The Thirteen Colonies
The thirteen original colonies were divided into three main regions, each with distinct characteristics. Looking at the Atlantic coast, you can see how these colonies were organized from north to south.
The New England Colonies included New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. These northern colonies had rockier soil and harsher winters than their southern neighbors.
The Middle Colonies consisted of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. These colonies often served as a transition zone between the northern and southern regions.
The Southern Colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. These colonies generally had warmer climates that supported different types of agriculture than the northern regions.
Did you know? Maine was actually claimed by both New York and Massachusetts during colonial times and wasn't its own colony!
