U.S. History / Unit 1: Colonial America
1.4 The Three Colonial Regions
Notes
The thirteen colonies formed three regions with different geography, economies and societies.
| Region | Geography and climate | Economy | Society |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | rocky soil, cold winters | fishing, shipbuilding, trade, small farms | Puritan towns, town meetings |
| Middle | fertile soil, moderate climate | wheat and grain ("breadbasket"), trade | very diverse; religious tolerance |
| Southern | warm climate, long growing season | cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo) on plantations | large plantations, enslaved labor |
- Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, a Quaker, as a place of religious tolerance.
- Maryland was founded as a refuge for Catholics; Rhode Island (Roger Williams) separated church and state.
- Example: Philadelphia and New York became busy ports shipping grain, which is why the Middle Colonies were called the breadbasket.
Practice
Which colonial region was known as the "breadbasket" because it grew large amounts of wheat and grain?
Fertile soil and a moderate climate made the Middle Colonies a grain-exporting region.
Why did the Southern Colonies rely most heavily on plantation agriculture?
The warm climate favored large-scale cash crops grown with enslaved labor.
A colony founded by a Quaker that welcomed people of many faiths was:
William Penn founded Pennsylvania on Quaker ideas of tolerance.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 1 test.