UK's National Archives (sometimes seen as Public Records Office) or the British Library, often there are alternative access points via databases and microform collections in other institutions.

Additional Reading

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Research Guides: Colonies in America: Commerce, Business, and the Economy: General History

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A guide for researchers interested in studying commerce and business during the Colonial period in the British, French, and Spanish colonies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Article

A shortage of money was a problem for the American colonies. England did not supply its colonies with sufficient coinage and prohibited them from making their own. The early settlers brought coins from Europe but they went quickly back there to pay for supplies. Without enough money, the colonists had to barter for goods or use primitive currency such as Indian wampum, nails, and tobacco.

Colonial Coins

In time, some Spanish, Portuguese and French coins appeared in the colonies as a result of trade with the West Indies. The most famous of these was the Spanish Dollar, which served as the unofficial national currency of the colonies for much of the 17th and 18th centuries. With its distinctive design and consistent silver content, the Spanish dollar was the most trustworthy coin the colonists knew. To make change the dollar was actually cut into eight pieces or "bits." Thus came the terms "pieces of eight" from these early times and "two bits" from our time.

In 1652, Massachusetts challenged England's ban on colonial coinage. The colony struck a series of silver coins, including the Pine Tree Shilling. On the coin the lettering MASATHVSETS IN encircles a pine tree. The reverse bears the inscription NEW ENGLAND AN DOM, the date 1652 and the Roman numeral XII (twelve pence or one shilling) in the center.

All Pine Tree shillings were dated 1652, though they were produced for many years. Therafter, that way, if England ever found out about this illegal coinage, Massachusetts could claim it had not made any coins since 1652.

Colonial Paper Money

When the colonies did not have metal to coin, they frequently used paper money. Most colonial notes were "bills of credit" notes meant to be redeemable in coin. Colonial paper money rarely lasted very long because the colonies generally issued too much of it and the resulting inflation made the bills worthless. Thus the term "not worth a Continental."

Quest for a National Coinage

After the Revolution, the United States turned its attention to its war-ravaged finances. In the process, the problem of a national coinage system took on great importance. Under the Articles of Confederation signed by the states in 1778, both Congress and the states had the power to coin money. But the country's leaders had come to believe that an exclusively national coinage was essential to establishing national sovereignty. The only unresolved issue was whether to open a national mint or contract a third party to strike United States coins.

In the 1780s and 1790s, many independent coiners struck sample coins, known as pattern coins, in the hope of winning a contract with the United States. None of these pattern coins ever gained official status, though some probably received small, unauthorized circulation in the states.

The most famous pattern coins were the Washington Pieces, which all portray George Washington on the front of the coin. Over 20 varieties are known, mostly copper and silver cents struck independently between 1783 and 1792. A few depict Washington in classical rather than colonial dress.

Surprisingly, most of the Washington Pieces originated in England. Although none of them won official status, they did spark a debate in Congress over whether portraying the President on a coin was proper, since it was similar to England's practice of putting the images of its monarchs on its money.

First Attempt to Start a Mint

The 1783 Nova Constellantio coins were proposed under a system at a new mint planned by Robert Morris, then the nation's Superintendent of Finances. His system was based on a small monetary unit and appeared in three silver denominations: the mark (1,000 units), the quint (500 units) and the cent (100 units) and a copper piece worth five units.

The front design of the coin, an image of an eye, a circle of thirteen stars, and the inscription Nova Constellantio, meaning new constellation of stars. The legend of the reverse, LIBERTAS JUSTITIA, means liberty and justice. Morris's proposals were not approved by Congress and the Nova Constellatios were never produced in large quantities.

In 1787 the United States issued its first official coin, the copper Fugio Cent. Congress devised the Fugio to get sorely needed small change into circulation. Coiner James Jarvis was awarded a contract to strike 300 tons of Fugio cents.

Congress specified the design for the Fugio; "on one side... thirteen circle inked together, a small circle in the middle with the words, United States round it, and in the center the words, We Are One." "On the opposite side... a dial with the hours expressed on the face of it; a meridian sun above, on one side of which.. the word fugio and on the other, the year in figures '1787'. Below the dial, the words 'mind your business'."

The Fugio cents never made it into general circulation, and the government finally sold them to a merchant at a loss.

The Coinage Act of 1792

In 1787, the Constitution gave Congress exclusive power to coin money, and in 1792, Congress passed its first coinage act, establishing a national mint in Philadelphia and outlining a coinage system.

The 1792 Coinage Act adopted the decimal system and combined Alexander Hamilton's idea of a bimetallic standard with Thomas Jefferson's proposal that the dollar be the standard unit of money. The denominations prescribed for silver coins were to be a half dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar, and dollar. Denominations for gold coins were to be a quarter eagle ($2.50), half eagle ($5), eagle ($10). Congress also provided for the coining of copper cents and half cents but did not give copper legal tender status; therefore, copper could be refused as payment.

Early United States Copper Coinage

The Half Cent first coined in 1793 was unpopular because making change was cumbersome and many merchants refused to accept them. The coin was discontinued in 1857.

The one-cent piece, the Large Cent was first struck in 1792. Almost as large as our present day half dollar, it was also unpopular, cumbersome and awkward to use as change. The coin was produced with a low-grade copper and was of poor quality. The Large Cent was produced until 1857, when it was replaced by a much smaller coin.

Early Silver Coinage

Coinage of silver began in 1794 and only the half dollar and the dollar were struck consistently; smaller denominations were coined only on demand of depositors. The earliest U.S. silver coins are identical in design and bear no mark of denomination; only their size distinguishes their value.

The first quarter was not struck until 1796, and for several years at a time, none were coined. The 1804 quarter was the first United States silver coin to include its denomination on the obverse or reverse. The simple "25c" appears below the eagle on the reverse.

Early Gold Coins

The first United States gold coins were struck in 1795. However, early gold coinage was restricted by the inevitable hoarding and exporting occurred because gold was undervalued.

The distinguishing design characteristic of early United States gold coins is the cap Liberty wears over her hair. The Mint also tended to use the heraldic eagle on gold coins. As with silver coinage, denominations do not appear on the earliest gold issues.

The half eagle ($5 piece) first struck in 1795, dominated early gold coinage, and for several years, it was one of the few coins the Mint issued in gold. Early half eagles featured two versions and on one, the heraldic eagle and the motto "E PLURIBUS UNIUM", out of many, one, appeared for the first time on a United States coin. The Mint began putting denominations on gold coin ith the 1807 half eagle, which bears the mark "5D" on the bottom of the reverse.

The quarter eagle was unpopular with depositors due to its unusual denomination of $2.50. The eagle was struck in steady quantities from 1795 to 1804, when like the silver dollar, it was discontinued due to the exportation problem.

The End of the First Mint

Because gold and silver were kept out of circulation by incorrect assigned values and because of the unpopularity of copper, the first Mint failed to establish its coins as bona fide national currency. Although Congress repeatedly criticized the Mint for its lagging output and inability to circulate its coins, legislation permanently establishing the mint was narrowly passed. In 1833 the nation reaffirmed its faith in its coinage by building a larger and more modern mint facility.

Liberty and The Eagle

The images of Liberty and the eagle were used in early U.S. coinage and both proved enduring, though with many changes. In the early days of U.S. coinage, public sentiment ruled against using the images of famous leaders on coins; that was too much of a reminder of the British practice of putting the monarch's image on coins.

Liberty's earliest appearance was on the large copper cent, first issued in 1793. Politely known as the "flowing hair" design, it drew less-than-kind remarks from the press and public. "The American cents...do not answer our expectations," said a newspaper of the time. "Liberty herself appears to be in right." Both a lack of artistry and technical difficulties contributed to the unfortunate design.

Despite its lack of popularity, the "flowing hair" design continued in use, although in a somewhat toned down version, for some time. The large copper cent, however was the first time the mint changed a coin design because of popular sentiment. The reverse of the coin originally featured a circular chain, but after popular objections were voiced to the chain, a wreath design was substituted.

A second version of Liberty, still with flowing hair, appeared on the copper half cent of 1793. In this design, Liberty's unruly, shoulder length hair is held in place by a fillet or band, and behind her is a pole topped by a Phrygian slave's cap, commonly referred to as a "liberty cap." Because it was ceremonially placed on the slaves' head when they gained their freedom in ancient Rome.

The 1794 half dime, the first five cent coin issued by the U.S., also carried the flowing hair design.

Liberty made yet another appearance on the quarter eagle and other gold coins of the period when, instead of having a hat nearby, she was wearing one. The design is believed to have been adapted from a Roman copy of a Hellenistic goddess. Though the cap was long taken for a liberty cap, it was later identified as a high-fashion headdress of the 1790s.

Another flowing hair liberty, but a much more attractive one, came into use when a new Mint director decided to improve the design of silver coins and introduced gold ones. He turned to the famous portrait artist, Gilbert Stuart, who produced a drawing modeled after Mrs. William Bingham, making this the first but not last coin featuring a Liberty modeled after a living woman.

Liberty took many more designs over the years. Sometimes she looked more womanly, sometimes she was seated on a rock, sometimes walking, sometimes rather sparsely clothed, and other times clothed much more heavily. Despite the changes, she remained a familiar figure on American coins until her last appearance on the 1947 half dollar. Although you won't find her in the cash register at your neighborhood grocery store, today Liberty has reappeared on American gold coins, the minting of which resumed in 1986.

The design of the eagle, too, has changed over the years, but its use on our coinage has been continual to this date. The eagle shown on the reverse of gold coins of the late 1790s is in the "natural" design as distinguished from the "heraldic" form. The 1795 eagle is an adaptation from a 1st century A.D. Roma onyx cameo. This eagle has a wreath in his beak and a palm branch in his claw.

By 1796, the heraldic eagle was in use. It is an adaptation of the Great Seal of the United States, with the warlike arrows in the eagle's dexter claw (the observer's left), the more honorable position under the traditional rules of heraldry. The olive branch of peace is clutched in the sinister claw.

The heraldic eagle became standard on American gold and silver coins, with slight changes over the years. Other representations of the eagle have also been used: At times, the eagle has flown; at other times, a naturalistic eagle on a branch has reappeared. In our own time, the eagle has appeared with a moon in the sky to remind us of the Apollo 11 moon mission.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A shortage of money was a problem for the American colonies. England did not supply its colonies with sufficient coinage and prohibited them from making their own. The early settlers brought coins from Europe but they went quickly back there to pay for supplies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction
The 13 colonies were a group of settlements that became the original states of the United States of America. Nearly all the colonies were founded by the English, and all were located along the East Coast of North America. In 1776 the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. The names of the colonies were Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Establishment of the Colonies
In 1607 English settlers founded Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in North America, and in 1624 Virginia became a royal colony. The Puritans known as the Pilgrims founded Plymouth, the second English colony in America, in 1620. New Hampshire was settled in 1623, but it did not gain its name until 1629.

In 1630 another group of Puritans founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Massachusetts controlled New Hampshire from 1641 to 1679, and in 1691 Plymouth was joined with Massachusetts.

Some colonists from Massachusetts settled in Connecticut in the 1630s. It became an official colony in 1662. Another group from Massachusetts founded Rhode Island in 1636. That group was led by the minister Roger Williams, who disagreed with the religious rules of Massachusetts. A group of Roman Catholics founded Maryland in 1634.

Settlers from other countries founded colonies as well. The Dutch founded New Netherland in 1624. The Swedish settled in Delaware, part of New Sweden, in 1638. The Dutch and the Swedish also moved into what is now New Jersey.

In the 1650s the Dutch took over the Swedish lands, but in 1664 the English took over all the Dutch territory. From that time to independence, all the colonies were ruled by the kings and queens of England. New Netherland was renamed New York by the British, and that colony governed New Jersey until 1738.

In 1681 an English Quaker leader, William Penn, set up the colony of Pennsylvania. Delaware became part of Pennsylvania the next year. Delaware formed its own government but remained under Pennsylvania's control until independence.

The Carolina region had become an English colony in 1663. In 1729 Carolina was split into North and South Carolina. Georgia-the last of the original 13 colonies-was settled in 1733.

The Colonies and Britain
For most of the time that the colonies were under British rule, the monarchy allowed them a great deal of freedom. Most of the colonies set up forms of self-government. The colonists also developed their own society and economy.

Relations between Britain and the American colonies grew worse after the French and Indian War (1754-63). The British wanted the colonists to pay taxes to help pay for the war, but the colonists did not want to pay taxes without being represented in the British Parliament. These disagreements led to the American Revolution.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The 13 colonies were a group of settlements that became the original states of the United States of America. Nearly all the colonies were founded by the English, and all were...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
History teaches us that prosperous, advanced national economies like the U.S. share a common institutional framework conducive to creativity, production, and exchange. That institutional framework of individual freedom, rule of law, clearly stated rights to private property, and open competitive markets shapes incentives to encourage material advance.
The multi-perspective approach to historical scholarship requires viewing events, trends, and developments through a variety of analytical lenses. Often overlooked in traditional history curricula are the insights that the economic way of thinking adds to social, political, and geographic perspectives. Emphasizing the role of institutions, Economic Forces In American History (EFIAH) looks at the impact of seven key forces in shaping the development of the United States.

1. A key to understanding people's behavior is figuring out the incentives they face.

2. Economic freedom, rule of law, and well defined property rights promote growth and prosperity.

3. Inflation (deflation) happens when the money supply grows more quickly (slowly) than output.

4. Wars harm economies and people.

5. Entrepreneurship, business, and the pursuit of profit create opportunities and economic growth.

6. Government is the arena of competition among interest groups.

7. Worker mobility and competition among employers prevent exploitation of workers.

Lessons are designed to supplement high school history curricula. Outlines provide background information, examples, and explanations for teachers to draw from in creating lessons or providing direct instruction to students, and applicable history and economics content standards are identified. Interactive simulations and exercises are classroom-ready; files include step-by-step procedures, student materials, and teacher guides with suggested answers. Lessons may be viewed and printed as web pages, or may be downloaded as editable documents from the links below. All lessons are freely copyable and may be edited for classroom use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Economic Forces In American History - Foundation For Teaching Economics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
History teaches us that prosperous, advanced national economies like the U.S. share a common institutional framework conducive to creativity, production, and exchange. That institutional framework of individual freedom, rule of law, clearly stated rights to private property, and open competitive markets shapes incentives to encourage material advance.