wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Early British Colonies

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 1hrs 9mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
True or False: Virginia settlers to Jamestown came fully prepared
a)
true
b)
false
2.
Colonists who received free passage to North America in exchange for working without pay for a certain number of years:
a)
slaves
b)
migrant workers
c)
employees
d)
indentured servants
3.
1st representative governing body in the American colonies.
a)
English Bill of Rights
b)
Articles of Confederation
c)
Virginia House of Burgesses
d)
Congress
4.
In what year was Jamestown settled?
a)
1492
b)
1607
c)
1608
d)
2081
5.
The first permanent English settlement in North America was
a)
Werowocomoco
b)
Yorktown
c)
Richmond
d)
Jamestown
6.
Which colonial region was settled by Puritans and Pilgrims seeking religious freedom?
a)
New England
b)
Southern
c)
Middle
d)
Backcountry
7.
Most of the work on large, southern plantations was done by ___________ and ___________
a)
Native Americans and slaves
b)
women and children
c)
slaves and indentured servants
d)
Frenchmen and Mexicans
8.
The people who settled in the New England colonies were looking for religious freedom
a)
True
b)
False
9.
Where was Jamestown located (today)?
a)
Missouri
b)
Mississippi
c)
Virginia
d)
North Carolina
10.
Which number on this map marks the area of colonial North America controlled by Great Britain around the year 1700?
a)
1
b)
2
c)
3
d)
4
11.
Which of these BEST explains the reason for African slaves being brought into the British colonies in Southern North America in the 17th century?
a)
The economy of Southern colonies needed non-wage labor.
b)
Northern colonial governments considered slavery immoral.
c)
Southern colonies refused to use Indians as forced labor.
d)
Industrial factories in the north did not need slave labor.
12.
What product was instrumental in bringing about economic stability in the early years of the Virginia colony?
a)
Cotton
b)
Tobbaco
c)
Indigo
d)
Gold
13.

Why is Roanoke called a "lost colony"?

a)

John White couldn't find his way back to it

b)

It lost a contest with Jamestown

c)

Everyone went back to England

d)

All the settlers disappeared

14.

The first settlers to arrive at Plymouth came in search of

a)

good farmland and fishing

b)

natural riches such as gold

c)

independence from England

d)

Freedom to practice their religion

15.

What was the Mayflower Compact?

a)

a pledge of friendship with the American Indians

b)

a plan of government drawn up by the settlers

c)

an agreement with the ship's captain

d)

a promise of support by the king

16.

Plantations specialized in producing

a)

fine food

b)

cash crops

c)

dairy cattle

d)

wood furniture

17.

Massachusetts Bay was founded to protect which religious group?

a)

Baptists

b)

Catholics

c)

Puritans

d)

Quakers

18.

Why was Rhode Island founded?

a)

as a trade center

b)

for religious freedom

c)

for tobacco farms

d)

as a place for the poor to settle

19.

Which colony was originally settled by the Dutch?

a)

New York

b)

New Mexico

c)

North Carolina

d)

New Jersey

20.

Philadelphia is located in this colony.

a)

Connecticut

b)

Virginia

c)

Washington D.C.

d)

Pennsylvania

21.

This colony was founded by Catholic settlers.

a)

Idaho

b)

Maryland

c)

Japan

d)

New Jersey

22.

This colony was based on Quaker principles and equality of all people.

a)

Rhode Island

b)

Pennsylvania

c)

Massachusetts

d)

New York

23.

Native American who helped the Pilgrims plant crops

a)

Powhatan

b)

Squanto

c)

Tonto

d)

Sitting Bull

24.

Which of the following was England’s first PERMANENT settlement in America?

a)

Roanoke

b)

Baltimore

c)

Plymouth

d)

Jamestown

25.

The terrible winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown was known as what?

a)

the great time

b)

the cold time

c)

the summer time

d)

the starving time

26.

A Dutch ship arrived in 1619. On board were 20 __________

a)

African slaves

b)

Spanish explorers

c)

Portuguese men

d)

English merchants

27.

A _________________ is a person who takes a religious journey.

a)

Pilgrim

b)

Surfer

c)

Puritans

d)

Native Americans

28.

Where did the Puritans settled?

a)

Roanoke & Jamestown

b)

Philadelphia & Providence

c)

Salem & Boston

d)

New Haven & Newport

29.

What was the original name of New York?

a)

New Amsterdam

b)

Old Dutch

c)

Old French

d)

Pennsylvania

30.

"Best Poor Man's Country"

a)

Connecticut

b)

Massachusetts

c)

New York

d)

Pennsylvania

31.

Founder of Pennsylvania

a)

William Bradford

b)

William Penn

c)

John Smith

d)

John Winthrop

32.

South Carolina was created to

a)

Explore

b)

Grant religious freedoms

c)

Make a profit

d)

Vacation

33.

Dominion of New England included all the following EXCEPT...

a)

Connecticut

b)

East Jersey

c)

Massachusetts

d)

New York

e)

Plymouth

34.

Where did the Witch "Hunt" occur?

a)

Boston

b)

Concord

c)

Marblehead

d)

Salem

35.

Why did England want to have colonies in North America

a)

to make new friends with the Native Americans

b)

to gain wealth and power

c)

to find a faster way to travel around the world

d)

because England was too crowded

36.

What three things did the Quakers believe in?

a)

racism, slavery, wealth

b)

pacifism, simplicity, equality

c)

Catholicism, the pope, communion

d)

strict moral codes, personal bible study, punishments

37.

Why were the Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Maryland colonies started?

a)

as a place for debtors from prison

b)

to gain wealth for Joint Stock Companies

c)

to increase trade

d)

to escape religious persecution in England

38.

What was the Atlantic trade system that brought slaves to the Americas?

a)

Square Trade

b)

Triangle Trade

c)

American Trade

d)

Slavery System

39.

Explorers brought news of the Americas home to Europe. European nations quickly sought to claim land with the hope of ______________.

a)

relocating criminals to this land.

b)

discovering new peoples and cultures.

c)

boosting their economies with access to new resources and trade.

d)

converting more Native Americans and expanding their congregations.

40.

Puritans: Massachusetts:: _____________: Pennsylvania

a)

Quakers

b)

Catholics

c)

Separatists

d)

Pilgrims

41.

Some explorers came to the new world in gold and silver and the wealth those metals would bring. Others hoped to bring glory to their home countries, while others hoped to __________________.

a)

create inventions

b)

drill for oil

c)

find new water sources

d)

spread Christianity

42.
Economic activity in the New England colonies relied heavily on trade in part because.....
a)
Puritan beliefs prohibited farming for profit.
b)
farmers in the region feared attacks from Native Americans.
c)
a cold climate and poor soil made farming unprofitable.
d)
the British monarchy provided land grants only to Southern colonies.
43.
The Quakers of Pennsylvania believed in religious toleration.  This meant that they.....
a)
supported government control of religion.
b)
required children to attend religious schools.
c)
wanted to join either side in a war.
d)
allowed others to practice their own religion.
44.
The Albany Plan of Union called for ....
a)
equal voting rights for all citizens.
b)
a declaration of war on England.
c)
a joint colonial council for defense.
d)
a separation from England.
45.
What were the most profitable ways of making a living in the New England colonies?
a)
fishing and fur trading.
b)
mining for gold and silver.
c)
commercial farming of tobacco and rice.
d)
milling and manufacturing.
46.
The belief that colonies exist to benefit the economy of the mother country is known as:
a)
triangular trade.
b)
mercantilism.
c)
free trade.
d)
nativism.
47.
The creation of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619 was an important step in the development of democracy in colonial America because it:
a)
adopted a bill of rights for women.
b)
allowed citizens to vote directly on proposed laws.
c)
provided the first written constitution.
d)
established a representative form of government.
48.
* Cruel Treatment
*Poor Sanitary Conditions
*Starvation and Disease
*Overcrowding and Imprisonment
Which group experienced these conditions?
a)
Pilgrims on the Mayflower.
b)
passengers on the Underground Railroad.
c)
enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage.
d)
Native American Indians traveling with French fur traders.
49.
New England town meetings and the Virginia House of Burgesses were colonial efforts to....
a)
practice self government.
b)
form a union of all the colonies.
c)
raise colonial militias.
d)
encourage colonial trade.
50.
Which group are the New England colonies?
a)
Connecticut 
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
b)
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
Maryland
Georgia
c)
Pennsylvania
Deleware 
New York
New Jersey
d)
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Wisconsin
51.
Which colonies have large plantations?
a)
Middle
b)
Southern
c)
New England
d)
Northeast
52.
What are the "breadbasket colonies"?
a)
Southern
b)
Middle
c)
New England
d)
Eastern
53.
Which group are the Middle colonies?
a)
Connecticut 
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Massachuttes
b)
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
Maryland
Georgia
c)
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New York
New Jersey
d)
California
Arizona
New Mexico
Washington
54.
Which group are the Southern colonies?
a)
Connecticut 
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Massachuttes
b)
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
Maryland
Georgia
c)
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New York
New Jersey
d)
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
Alabama
55.
Why did the Pilgrims come to a new land and form a settlement?
a)
They wanted to be ruled by a king in Great Britain
b)
They wanted freedom to practice their own religion
c)
They wanted to start plantations and earn money
d)
They wanted to learn from the Native Americans
56.
What is the name of the southern most colony?
a)
South Carolina
b)
North Carolina
c)
Georgia
d)
Maryland
57.
Which of these choices BEST represents the continents involved in the system of "Triangular Trade"?
a)
1, 2, & 4
b)
1, 3, & 4
c)
3, 4, & 5
d)
4, 5, & 6
58.
What was the New England economy shaped by?
a)
Rocky soil, long winters
b)
Fertile Soil, short winters
c)
Forest, mild summers
d)
Mountainous land
59.
WHAT OCEAN IS IN THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES?
a)
ATLANTIC
b)
PACIFIC
c)
INDIAN
d)
ARCTIC
60.
What economic service opened as a result of the fertile soil of the Middle Colonies: 
a)
Ship building
b)
Gold production
c)
Grain Mills and cattle farming
d)
Fishing