By studying the structure and function of the government in both England and the colonies, students are asked to determine if the colonies were more democratic than England. By using primary sources and information provided in charts,...

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...

During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress became America's de facto government. Over a period of 15 years, from 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress underwent a profound evolution. Starting out as a temporary group that...

Complete text of the Connecticut Colony Charter of 1662 which provided the basis for Connecticut government until 1818.

Provides background information and the complete text of the charter of the Massachusetts Bay 1629.

View the complete text of the New England Articles of Confederation 1643, an alliance of the English colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven.

By reading this section from a chapter on "Imperial Reforms and Colonial Protests," students will be able to describe the state of affairs between the colonies and the home government in 1774 and explain the purpose and results of the...

View the complete text of the 1620 British Charter for the settlement of New England granting authority to colonize and govern.

Article on the Middle Colonies provides facts on religion, history, economy, and government of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey.

Article explores the religion, government, economics, and history of the New England colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Begins with a description of the British system of mercantilism that was imposed on the American colonies along with the taxes levied through the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. The Americans complained that it was taxation without...

Comprehensive information about the colonial period of American History. Includes information about New England, colonies, government, people, The French and Indian War, and the Salem Witch Trials.

The original text of the British Royal Proclamation, 1763 - the document that dealt with the governance of the new colonies of British North America. The author of the site has published the text of the document as well as an annotation...

Complete text of the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, 1629.

Introduce yourself to the De Leon's Colony, the only predominantly Mexican colony in Texas in the United States established by Martin De Leon in 1824. De Leon was one of the several impresarios in Texas who was granted colonization...

Review your knowledge of the early American government with these interactive games. Play concentration, matching, flashcards, or click on "list of terms" to see the vocabulary used in each activity.

Full text of the Declaration of Independence, with signers from each state and links to related information.

A review of the Age of Revolution, particularly as it was perceived in the American colonies. See how the various actions taken by the British government to control the colonists resulted in uniting the colonists and set the stage for...

Patrick Henry is known for being a steadfast patriot opposed to a strong centralized government. In 1765, Henry was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. By the 1770s, Henry had emerged as one of the most radical leaders of the...

Samuel Adams was born on September 22, 1722, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He entered Harvard College at the age of 14. During the 1760s, Adams became a leader of the Patriot resistance to the British government's attempt to tax the American...

John Dickinson was called "The Penman of the American Revolution." During the 1760s and 1770s, he authored numerous important essays in defense of American rights, including The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies, the...

From 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress served as the government of the 13 American colonies and later the United States. The First Continental Congress, which was comprised of delegates from the colonies, met in 1774 in reaction to...

Click on Connecticut for a list of and links to the colony's earliest government documents establishing its laws, religious toleration, and means of taxation.

Read about how the colony of Connecticut grew from an expansion of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. See how Thomas Hooker's idea of government resulted in a model of colonial charters, and find out how two very different settlements in...