American History: The Southern Colonies



American History: The Southern Colonies

Introduction

The United States of America, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, encompasses an area of more than 3.97 million square miles. This extraordinary land portrays a noteworthy diversity of climates and landscapes, comprising of the gigantic Great Lakes, the Sothern swamps and Everglades, the unsheltered Great Plains, the soaring Rocky Mountains, scorching deserts of the Southwest, and over 12,000 miles of coastline. The wandering ancestors of the modern Native Americans started to settle across the continent of North Americas, almost 100 years before Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas to begin an era of European colonization of the New Worlds, in 1492 (www.history.com, 2013).

During the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, immigrants continue to come to America is search of economic success or religious freedom. About 2.5 million European colonies settled in America by 1770. In 1776, the Revolutionary War of the people living in the Great Britain's 13 colonies transformed the United States of America into an independent nation. Within the next centuries, 37 new stated were added despite of the several internal conflicts, like the Civil War. Today, it boasts to be housing more than 310 million people and having the largest economy in the whole worlds. At present, New York, California, and Texas are most known states (www.history.com, 2013).

Discussion

The Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain

The 13 colonies present in the United States were mainly governed by the Great Britain until the Revolutionary War, which declared the United States of America as an independent state. However, many countries tried to took over the control of the colonies such as during the time of the French and Indian war. The British controlled all the 13 colonies on the east coast. The French managed to take control of Canada. This is the reason why it is not part of America today. At the same time, the Spanish kept its control in Mexico and few western parts of North America, including of the Caribbean. Nonetheless, the British were the prime rulers of the continent (Pavao, 2013).

In 1607, the formation of the 13 British Colonies began with the colonization of Jamestown in Virginia. These British rules colonies were divided into three major areas; the northern New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies.

The New England Colonies

In 1602, a road to a new society was taken by the founders of the New England colonies. They had an entirely different mission the settlers of Jamestown. Their aim was rather religious. The Pilgrims and Puritans saw America as a land of golden opportunity, where they can recreate a society free from the beliefs of the ceremonial Church of England. For this reason, the New England colonies were rich in their religious beliefs, where the religious leaders were the one who made all the rules and people have to abide them. For economic growth, the people of the region relied on fishing, ship building, lumbering, and farming to a lesser extent ...