5th Grade US History Textbook: Colonial America – Birth of A Nation

Wigs were an important fashion statement during colonial times. Men of wealth and stature wore large powdered wigs.

The church was one of the most important places in a colonial times’ town. Everyone was expected to attend church on Sunday.

Women’s clothing consists of several layers. Some wealthy women wore very delicate shoes with paper soles.

Men during colonial times dressed differently than we do today. Wealthy men would sometimes pad their clothing with rags or horsehair to make their shoulders and thighs look bigger.

By 1775, there were about 2.5 million European and African settlers in North America’s thirteen English colonies.

Each of the thirteen colonies developed its own system of self-government, based largely on independent farmers who owned their own land, voted for their local and provincial government, and served on local juries.

The colonies are often divided up into three regions including the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies.

Queen Elizabeth wanted to establish colonies in the Americas in order to grow the British Empire and to counter the Spanish.

All the colonies had a high degree of self-government and most white men could and did vote for local and legislative officials.

The thirteen colonies were: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, Province of New York, Province of North Carolina, and Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.