Download New England, the Middle Colonies, & the

Chapter 5
Lesson 1
A. Geography of the Colonies
1. The 13 Colonies
a. New England
b. The Middle Colonies
c. The Southern Colonies
Pages 160-163 in Social Studies text.
The Thirteen Colonies
• During the 1600s and 1700s, many English settlers
moved to North America.
• Why do you think that they moved to North
America?
• 1) Many moved for religious reasons.
• 2) Many believed that they had a better chance to
make a living in NA.
• 3) Many also believed they would find more
freedoms.
• It was these settlers that established the 13 English
colonies.
The Location of the
Thirteen Colonies
The colonies were located:
1. Along the Atlantic Ocean.
2. To the North was New France.
3. To the South was New Spain.
4. To the West were the
Appalachian Mountains.
5. They were a natural barrier
6. The geography & climate of
the 13 colonies separated
them into 3 regions: New
England, the Middle
Colonies, & the Southern
Colonies.
New England
• New England’s geography was shaped by glaciers formed
during the Ice Age.
• As the glaciers moved across New England, rocks trapped in
the glaciers cut deep valleys through the mountains. They
scraped the rich soil and pushed it south.
• New England was left with thin and rocky layers of dirt.
• Farming was difficult.
• Summers were warm but winters were long and very cold. The
growing season was short.
Growing Season
The time of year
when it is warm
enough for
plants to grow.
•New England had
a short growing
season.
•Most farmers
could only grow
enough food for
their families.
•Very little was left
over to sell.
Cultural Regions
New England Geography
• Farming was hard for
the New England
colonists.
• With a short growing
season, they learned to
depend on natural
resources to survive.
• They used the wood
from the forests to build
ships and buildings.
• They used the Atlantic
Ocean to catch fish for
food and other
products.
The Middle Colonies
• The soil scooped from the New England
Colonies stopped in the Middle Colonies.
• Crops grew well there
because of the fertile soil.
• The climate was also
good for farming.
• They had a much longer
growing season than in New England.
• There were plenty of sunny days
and good rain.
• They had wide rivers that was good
for transportation.
• Farmers used riverboats to sell
their crops in nearby towns.
• The nearby woods were full of animals.
• Colonists hunted and trapped animals such as deer and
beaver.
Southern Colonies
• The Southern coast was
full of rivers, bays, and
wetlands.
• The climate & soil of the
tidewater were excellent
for farming.
• The growing season
was long.
• The climate was warm
and there was plenty of
rain.
Tidewater
• The water in rivers and streams rises and
falls every day with the ocean tides.
• The climate and soil produced by the
tidewater were excellent for farming.
Fall Line
• The tidewater ended at the fall line.
• At the fall line, rivers from higher land
flow to lower lands and often formed
waterfalls.
Backcountry
• The higher land on the
other side of the fall line
was called the
backcountry.
• The backcountry was “in
back of” the area where
most colonists.
• It had steep and covered
forests.
• Colonists hunted and
fished for most of their
food.
Review: Lesson 1
• Why was farming difficult for New England colonists?
*Soil was too rocky and sandy
*The climate was extremely cold in the winter
making the growing season too short.
• Why was farming in the Middle and Southern Colonies
better than in New England?
*They had fertile soil.
*They had longer growing seasons.
*They had milder climates.
• Why was the tidewater good for growing crops?
Soil in the tidewater was rich and fertile.
• What natural resources did colonists have in New
England?
Forests and the Atlantic Ocean
Northwest Coast