National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Becoming American: The British American Colonies, 1690 1763
Explore these primary source documents detailing the growth, peoples, economies, and ideas relating to the British American Colonies in the 18th century. Features notes and discussion questions.
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: American Independence
Part of Fordham University's Internet Modern History Sourcebook, this site gives historical background and extensive web resources on American Independence.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Becoming American: The British Atlantic Colonies, 1690 1763
Primary resource material on the economies of the New England colonies between 1690 and 1763.
![Hillcrest: England and Its Colonies [Pdf] eBook](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Hillcrest: England and Its Colonies [Pdf] eBook")
Other
Hillcrest: England and Its Colonies [Pdf]
A textbook chapter about England and its relationship to its American colonies. Included are maps and map questions, study help, and assessments.
Henry J. Sage
Sage American History: Virginia: The London Company
Article on the development and practices of the London Company, including discussion on the economy and resources in 17th Century colonial America.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Colonial Economy
Whatever early colonial prosperity there was resulted from trapping and trading in furs. In addition, the fishing industry was a primary source of wealth in Massachusetts. But throughout the colonies, people relied primarily on small...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Southern Colonies
In contrast to New England and the middle colonies were the predominantly rural southern settlements: Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, and Georgia.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Colonization
For a variety of reasons, those who came to settle the early colonies sought a new homeland. Puritans, for example, established several settlements in Massachusetts. These English colonists were a pious, self-disciplined people who...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Agriculture Rules the South
The essay describes the devlopment of the Southern colonies as agricultural centers and the cultural aspects associated with rural, agricultural life.
San Jose State University
Sjsu: Agriculture in the Middle Colonies
An excerpt of a primary source, American Husbandry, a book from 1775, describing the crops of the Middle Colonies.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Early Trade With China: Early American Trade Routes to China [Pdf]
Once the colonies gained their independence, American ships began to search the oceansfor markets to replace the British colonial markets from which they were now excluded (theWest Indies) or in which they were subjected to heavy tax...
Other
New Bedford Whaling Museum: Online Exhibitions
The New Bedford Whaling Museum provides a well-done, comprehensive site that includes all aspects of American whaling. This site is a pleasure to amble through if you love the lore and legend of late eighteenth-century sailing ships,...
Other
All the News? American Revolution & Maryland's Press
Explore this collection of digitized historical newspapers and broadsides from the 1760s about pre-Revolutionary topics. Requires Adobe Reader.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of the u.s. Independence Webisode 1
Webisode 1-Independence. The history of the United States is presented in a series of webisodes, within each are a number of segments.Included are links to lesson plans, teacher guides, resources, activities, and tools.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Saugus Iron Works: Life & Work at an Early American Site
Use this site to learn about life and work at an early American industrial site. Understand the need for iron ore for the early Puritans through excellent history info, an inquiry question, maps, images, readings, activities and more....
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Colonial Period
The early settlers to the New World began to map strategy for their own system of government. This site details that strategy and what kinds of events spawned the idea of representative government.
University of Notre Dame
Department of Special Collections: The Coins of Colonial and Early America
This site provides links to a variety of coins used in the colonies and in the confederation. Extremely detailed.
National Geographic
National Geographic: Society: A History of Trade in New York City
A lesson based on the New York City seal that explores the trading relationship between the Dutch and Native Americans in New Amsterdam.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Savannah, Ga: Lasting Legacy of Colonial City Planning
The site explores the colonial history of the city of Savannah, Georgia. This interactive lesson has excellent information, an inquiry question, historical context, maps, readings, images, and activities.
Digital History
Digital History: Dimensions of Change in Colonial New England
Dissension in Massachusetts Bay Colony resulted in the formation of other New England colonies. Read about their formations, and the impact on the Native Americans in the area.
Digital History
Digital History: British Mercantilism and the Cost of Empire [Pdf]
Learn about the theory of mercantilism and how it affected the economies of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Practice making a bar graph showing the value of exports to and imports from England between 1700 and 1774 with...
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Colonial Williamsburg: Occupations and Trades of the 18th Century
A comprehensive list of the types and descriptions of occupations available in the 18th century. From the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Colonial Williamsburg: Signs of the Times
Site challenges students to examine how goods were advertised, and sold in Colonial Times versus Today. Excellent hands-on activity.