Most Americans know George Washington as the brilliant military and political leader; but as a young man, he was a surveyor by trade. Follow his career through this easy-to-read narrative complete with his early maps and surveys.

Students pretend they are agricultural engineers during the colonial period and design a miniature plow that cuts through a "field" of soil. They are introduced to the engineering design process and learn of several famous historical...

A 16-page history of the establishment and growth of the colony of Jamestown. Covers the early challenges, the starving time, the Virginia Company, the conflict with Powhatan, the beginnings of the tobacco economy, the introduction of...

This site from the Indiana University analyzes the role of political cartoons in early American history. Four artists, Paul Revere, Henry Pelham, Wm. Humphreys, and Wm. Charles are highlighted.

These activities encourage students to explore the 'brave new world' of The Tempest in light of thought-provoking texts on early modern colonization. A link to a slideshow featuring images of Native Americans and Europeans which...

This 11-question multiple choice quiz is immediately scored and includes a variety of questions covering life in the early colonies.

Presents key ideas for examining the cultures of Native American tribes that lived in North America in early colonial times. Discusses the major groups, the way of life of each group, and where they lived.

This online presentation documents the role of the African American in food service from early colonial days through the 1940s. Primary source documents and photographs are included.

Fifth graders develop and express claims through discussions and writing which examine the causes and consequences of historical events as they explore the relationships between early colonists and Native Americans.

A map of the early colonies of Virginia and Maryland showing the first settlements of Jamestown (1607) and St. Mary's (1634). The future sites of Baltimore (1729) and Washington (1790) are also shown.

A map of Colonial Georgia, showing the proclamation line of the original United States established at the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1763, the boundary when Georgia was established from the Carolinas as a buffer between the...

A series of three maps of the British colonies in North America showing the types of colonial governments between 1682, 1692, and 1730, and the shift from charter colonies electing their own governors to the colonies with councilors...

A map of eastern North America showing the early development of the European colonies and westward exploration to the Mississippi River. The map shows the routes of several early explorers with dates of exploration, including La Salle,...

Early Setters

An English nobleman, who played a large part in the capture of William Kidd, the pirate. Coote served as colonial governor of New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

This unit explores the documented perceptions of Native Americans, religious faiths, physical challenges of new lands and how the combination of immigrants and Native Americans shaped the New World. Click on "Activities" for related...

Trace Africa's history from the earliest humans to modern times using this thematic timeline. Learn about African trade, religion, empires, and technology. Vibrant pictures are included for each time period showcasing the African culture.

Provides a brief background about the lack of poetry writing in the early literature of the Middle and Southern colonies.

A scene of early English colonists, or Pilgrims, in snow.

This is a detailed essay discussing Charles Chauncy and Edward Wigglesworth, two men who were religious leaders in early 18th century colonial America.

A lesson in the culinary delicacies of the Plymouth Plantation in 1627. In this integrated lesson, young scholars examine the history of foods eaten during this colonial era and prepare an actual meal based on what they have learned....

Three European accounts of the disappointments, challenges, and outright failures to establish early successful colonial outposts in North America.

Portraits of early New Englanders as well as four buildings from seventeenth-century New England that accompany accounts in those British colonies of struggles, Indian hostilities, and economic success.

The Modern History Sourcebook provides this great look at what life would be like on a coffee plantation during the early 20th century. It describes the houses, life on the plantation, colonists, and harvests.