Why were the colonies founded?

Before the United States existed, thirteen separate colonies—settled in different places and for various reasons—were spaced along the eastern coast of North America. As separate communities, their goals were not always aligned; each functioned essentially as its own country, with an independent government and infrastructure. The colonization of North America began in 1585 with the…

Why did the colonies develop differently?

As with any community, the North American colonies continued to develop and change based on unique climates, natural resources, and weather within each territory. The colonial regions did not share the same features, so each region tended to develop differently. There were three distinct colonial regions: the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the…

What Caused the French and Indian War?

From the founding of Jamestown in 1607 through the 1750s, the English colonies continued to grow, both in the number of colonies and overall population. Settlements that started near the coast soon spread west to create other cities and settlements inland. The English colonies grew from a population of a few hundred settlers in the…

Why did the British Tax the colonies?

The French and Indian War was costly for the British, and George III looked to the colonies to help cover the expenses of their defense from the French. The colonies had always been taxed, though their taxes had been paid in the form of import and export duties and never as direct taxes on the…

Did the colonies rebel against British taxes?

From the introduction of the Stamp Act and the ever-present British Army in their streets, the tension between colonists and Great Britain continued to grow. On March 5, 1770, an argument between colonists and British soldiers occurred outside the Old State Building in Boston. As the argument continued, more colonists began gathering until 300-400 colonists…

What finally made the colonies push for independence?

As the colonies were being settled, there was no intention for them to unite together and form their own country. They acted as their own sovereign nation-states. However, after years of what colonists believed were unfair taxes and continual acts of tyranny toward the colonies by the British, the colonists believed they needed to come…