Geographical Influence of the 13 colonies (8.10)

Bell RingerThe original 13 colonies were divided into 3 groups: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. Using the graphic organizer on your note sheet, place each colony in the appropriate category.

North Carolina Georgia Delaware

Massachusetts Pennsylvania Virginia

Maryland New York New Hampshire

Connecticut South Carolina Rhode Island

New Jersey

Geographical Influence of the 13 Colonies

Essential Question: How did the geographical location of the 13 colonies influence their development?

New England ColoniesNew England was not a

good place for farming because of long winters and poor soil.

Many people practiced subsistence farming. This means they only grew enough food for their family. There was not enough to sell.

New England Colonies

New England had many small businesses such as mills to grind grain and saw lumber.

Large towns also had blacksmiths and shoemakers.

New England ColoniesThe most plentiful

natural resource in New England was its forests.

This provided wood for a thriving ship building business.

The ships were used to build an economy based on trade, fishing, and whaling.

Middle ColoniesThe Middle Colonies

provided much better opportunities for farming.

The soil was richer and the climate was milder than New England.

Many farmers grew cash crops. These were crops that were grown in large quantities for the purpose of making money.

Middle ColoniesWheat was the primary

cash crop.Crops and livestock were

sent to New York City and Philadelphia to be shipped to other colonies and countries around the world.

Small businesses in the Middle Colonies included carpentry and flour making.

Middle ColoniesLumber mills and mining

were two big industries that developed from natural resources.

The population of the Middle Colonies was much more diverse than either of the other two sections. There were Dutch, German, Swedish, and many other non-English speaking settlers in this area.

Southern ColoniesMost Southern colonists

were farmers. The soil was very fertile and the warm climate provided a good environment for growing cash crops.

Very little industry existed in the Southern Colonies.

Southern Colonies Large farms known as

plantations were often located along rivers to make it easier to ship goods to markets.

There were many more small farms in the South than there were plantations.

Plantation owners had more money and power therefore they controlled the economy and politics of the Southern Colonies.

Southern ColoniesTobacco was the primary

cash crop in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Rice was the primary cash crop in South Carolina and Georgia.

Both crops required a large amount of labor. This was the primary reason that slavery existed in the Southern Colonies.

SummarizerUsing the map on your note sheet, label the 13 colonies and list one product that came from each colony.

13 Colonies

Extension ActivityLetter to a Friend

Choose any colony you desire to be your home. Write a letter to a friend that lives in a colony in one

of the other two regions. Try to persuade your friend they should move to your colony. The letter should include the name of both colonies as well as information about both. Tell why your colony is a better place to live. Include as much content from today's lesson as possible. Be creative. Write at

least two paragraphs.