The '''thirteen colonies''' were the original colonies of the [[United States]]. They includedwere: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.On July 4, 1776, they became states and formed a new nation, the '''United States of America.'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! Colony !! Year Founded !! Founded By !! Chief Crops or Trade !! Government !! Religion
|-
| [[Massachusetts]] || 1620 || [[Pilgrims]], led by [[William Bradford]] || Shipbuilding, fish, lumber || Governor appointed by king || established [[Puritan]]Church (after 1700 called Congregationalist);
|-
| [[Rhode Island]] || 1636 || [[Roger Williams]], for religious reasons left [[Massachusetts]] || Lumber, fish. || Elected by colonists. || Complete religious freedom for all- [[Anglican]] ([[Episcopalian]]), [[Baptist]] , Quakers and othersother Protestants
|-
| [[Connecticut]] || 1636 || [[Thomas Hooker]], who led a group from [[Massachusetts]] who wanted less government || Shipbuilding, lumber, fish || Elected by colonists || Several religions, mostly [[Protestantism|Protestant]]Congregationalist Church was established
|-
| [[New Hampshire]] || 1623 || Colonists who left [[Massachusetts]] for political and religious reasons || Molasses, fish || Governor appointed by king || Several religions, mostly [[Protestantism|Protestant]]Congregationalist
|}
! Colony !! Year Founded !! Founded By !! Chief Crops or Trade !! Government !! Religion
|-
| [[New York]] || 1626 || [[Dutch]]; [[English]] in 1664 || Shipbuilding and trade || Governor appointed by king || [[Dutch Reformed]], othersand other Protestants
|-
| [[New Jersey]] || 1664 || [[Swedish]] and [[Dutch]]; In 1664 [[Sir George Carteret]] and [[Lord John Berkeley]] were given the land by the English Duke of York || Oats, wheat, rye || Governor appointed by king || [[Dutch Reformed]], [[Quaker]], others
|-
| [[Pennsylvania]] || 1681 || [[William Penn]] as a safe place for [[Quakers]] || Trade and Shipbuilding || Proprietor selected the governor || [[Quaker]]Lutheran, and other Protestant
|-
| [[Delaware]] || 1682 || [[William Penn]] || Tobacco || Proprietor selected the governor || [[Quaker]]Protestant
|}
! Colony !! Year Founded !! Founded By !! Chief Crops or Trade !! Government !! Religion
|-
| [[Virginia]] || 1607 || [[John Smith]], settlers from [[Virginia Company of London]] || Tobacco || Governor appointed by king || [[Anglican]]Church was established
|-
| [[Maryland]] || 1634 || [[Lord Baltimore]] as a safe place for [[Catholicism|Catholics]] || Tobacco || Proprietor selected by governor || [[Protestantism|Protestant]], [[Catholicism|and Catholic]]
|-
| [[North Carolina]] || 1654 || [[Virginia]] settlers || Tar from pine trees, tobacco, pitch, and rice || Governor appointed by king || Several religions, mostly [[Protestantism|Protestant]]
|-
| [[South Carolina]] || 1663 || [[English]] and other [[Europeans]] || Tar from pine trees, tobacco, pitch, and rice || Governor appointed by king || Several religions, mostly [[Protestantism|Protestant]]
|-
| [[Georgia]] || 1732 || [[James Oglethorpe]], brought [[English]] debtors to protect [[Georgia]] from the [[Spanish]] || Indigo, tobacco || Governor appointed by king || [[Baptist]] and other [[Protestantism|Protestant]]
|}
[[category:United States History]]