Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: New England Colonies: William Bradford; The First Thanksgiving
Plymouth Colony did not suffer the same problems as the English colony farther south, Jamestown. Read about the leadership of William Bradford, and the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans who helped those who lived...
Virginia History Series
Virginia History Series: English Settlements in Virginia (1584 1699) [Pdf]
Take a historical walk through the colony of Jamestown. Learn about the main people who influenced the development of this colony, read a list of names of the original settlers, read about the struggles of the first settlers, explore...
A&E Television
History.com: Why the Wampanoag Signed a Peace Treaty With the Mayflower Pilgrims
The peace accord, which would be honored on both sides for the next half-century, was the first official treaty between English settlers and Native Americans, and a rare example of cooperation between the two groups. On the orders of...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of the American Indian: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth [Pdf]
This study guide gives information about the Native Americans who were living in the area where the Pilgrims landed in 1620 and information about the new settlers too. The myth of the title concerns the friendly meal shared by the...
Huntington Library
Early English Exploration and Settlement of the Colony of Virginia
For this lesson, 5th graders learn about the individuals and groups who first founded the different colonies in America and what their motivations were. Students participate in a reader's theater activity, create a poster that would...
Library of Congress
Loc: Encountering the American West: Ohio River Valley 1750 1820
This is a PDF of the information from LOC of the exhibition of America's move to its first West, that of the Ohio River Valley. Discussion includes these topics: Contested Lands, Peoples and Migrations, Empires and Politics, Western Life...
Other
The Roman World 509 b.c. To a.d. 180
This narrative site provides great overview to life in ancient Rome and Roman history. The geography, early settlers, Roman monarchy, Roman conquest of Italy are all mentioned.
Other
The Independent: Carolina's Lost Colony
The mystery of what happened to the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island has endured over the centuries. A clue has, until recently, lain hidden in a map created by John White that is housed in the British Museum. Archaeologists began digging...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Transportation
Do you think that modern transportation limits our ability to see and/or enjoy what the first settlers saw and did?
Henry J. Sage
Sage American History: Introduction to American Colonial History
Introductory article on American Colonial History in which the author takes a look at the first European settlers who made the voyage to America and addresses the essential question of who they were as people and hence, why they made...
Other
Encyclopedia of New Zealand: New Zealand Peoples
Meet the many peoples who make up the population of New Zealand! Who were the first inhabitants? Where did they come from? When did Europeans discover this faraway land? Who immigrated to New Zealand, and why? Answers to all of these...
Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada: Community Stories: Lake Ainslie the Settlers Story
The Cape Breton Island settlement of East Lake Ainslie is profiled. Scottish immigrants first came here to clear the land for farming and to live a peaceful island life. Changes occurred over time, yet all important events and people...
Other
Rhode Island: First Inhabitants
At this site read a concise description of the different Native American groups that first lived in the Rhode Island area. Also learn about the earliest European settlers and a bit about their lives after settlement.
The History Cat
The History Cat: Us History: Plymouth Colony
The story of how Plymouth Colony came to be. Looks at the Puritan movement with its roots in England, the sailing of the Mayflower, and the progress of the settlers in their first years in New England. Describes their first encounters...
iCivics
I Civics: Columbus to the Colonies
From the time Columbus first set foot in the New World, Europeans were fascinated with this new land. In this lesson, students learn about the Three Gs that drove them here- gold, God, and glory- and find out how these settlers gave...
University of Missouri
Famous Trials: The Osage "Reign of Terror" Murder Trials
The "Reign of Terror" that overtook the Osage Reservation in 1921 is just one chapter in the long story of mistreatment of Native Americans by whites, but is one of the most horrifying. Before the chapter ends, untold dozens of Osage...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Maryland Day, March 25, 1634
Features a brief overview of the history of Maryland, and the origin of Maryland Day. Also showcases several historical photos of Maryland from an aerial view.
Other
University of Wisconsin: Solomon Juneau, Founder of Milwaukee
Solomon Juneau, a French-Canadian, was one of the first settlers in the Milwaukee area and helped to shape its future. There is a profile of him here along with photos of his last home, which is now a museum.
Other
University of Wisconsin: Josette and Solomon Juneau
Josette and Solomon Juneau were among the first settlers in the Milwaukee area and helped to shape its early years. This is a short biography of the couple, who were reportedly very attached to each other.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: New York
Who were the first settlers in New York? Where should you "stop and smell the lilacs?" Who was Solomon Northup? Aren't sure about the answers to these questions. Use this site to learn some interesting facts about the state of New York.
PBS
Pbs: Virtual Field Trip: Creek Nation
This virtual experience provides students with an in-depth look at the lives of the Creek Indians prior to the arrival of the first settlers in Georgia in the 1830s. Included is a lesson plan and user guide.
State Library of North Carolina
N Cpedia: Colonial Period Overview
The first permanent English settlers in North Carolina emigrated from the tidewater area of southeastern Virginia. The first of these "overflow" settlers moved into the area of the Albemarle Sound in northeast North Carolina around 1650....
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Afrikaners
The Afrikaners are descendants, to a great extent, of Dutch, German, and French Huguenot settlers, and, to a lesser extent, of English, Scottish, Irish, and other settlers of South Africa. The Dutch language of the first White settlers...
Oswego City School District
Regents Prep: Us History: Immigration & Migration: Era of 'Old' Immigration
The earliest waves of settlers to the Americas, up through the first half of the 19th century, constitute the era of 'old' immigration. There are some distinctions between those settlers who came prior to the Revolutionary War and those...