In 1606, King James I of England granted charters to both the Plymouth Company and the London Company for the purpose … See more

The first British colony was Jamestown, established on May 14, 1607 near Chesapeake Bay. The business venture was financed and coordinated by the London Virginia Company, a joint-stock company lo… See more

In 1702, East and West Jersey were combined to form the Province of New Jersey.
The northern and southern sections of the Carolina colony operated more or less independe… See more

In response, the colonies formed bodies of elected representatives known as Provincial Congresses, and colonists began to boycott imported British merchandise. Later in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the … See more

The colonial population rose to a quarter of a million during the 17th century, and to nearly 2.5 million on the eve of the American revolution. The estimates do not include the Indian tribes outside the jurisdiction … See more

According to Patricia Bonomi, "early Americans in all sections lived not in a spiritual desert but in a world where religion formed a key component of their mental landscape." Protestantism was the predomina… See more

Higher education was available for young men in the north, and most students were aspiring Protestant ministers. Nine institutions of higher education were chartered during the colonial era. These colleges, k… See more