Colonial America Worksheets

Printable Colonial America Worksheets

The thirteen colonies of the British empire declared their independence in 1776. Here are a number of printable worksheets that help students gain an understanding of life on the colonies. They will require that your students take a good bit of time to take in the history that is needs to sink in here.

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History of Colonial America

The United States did not always have 50 states. Before the United States existed, there were 13 states in America. These states belonged to the Europeans and were part of the Colonial America.

Life was very different for Americans who lived at this time. They did not have any right to rule themselves and the British controlled all the laws of the states. There was a different colonial American flag too!

Colonial America ended after the American Revolutionary War.

When Was Colonial America?

Colonial America lasted from the 15th to the 18th century. It started when Spanish explorers found the Americas and decided to take over the land. They wanted to use the resources of the land for themselves. When the colonies started to get rich, the British feared they would lose control over them. They decided to put heavy taxes on them.

The Colonies of Colonial America

These were the different areas that the early British settled in. The 13 states became the first 13 colonies. Some prominent colonies are listed below.

Roanoke

This was the first colony on the American map. But there is mystery surrounding this particular colony and is considered lost. All the settlers magically disappeared. It is speculated that they couldn't survive in their initial spot therefore they moved on to other places. But the British interestingly couldn't locate them.

Plymouth

The settlers who came to Plymouth wanted to find religious freedom. After a difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean, they settled at Plymouth. These settlers lived peacefully with the Native American tribes already living in the area.

Williamsburg

This settlement was the first properly planned one. It had its courthouse, church, and market square. Virginia was the capital of Williamsburg. It's also where most of the fighting took place during the American Revolution.

Jamestown

Jamestown wasn't easy to settle in. The British had to fight with the Native Americans living there. The land was also hard to live on, and they got many diseases. The best tobacco crop came from here. However, after countless challenges, the settlers gave up and moved the capital to Williamsburg.

What Was Life Like?

Life in Colonial America was very different from now. Here are some of the things people did every day.

City

In the city, people worked all day long. They weren't rich; they usually worked simple jobs as merchants or blacksmiths. The kids went to school and people went to church every Sunday. There were enslaved people in the city too. They usually worked as maids or house workers. Men discussed business in taverns, and dancing was popular.

Farm Life

Men and women worked hard in the fields all day on farms. They had to do everything by hand. They would always be planting or picking a harvest. There were no tractors or machines! There were no schools in the countryside. Most enslaved people had to work on farms.

Houses

Houses were simple-looking. Early homes were made of wood and had thatched roofs. Later, plantation owners had fancier houses made in different styles. City homes were built well. The best and the biggest homes were mansions that belonged to the British.

Jobs

People in Colonial America were tradesmen. One family could do a single trade for decades! It was passed on from father to son. There were jobs for shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths, and even wigs.

Women

Life in Colonial America was traditional. Everyone had traditional roles in the family. Fathers earned money and mothers did housework. Children were rarely sent to school. Most of them learned what their fathers did. Women weren't allowed to work in Colonial America.

Major Events of Colonial America

A lot was going on at this time. From wars to witch trials, people in Colonial America were always busy.

Wars

France and Britain wanted to control the American colonies. They both sided with different tribes. The war was fought in British and French colonies and it lasted almost 9 years. In the end, the British won. In the treaty, they got full control of colonial North America.

Voyage of Mayflower

This was a massive ship full of people from England going to America. The ship had no bathrooms! They had to travel a very long journey before reaching America. People brought animals with them too.

Witch Trials

In the town of Salem, people started accusing each other of being a witch. Many people died in the trials. This was because the Church had a lot of power in some areas of the Colonial America.

Major Figures of Colonial America

There were many important figures from this time who have been immortalized in history books.

John Smith and Pocahontas

Everyone knows the story of Pocahontas. John Smith set up the Jamestown colony in an area already heavily inhabited by the Native Americans. The British needed their help if they wanted to surviveas they did not know how to hunt for food. The Native Americans didn't like the British and their conflict led to Smith being captures.Smith had befriended Pocahontas who convinced her Native American community to let him go.

Who was William Penn?

William Penn wanted a place for Quakers in North America. Did you know that Pennsylvania was named after him? He got permission from the King of England to find a place for his people. Many Quakers moved there together. They wanted everyone to be able to practice their religion there.

Learning about Colonial America will help you understand why Independence Day is important. Life in Colonial America was very different. They had simple jobs in the city and worked on farms all day in the countryside. The Colonial America map looked very different too. It was divided into colonies instead of states. This is an important period of US history; it will show you how these colonies became what they are now.