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5th grade · Social Studies · Unit 1 of 8

The Thirteen Colonies

New England, Middle and Southern colonies

What your child practices

Why the colonies were founded, how land and climate shaped the three regions, the people who founded them, the religious life of the colonies and the First Great Awakening, and early self-government such as the Mayflower Compact and the House of Burgesses.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 5.4.21.1; 5.3.14.1 · the thirteen colonies and their regions

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Jamestown, Virginia (1607) was the first lasting English colony.
  2. New England's rocky soil and long winters led to fishing, shipbuilding and trade. Southern Colonies like Georgia grew cash crops.
  3. Colonies grew along rivers and harbors so boats could carry goods. Rhode Island allowed religious freedom.

Example: Why did many colonies grow along rivers and harbors? There were few roads. Boats could carry goods and people. Answer: Boats could carry goods and people.

The Thirteen Colonies in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 1 of 8 in 5th grade Social Studies, before Colonial Trade & Work.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    George Whitefield was famous for…

    • leading the Continental Army
    • preaching outdoors to huge crowds in many colonies
    • founding Maryland
    • writing the Constitution

  2. Question 2

    Why did Southern plantations come to depend on enslaved Africans?

    • Africans chose to move there for jobs
    • The king paid them well
    • The work was easy
    • Planters forced enslaved people to do the hard work without pay to make large profits

  3. Question 3

    Why did the Jamestown colony nearly fail in its first years?

    • Disease, hunger and poor planning
    • Too much gold
    • Too many farmers
    • It was too cold for anyone

  4. Question 4

    The Puritans came to Massachusetts mainly to…

    • Grow cotton
    • Fight France
    • Find gold
    • Practice their religion in their own way

  5. Question 5

    Rhode Island was known for allowing…

    • only the Church of England
    • only one church
    • no churches at all
    • freedom of religion for many groups

  6. Question 6

    Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first lasting English colony. Where is it?

    • Georgia
    • Virginia
    • Pennsylvania
    • Massachusetts

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