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The 13 Colonies

Chelsey Zhu

3rd Period

Virginia

I. Political History
A. The colony was planted in 1607 by the London Company.
B. Virginia had a governor with a General Assembly and a council. Together, the two made the house
of Burgess.
C. It became a royal colony in 1624.
D. It was a Southern colony, south of Maryland and north of North Carolina.

II. Economics history


A. It was an agricultural economy, with tobacco being the most important crop.
B. Slavery greatly increased due to increased tobacco production. Economy became steadier and had
more profits.

III. Social History


A. The major ethnic groups were the Africans, the English, and the Scottish.
B. The first slave code in Virginia was established in 1667. It was revised in 1739, revisions
including that the freeing of slaves was forbidden unless by deed, heavy fines would be put in
action for the killing of a slave, and that slaves should not be educated past a certain number of
hours per year.
C. Protestantism (Anglican) dominated early Virginian history.
D. The main religion was still Protestant, though new denominations of Christianity grew.
E. The first Great Awakening was a period in American history when religion became more personal
and important for people. New denominations of Christianity, such as Baptism and Methodism,
formed in Virginia because of it.
IV.
John Smith, John Rolfe, and Thomas Dale were important figures. John Smith forced settlers to work harder in the
early parts of Virginian history, ensuring the survival of the colony. John Rolfe forged peace with the Powhatan
Indians by marrying the chief’s daughter. Thomas Dale was a governor who helped to stabilize Virginia and reform
the colonists, who weren’t contributing enough to the colony.

V.
It was the first English colony to be founded in North America, and the mysterious Roanoke colony was first
planted here before disappearing.

Citations-
Pulley, Raymond H., and Peter Wallenstein. "Virginia." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd
ed. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 341-346. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.
"Slavery and Slave Codes." American Eras. Vol. 2: The Colonial Era, 1600-1754. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 269. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Maryland

I. Political History
A. The colony was planted in 1632 by George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) and son Cecilius, who later
took operation over.

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B. In mid-1700s, the colony had Annapolis as the capital, with a General Assembly of citizens and
governor that voted on issues. The Calvert family controlled the governorship, as they were the
proprietors.
C. It became a royal colony in 1691, but went back to a propriety colony in 1715.
D. Colony was bordered on the north by Pennsylvania, the east by Delaware and the Atlantic, the
south by Virginia, and the west by non-English territory. It was considered a Southern colony.

II. Economics History


A. Maryland had an agricultural economy that sold cash crops such as tobacco. There was also
trading of various animal furs, as well as the hides. It was a crude system, and it did not give many
people wealth.
B. The economy was still agricultural, but it was better as people embraced slavery and the stability
of all of the colonies improved. The demand for crops became greater, and the colony grew
wealthy.

III. Social History


A. The three major ethnic groups were the English, Dutch, and various African groups.
B. Africans were suppressed by restrictive laws, and only a few were allowed to be free. (Examples
are the punitive laws that discourage the escaping of slaves, and in 1663, a law stating all Africans
brought in the colony were slaves.) An example of the free few is Matthias De Sousa, the first
African American to sit in a legislative assembly and vote in Maryland.
C. Christianity, specifically Catholicism, although the majority of people coming in were Protestants.
D. The religion changed to Protestantism, as these were English colonies, and the majority of English
coming in were Protestant.
E. The Great Awakening was a period in American history where people began to think in different
ways about Christianity, sparking several new denominations. It caused Maryland to have new
minority religious groups, and caused religion to become more important to people.

IV.
George Calvert, Cecilus Calvert, and William Clayborne. George and Cecilius Calvert helped to establish
Maryland as a colony (with Cecilius becoming the first ruler), while William Clayborne started rebellions
against the Calvert family, who were proprietors of the colony that had a lot of power.

V.
It is known for its first step towards religious toleration in the Toleration Act of 1649, which was later
repealed when William Clayborne and other rebels briefly overthrew the government.

Citiations-
Callcott, George H. "Maryland." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 255-259. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

"Maryland." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 5. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 966-967. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sept. 2013.

North Carolina

I. Political History
A. Parts of North Carolina were originally settled by Virginians led by Sir Walter Raliegh, but was not
counted as a separate colony until later. The colony was officially planted in 1712 by the eight Lord

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Proprietors, who were granted permission by King Charles II. Their names were Edward Hyde, George
Monck, William Craven, John Berkeley, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, George Carteret, William Berkeley, and
John Colleton.
B. North Carolina had a governor and a General Assembly made of citizens. There were tensions between
the two in the mid-1700s.
C. It became a royal colony in 1729.
D. The colony was in between Virginia and South Carolina, bordered on the east by the Atlantic and the
west by non-English territory. It is a Southern colony.

II. Economics History


A. The economy was an agricultural economy that depended on slaves and cash crops such as
tobacco. It was a slow-growing economy that lacked large plantations.
B. The economy was still agriculture-based, depended on slavery, and had cash crops, but lumber,
livestock, foodstuffs, and other things began to fuel it as well. Slavery also expanded.

III. Social History


A. The Scottish, Scots-Irish, and the German were the three major ethnic groups.
B. There were strict laws in place to limit the rights of African slaves, such as the slave code of 1715,
which required slaves to have a ticket stating their reason for traveling from their masters before
leaving home. There were also revisions in 1741, which had laws that stated slaves could not carry
firearms without their masters’ permission or group together for any reason. An important rebellion
happened in Pitt and Beaufort County, where slaves were discovered to be plotting against their
masters. This was important because the British had been encouraging rebellion of the blacks from
their English masters.
C. The main religion was Protestantism, but since it was following the Church of England, it was called
Anglicanism.
D. No, though several new minorities appeared, such as Methodism, Baptism, and Lutheranism.
E. The first Great Awakening was a period in colonial history when people began to reteach the
importance of religion on an emotional level, sparking several new denominations of Christianity.
There was not a specific effect on North Carolina.

IV.
Governor William Tyron, who put a stop to the Regulators, a group of farmers who were trying to regulate
corrupt officials, was an important figure. The Regulators was a reaction to unfair British treatment, and
was a factor in North Carolina declaring independence. There was also Joseph Hewes, who signed the
Declaration of Independence while representing North Carolina. Charles Eden, a governor, helped put an
end to piracy.

V. It was the location of the first English colony in North America, and was surprisingly not as involved in the
slave trade and other things as other Southern colony states, due to its natural coastal geography.
Citation-
Bell, John L. "North Carolina." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol.
6. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 126-131. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Sept. 2013.

"North Carolina." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and
Rebecca Valentine. Vol. 6. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1158-1159. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sept.
2013.

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South Carolina

I. Political History
A. Jean Ribault, a Frenchman, first tried to establish a colony, but he failed. Then the Eight Lord
Proprietors were given the land in 1663. In 1670, an expedition to settle was made by the Lords, a

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prominent leader being William Sayle. Ten years later, the site was abandoned for the more livable
Charleston, which lay between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers.
B. South Carolina was a proprietary colony, with a governor and a General Assembly. The proprietors
had a great say in government, much to the dismay of the regular people of the colony. One group
in particular, the Barbadians (first white settlers of the South Carolina) consistently challenged
proprietary rule.
C. England began to help the colony in 1719, after the people demanded the proprietary governor
step down for inadequately defending them from natives. In 1729, the colony was officially under
English rule.
D. It is bordered by North Carolina on the north, Georgia on the south, both colonies on the east, and
the Atlantic on the west.
II. Economic History
E. Lumber, naval stores, skins, and meats thrived in South Carolina’s early economy.
F. Rice made many South Carolinians rich. Indigo and cotton, strongly demanded by people in
England, also became major crops. These crops fueled slavery and the prosperity of plantations.
III. Social History
A. The three major ethnic groups were the English, Dutch, and various African ethnic groups.
B. The most important slave rebellion in South Carolina history was the Stono Rebellion, which
took place in 1739. It was one of the largest slave rebellions in colonial history, killing many
whites and blacks. The first slave code in South Carolina was the Slave Code of 1712, which
included a law that stated that if any slave was caught to be running away, they would receive
the death penalty. Revisions were made in 1740, with even harsher laws in reaction to the
Stono Rebellion. There was also John Yeaman, who was the first to bring African slaves to
South Carolina.
C. The dominant religion of South Carolina was Protestantism, but due to the colony’s relative
tolerance of religions, new branches of Christianity such as Presbyterianism and Quakerism
were not persecuted on a large scale.
D. The main religion did not change, although new branches grew more popular.
E. The first Great Awakening was a period of history where the importance of religion was
emphasized. In South Carolina, the strength and number of minority religions grew.
IV.
William Sayle, John Seaman, and John Moore. William Sayle was the first to successfully settle
South Carolina, while John Yeaman was the first to bring African slaves to the colony. John Moore
was the first royal governor of South Carolina
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The Stono Rebellion took place in this colony, one of the worst rebellions of the South to ever take
place. South Carolina was also one of the few colonies to have such a degree of religious
tolerance.
Citations-
Lesesne, Henry. "South Carolina." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 7. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 453-457. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

"South Carolina." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 7. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1446-1447. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Sept. 2013

Georgia

I. Political History

A. The colony was planted by James Oglethorpe in 1732.

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B. It was a proprietary colony governed by James Oglethorpe, with the help of the British
government, which gave aid to the colony. After becoming a royal colony, Georgia had a
General Assembly and a royal governor.
C. Georgia became a royal colony in 1752.
D. Georgia was bordered on the north by South Carolina, the east by South Carolina and the
Atlantic, and the west and south by non-English territory. It was a Southern colony.

II. Economic History

A. Georgia’s economy thrived on plantations of indigo and rice, as well as lumber


production. It was an agricultural economy.
B. Slavery became a large aspect when it became legal after 1749, expanding plantations
and production of indigo and rice. Cotton became an important part in the later 1700s.

III. Social History

A. The three major ethnic groups were the Africans, the English, and the Dutch.
B. Slavery was a very important part in Georgian history, and it was illegal in the beginning.
However, because of the high demand and the illegal trafficking, slavery was finally made
legal in 1749. The first slave code that Georgia had was the Slave Code of 1755, which
actually had many laws that promoted the well-being of slaves. There were fines for the
mistreatment of slaves. There were also slave patrols, which were parties of whites that went
around at night, stopping slaves to see if they were doing unlawful things.
C. Protestantism was the main religion in Georgia, mainly Anglican (Church of England)
D. The main religion stayed the same, though religious diversity spread, as with other colonies.
E. The first Great Awakening was the spread of religious importance throughout the American
colonies. Georgia was strongly affected, as one of the most prominent figures in the Great
Awakening, George Whitefield, came to the capital to preach his words.

IV.

James Olgethrope, John Reynolds, and James Wright were the three most important leaders. James
Oglethorpe was the first to establish the colony of Georgia, and John Reynolds was the first royal
governor of Georgia. James Wright was the last governor of Georgia, stifling the Revolution
within the colony for a long time.

V.

Slavery was ironically banned in the beginning of Georgia’s history. This colony went on to be
most famous for its slavery and plantations. It was also the last of the 13 colonies to be
established. It was founded to be a buffer state and a place of new beginnings for debtors.

Citations-

Flamming, Douglas. "Georgia." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol.
3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 553-558. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

Massachusetts

I. Political History
A. The area was first settled in 1620 by Pilgrims with the establishment of the Plymouth Bay Colony. It was
not official until 1629, when the Massachusetts Bay Company was granted a charter and planted the colony.

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B. It was a proprietary colony with a governor controlled by the proprietors. There was a deputy governor and
several assistants. Ministers and other religious figures had major influence on the government, and in the
beginning, only male church members could vote. Those who questioned religious officials faced
banishment and other punishments. Later, religious influence lessened, and a General Court was formed.
Representatives from each town made of the General Court.
C. It became a royal colony in 1691.
D. Massachusetts was bordered on the north by New Hampshire, the south by Connecticut and New Jersey,
the east by the Atlantic, and the west by New York. It was a New England colony.

II. Economics History


A. Agriculture was important but limited because of the climate and soil. Fishing and timber were more
important.
B. Merchants gradually became more important as they needed ships. Shipbuilding became vital to the
economy.

III. Social History


A. The English, Scots-Irish, and Africans were the three major ethnic groups.
B. There were many laws restricting the rights of African slaves, such as a law of 1641 that stated that it was
an African slave’s biblical duty to serve whites. Another example includes a law of 1753, which stated that
severe whippings were punishment for a slave hitting a white. An example of mercy was the law of 1703,
which stated that a fine would be imposed for those that refused to take care of slaves who became too old
to work.
C. A type of Protestantism known as Puritanism dominated early Massachusetts.
D. The dominant religion changed to more moderate forms of Protestantism, as that was the major religion of
immigrants coming in.
E. The first Great Awakening was the changing of ideas about religion, emphasizing its importance in life. The
Great Awakening had a great effect on Massachusetts, as one of the most prominent figures that began it
came from Massachusetts (Jonathan Edwards).

IV.
Jonathan Edwards, John Winthrop, and Anne Hutchinson were important leaders in this colony. Jonathan
Edwards sparked the Great Awakening, John Winthrop helped to establish the colony itself, and Anne
Hutchinson believed that women should play a greater role in the church and that people should be able to
disagree with the church leaders.

V.
The Great Awakening began in this colony, making it influential throughout the rest of the colonies.

Citations-
Feinstein, Roger. "Massachusetts." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons, 2003. 264-269. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

"Massachusetts." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca Valentine. Vol. 5. Detroit:
UXL, 2009. 967-968. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Rhode Island

II. Political History

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A. Roger Williams founded the colony in 1636.
B. Rhode Island had a General Assembly that met at town meetings, with a governor, a deputy, a
treasurer, a secretary, and three assistants. It promoted religious tolerance.
C. Rhode Island became a royal colony in 1663.
D. The colony was bordered on the north by Massachusetts and non-English territory, on the
south by Connecticut, the east by the Atlantic, and the west by New York. It was a New
England Colony.
II. Economics History
A. Shipbuilding, timber, and fishing were major industries of Rhode Island. Agriculture was
mainly for the benefit of the people growing it, due to the climate and soil of the area.
B. Not much differed from earlier times, but the slave trade gained some prominence as the
times went by.
III. Social History
A. The English, Africans, and Native Americans were the three dominant ethnic groups.
B. The Rhode Island government passed several laws to prevent the theft of slaves. A law passed
in 1714 punished ferrymen who were caught taking slaves without consent from their masters.
In 1757, a law was passed stating that masters had the right to search any ship suspected of
stealing slaves. Other laws seemed unnecessarily strange, such as a law made in 1750 that
forbade the giving of hard cider to slaves.
C. Since Rhode Island promoted religious tolerance, many diverse groups were welcomed.
Protestantism was still the dominant religion, under the Anglican Church.
D. The dominant religion stayed Protestant.
E. The first Great Awakening was a period in history when religion was preached as important
and personal. It caused new groups of Christianity to appear. Rhode Island College, later
called Brown University, was founded by Baptists during the Great Awakening.
IV.
Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, and William Coddington were important leaders in this colony.
Roger Williams founded it and establish religious tolerance, Anne Hutchinson helped spread ideas
of religious tolerance, and William Coddington was a governor, supported Anne, and establish
Newport, Rhode Island.
V. It was one of the few colonies to promote religious tolerance. It was also most involved in the
slave trade out of all the New England colonies.

Citations-
Beetz, Kirk H. "Rhode Island." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 7. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 150-154. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Connecticut
I. Political History
A. The colony was found by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block in 1614, but it was not an official colony
until 1633. Thomas Hooker started another colony in the area in 1635.

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B. There was a representative government with a people-appointed governor and a General Assembly
and council. It operated under the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a constitution of sorts
made by Thomas Hooker.
C. Connecticut never became a royal colony.
D. It was bordered on the north by Massachusetts, the east by Rhode Island, the west by New York,
and the west by New York.
II. Economics History
A. The colony had a difficult agricultural economy, with cash crops like corn and grain.
B. Industries like shipbuilding and various kinds of mills became important as agriculture was not
helping the colony to prosper.
III. Social History
A. The three major ethnic groups were the enslaved Africans, the Dutch, and the English.
B. Slavery was not major in Connecticut, but people were still opposed giving rights to Africans. A
law made in 1702 stated that ex-slaves’ relatives or former masters had to take care of them if they
became a burden. In 1708, a law was passed that any black person disturbing public peace would
be whipped. Another law, passed in 1730, stated that any black person who muttered insults at a
white would be whipped.
C. Protestantism, specifically Puritanism, dominated Connecticut’s early history.
D. Several new minority groups appeared, though Protestantism remained the most dominant.
E. It was a time in American history where religion gained importance. In Connecticut, religion was
more involved in people’s lives. Due to its relative closeness with Massachusetts, the place where
it began, it had a more pronounced effect.
IV.
The three most important leaders in Connecticut were Thomas Hooker, who helped establish the
colony, John Davenport, the founder of New Haven (a later part of Connecticut), and John
Haynes, the first governor.
V.
It was one of the few colonies that was independent from British rule.

Citations-
Beetz, Kirk H. "Connecticut." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 355-359. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
"Connecticut." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 2. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 374-375. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

New Hampshire
I. Political History
A. It was first founded by John Mason in 1623.

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B. They were governed under Massachusetts, with a lieutenant governor that served the
governor of Massachusetts. There was a council and assembly.
C. It became a royal colony in 1679.
D. It was bordered on the north by non-English territory, the south by Massachusetts, the
east by Maine, and the west by non-English territory.
II. Economics History
A. The economy focused on agriculture, with flax being the main crop.
B. The colony became more industrial as time went on, with shipbuilding, lumber, fishing,
and other things becoming important.
III. Social History
A. The three major ethnic groups were American Indians, the Scots-Irish, and the English.
B. There was much slavery, and it was concentrated in Portsmouth. They did not have as
many slaves compared to other states, but they didn’t impose a tariff on slaves coming in.
This meant that it was ideal for people to get slaves in New Hampshire and smuggle them
somewhere else.
C. Protestantism, mainly Puritanism, was the main religion for the colony.
D. Other kinds of Protestantism eventually took over, like the Congregational Church.
E. The Great Awakening was a period in colonial history when the importance of religion
was emphasized. There wasn’t a specific effect on this colony, and only one preacher,
Jedediah Buchard, made a difference.
IV.
John Mason, John Wheelwright, and Governor Benning Wentworth were important leaders at
the time. John Mason was the first to start the colony, John Wheelwright established one of
the first and major settlements in the area, and Benning Wentworth was the first governor.
V.

It was named after John Mason’s homeland, Hampshire.

Citations-
Beetz, Kirk H. "New Hampshire." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 55-59. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
"New Hampshire." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 6. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1134-1135. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.

Pennsylvania

I. Political History
A. The colony was planted in 1682 by William Penn.

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B. The colony had a General Assembly and council with representatives from different towns within
the colony. Religious tolerance was widely promoted, and there was much more freedom for
African people. There was a governor that served the proprietor. It was a proprietary colony.
C. Pennsylvania never became a royal colony.
D. It was bordered on the north by New York, the south by Maryland, the east by New Jersey, and the
west by non-English territory. It was a New England colony.

II. Economics History


A. Agriculture was important in this colony, so major crops included wheat and corn, and dairy and
cattle also played a large part. Industries such as shipbuilding, papermaking, and other things
backed the economy up. Various kinds of mills (textiles, grains, etc.) popped up all around the
country. Pennsylvania was a land of many resources.
B. Nothing changed much, though the economy grew steadier, as did all of the colonies’ economies
over time.

III. Social History


A. The English, the Swedes, and the Dutch made up the majority of the population. The Welsh were
also notable.
B. Slavery was not very popular in Pennsylvania, but there were many restrictions on free blacks. In
1700, laws were passed so that free blacks were judged in special courts without a jury. In 1725-
1726, more laws were passed, this time stating that high fines would be issued to free blacks found
housing runaway slaves. Another law included in this act was that blacks who married whites were
to be put into slavery for the rest of their lives.
C. Quakerism was the main religion in early Pennsylvania.
D. Quakerism still remained important, but many minority religions grew as people flooded into the
popular colony.
E. The first Great Awakening was a period in American history where religion gained a new level of
importance. It made the Pennsylvania colony even more diverse and tolerant.

IV.
William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, and William Markham were the three most important leaders.
William Penn first established the colony and helped it prosper, Benjamin Franklin was a famous
scientist, philosopher, and figure in the Revolution that is associated with Pennsylvania, and William
Markham was the first governor.
V.
The colony was known for being a place of equality, yet slavery still existed and the rights of free
blacks were heavily restricted.
Citations-
Beetz, Kirk H. "Pennsylvania." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 275-279. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.
"Pennsylvania." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 6. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1213-1214. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

New York

I. Political History
A. The colony began as a trading post in 1614, established by Dutch traders. It was under the New
Netherlands colony, purchased by the Dutch West India Company at the time. Peter Minuit was a

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notable leader of the company, having purchased Manhattan from the Indians. In 1664, the English
took over New York, and King Charles II gave the colony to his brother James, Duke of York as a
proprietorship in 1664.
B. New York had a representative legislature, along with official posts and a governor. In the mid-1700s,
there were two main political parties (Court Party and the Country Party) that fought against each
other.
C. It was in possession of the royal crown by 1664, but it was a proprietorship, and it didn’t become a true
royal colony until 1685, when the Duke of York became King James II.
D. The colony was bordered on the north by non-English territory, the south by Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, the east by Connecticut, Massachusetts, and non-English territory, and on the west by non-
English territory.
II. Economics History
A. Agriculture played an important part in the economy. Grain was especially important, as well as
other foodstuffs. Fur trade by the Dutch dominated the economy in the beginning.
B. The industries expanded, enveloping shipbuilding, the slave trade, and lumber.
III. Social History
A. The three major ethnic groups were the Dutch, the English, and the Africans.
B. Slaves in New York were in high demand, so the population of African slaves grew rapidly.
Because of this, citizens feared that the slave would revolt, so strong restrictions were placed upon
them. By 1682, it was illegal for slaves numbering more than four to meet together privately. In
1702, the number was made to be three, and a “Negro Whipper” was put in each town to whip
slaves who didn’t follow the rules. There was a large scale slave rebellion in 1712, where a large
number of slaves set fire to a building and personally stabbed, shot, and beat nine people to death.
Another six people were wounded. This rebellion sparked even harsher control of the slaves.
C. The dominant early religion was the Dutch Reformed Church, a Protestant branch.
D. The Dutch Reformed Church had split into two groups (Orthodox and Pietism) that held the
majority, though several minorities appeared.
E. The Great Awakening was a period in history when religion became very personal and important.
In New York, minority religions such as Presbyterianism became more popular.
IV.
King James II, Peter Minuit, and Thomas Dongan were the three most important leaders in this colony.
New York was named after King James, who was the founder of it. Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island
for New York from the Indians, expanding the colony’s territory. Thomas Dongan was a governor of New
York, calming rebels down and stabilizing the people. He also put into effect the Charter of Liberty.

V.
The colony first came to be from a trading post, and is home of the famous phrase, “No taxation without
representation.”

Citations-
Middleton, Richard. "New York." Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. Ed. Thomas Benjamin. Vol. 2.
Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 850. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.
Mormul, Michelle M. "New York Colony." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 82-84. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Sept. 2013
Delaware

I. Political History
A. The colony was planted by Peter Minuit in 1638.

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B. The colony was not independent from New York until 1682, when William Penn made it a
proprietary colony. It then had a governor/proprietor, with a General Assembly of citizens and a
council.
C. Delaware became a royal colony in 1664, but was later made a proprietary colony until the
Revolution.
D. This colony was bordered on the north by New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Atlantic, the south by
Maryland, the east by the Atlantic, and the west by Maryland. It was a Middle colony.

II. Economics History


A. Agriculture (important crop was tobacco), lumber and fishing were important industries that
fueled the economy.
B. Delaware thrived on industrial businesses, though agriculture was still important. Tobacco became
less important.

III. Social History


A. The three major ethnic groups were the Dutch, the English, and the Africans. The Swedes were
also an important ethnic group.
B. A man named Anthony was the first black slave in Delaware. Slave codes in Delaware were not
particularly harsh in comparison to other colonies, such as laws passed in 1700 stating that the
punishment for thievery by African slaves would result in a whipping and a fine of the master,
among other things. Revisions in 1705 resulted in the banning of interracial marriage.
C. The dominant religion was the Lutheran Church in the very beginnings of the colony. Quakerism
took over later, in the 1700s.
D. The Anglican Church of Protestants gained favor towards the mid-1700s.
E. The first Great Awakening was when religion was emphasized to be personal and important in the
13 colonies. The Great Awakening had no particular effect on Delaware, as it was already an area
with diverse groups of people. Still, like with all the colonies, minority denominations grew and
prospered and people had a greater connection with religion.

IV.
The colony’s three most important leaders were Peter Minuit, who founded Delaware, Caesar Rodney, a
governor who opposed slavery in Delaware and signed the Declaration of Independence, and Thomas West,
whom Delaware was named after (Thomas West, 3rd and 12th Baron De La Warr).

V.
Delaware shares its name with an American Indian tribe, a bay, and a river. It also had a fairly large slave
industry for a Middle colony.

Citations-
“Delaware." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and
Rebecca Valentine. Vol. 2. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 432-433. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Sept.
2013.
Russ, Jonathan S. "Delaware." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol.
2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 540-543. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Sept. 2013

New Jersey

I. Political History

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A. It was planted in 1664, when King James II gave the lands to George Carteret and Lord Berkeley.
B. The government had been split in two as one of the propriters has sold his shares to the Quakers.
There was West Jersey and East Jersey. In West Jersey there was a Council of Proprietors, and in
East Jersey, there was the Board of Proprietors. People disputed with the government n East
Jersey. After becoming a royal colony, there was a governor, a council, and a General Assembly.
C. New Jersey became a royal colony in 1702.
D. The colony was bordered on the north by New York, the east by the Atlantic, the west by
Pennsylvania, and the south by Delaware and the Atlantic.

II. Economics History


A. Ironworking, lumber, some agriculture, fur and shipbuilding fueled the economy.
B. Much stayed the same, though fishing gained some prominence.

III. Social History


A. The major ethnic groups were the English, the Dutch, and Africans.
B. Like most states, New Jersey limited the rights of free blacks and encouraged slavery. Free blacks
were not allowed to own land. It had a separate court for blacks, and many laws were passed to
prevent slave revolts.
C. Protestantism, specifically the Dutch Reformed Church, was the main religion.
D. The main religion didn’t change, though minority religions grew.

IV.
Lewis Morris, George Carteret, and Lord Berkeley were the most important leaders. George Carteret and
Lord Berkeley helped to establish the colony, while Lewis Morris, a governor, separated it from New York.

V.
It was the only colony to be split into East and West factions.

Citations-
Coogan, Timothy C. "New Jersey." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 60-65. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.
"New Jersey." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca
Valentine. Vol. 6. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1135-1136. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Persuasive Essay Outline


Chelsey Zhu
7th Period

15
Topic- Assisted Suicide
Purpose- Persuade the readers that assisted suicide should be legalized under certain
circumstances.
Thesis- Patients who explicitly express the want to end their own lives via their doctor
should be able to do so.

I. Body
A. Assisted suicide can be a better choice for those that are suffering than other
alternatives.
1. Many of those that choose to end their own lives suffer from painful,
life-altering diseases.
a. The majority suffer from malignant neoplasms (cancer), which, as
many know, is a very serious disease.
b. Other conditions are usually extremely disabling and terminal.
2. People who wish to die will suffer for longer if they cannot get access
to euthanasia.
3. If they cannot end their lives when they want to, the patients will be
paying for expensive hospital stays and medication for no reason.
a.76% were enrolled in hospitals before they died.

II. B. There have been few adverse effects of assisted suicide in the places where it
is legal.
1. When studying vulnerable groups of people (women, the disabled, and
the elderly), researchers found that the groups were not more likely to
commit suicide because assisted suicide was legal.
c. .15% of the population died by assistive suicide over a span of 9
years.
d. Only people with AIDs seemed more likely to use Oregon’s law,
but they still make up just 2% of those who chose assisted suicide.
2. In a study in the Netherlands, 90% of assisted suicides shortened the
patient’s life by less than a month.

III. C. It is immoral to prevent sick people from being able to take their own lives.
1. People who have no problems with killing themselves can do so without
legal repercussions towards their family, or the person who caused them to
choose suicide.
2. People who want assisted suicide are often judged unfairly because of
their condition and situation.

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a.The general population views people who desire to end their lives
this way as unable to think for themselves, yet 42% of them have a
bachelor ‘s degree or higher.
3. Many who say that assistive suicide is immoral have their priorities
centered on the length of life, not the quality.

Chelsey Zhu

Language Arts 7th

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October 25, 2013

Dying with Dignity

On August 23rd, 1968, Ramon Sampedro Camean became a quadriplegic. He had only

been 25 at the time, and his career as a fisherman, as well as his love of the sea, was suddenly

ruined by a horrific diving accident that paralyzed him from the neck downwards. From that day

on, Ramon was forced to rely on his family for everything, and his life no longer had a purpose.

He wanted to die. However, he was physically unable to commit suicide himself, and he didn’t

want to starve and let his family watch him suffer. It seemed the only legal route to take was

physician-assisted suicide. For the next 29 years, he would lay in his bed, fighting a bitter battle

with the government of Spain, his home country, for the legalization of assisted suicide, trying to

earn the right to “die with dignity” (Deathwithdignity.org). (“Ramon Sampedro”).

There are thousands of people like Ramon who have been seeking access to assisted

suicide. It is a merciful tool that would help those who explicitly express the want to end their

lives to be able to have control over when and where their death occurs. As it is not yet legal in

all places, the process of writing such a noble cause into law should be speedy, with common

sense and righteousness pushing it forward.

Barbiturate is a drug typically administered to end a person’s life. It is easy, quick when

taken at the right dosage levels, and mainly given to those with severely debilitating and

desperately advanced conditions, such as advanced stage lung cancer ("Characteristics and end-

of-life care of DWDA (Death with Dignity Act) patients who ingested lethal medication, Oregon,

1998-2006"). (Willlems DL, Groenewoud JH, van der Wal G). Because of this, it is only fair that

the patients be able to have access to such a drug, as without it they would have had a future full

of anguish and distress from their disease that, for many, would have led to the death they are

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now seeking. Also, it is not practical for the suffering individuals to be staying in a hospital they

don’t want to be in, paying for medications that they shouldn’t have to take anymore, and trying

to keep themselves content when they would be much happier with an assisted suicide.

As the only purpose of assisted suicide is to end the pain a person is experiencing in life,

it has been shown to have no negative effects in almost all situations. In a study in Oregon, one

of the few states in the U.S. where physician-assisted suicide is legal, researchers determined that

at risk groups of people (women, the elderly, and the disabled) were actually not more likely to

commit suicide just because it was legal. In fact, only .15% of those who died in Oregon during a

nine year period used assisted suicide. (Smith). In a study in the Netherlands, it was found that

90% of people who died by assisted suicide would have only lived, at the most, a month longer

(Grayling). It seemed that in only one case was there an unusually high death rate in relation to

assisted suicide, and it was in AIDs patients. However, they still made up only 2% of the assisted

suicides in the Oregon study. (Smith).

Although there are many scientific readings that suggest assisted suicide is something

beneficial to all that are affected by it, there are still skeptics and critics of the concept. Many

argue that by throwing away something as important as life, one would cheapen life itself

(Grayling). A.C. Grayling, founder of the New College of the Humanities, writes, “Those who

talk of the ‘sanctity of life’ make a fundamental mistake: it is not the mere quantity of life that

matters, but its quality…” Such a statement cannot be truer. Though life is indeed a thing that

should not be taken for granted, there are times when it just isn’t worth living anymore. That is

when something like assisted suicide would be a decent option to consider. There are also people

who say that a small part of the general public may abuse the law by forcing relatives to agree to

assisted suicide against their will, but there will always be ways to ensure that the patient

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wholeheartedly agrees to the procedures taking place (Grayling). There has to be a way for

patients to communicate with the doctors, or else one can assume that it might very well be

against their will.

In the end, Ramon Sampedro did not succeed in his campaign to legalize assisted suicide

in Spain. He eventually resorted to illegal means, taking cyanide poisoning in a place far away

from his home and family. He died on January 12, 1998. His story shows people everywhere the

importance of assisted suicide, and how people with difficult handicaps like his would have had

a better life had they been able to die. It is only just for them to be able to choose how they end

their life, the same as everyone else. The legalization of assisted suicide would be a step

forwards in the ongoing fight for human rights, and a great one at that.

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