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History for Grownups
copyright 2007,
David White

Colonial Times in America

The American colonies thrived for many years under European rule, then sought and won their independence.

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Jamestown: First English Colony in America
Explorers had been landing in America for some time before English settlers arrived in what is now Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. But it was in that spot on the James River that English colonization began and with it, the history of America.

The Pilgrims: Voyage to Freedom
Follow the Pilgrims as they sail across the Atlantic Ocean, from England to America, in search of religious freedom. See who they meet when they land in New England. Find out about the first Thanksgiving.

John Peter Zenger and Freedom of the Press
This was the first libel case in America. It forever set the standard for freedom of the press and made a hero of not only Zenger but also his lawyer, Andrew Hamilton.

Colonial Wars
The conflicts in North America before the birth of the United States were many.

Triangular Trade
This was the economic cycle of goods that sailed in a triangular pattern between England, Africa, and America and back again. Major commodities included timber, rum, sugar, silk, and (of course) slaves. Find out more about this early period of American economic history.

Patrick Henry: Voice of Freedom
Patrick Henry was one of the leading lights of the American Revolution, a voice that would not be silenced until Americans were free and could govern themselves.

Samuel Adams: Ringleader of the American Revolution
Described as a firebrand, a revolutionary, and a patriot, the young Adams was perhaps the most vocal of his generation to demand independence from Great Britain. He believed in the higher cause of independence, and he didn't often let laws that he thought unjust stand in his way.

Benjamin Franklin: America's Renaissance Man
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most famous people of his generation, his country, and his country’s history. He was as close as Colonial America came to having a Renaissance man.

John Hancock: The Money Behind the Revolution
John Hancock is perhaps best known for his very large signature on the Declaration of Independence. However, he was much more important to the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War as a businessman who had large sums of money at his disposal and used that money to support the American cause.

The Boston Tea Party
What caused Americans to get so upset about tea? Find out in this easy-to-read article.

The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre resulted in just a few deaths but was sold as a massacre, an example of an early propaganda masterpiece from the angry colonists.

The House of Burgesses
The first legislature anywhere in the English colonies in America was in Virginia. This was the House of Burgesses, and it first met on July 30, 1619, at a church in Jamestown. Its first order of business was to set a minumum price for the sale of tobacco.

African-Americans in Colonial Times
Find out what life was like for African-Americans in the early days of the colonies. Read fact sheets on famous people. The primary sources are also especially helpful.

Lost Colony of Roanoke
Just what happened to the people who landed on Roanoke Island? Pages explore the why and the what-ifs.

Salem Witch Trials
One of colonial America's most harrowing episodes.

Colonial Soap Making
One of the things colonial Americans did well was make soap. Find out how they did it and why!

Early American Paintings
Art is every bit as important in describing past events as words. Check out these paintings of the days of the 13 Colonies.

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