DTW GED PREP

In 1663, King Charles II of England sought to establish another colony in North America to prevent France and Spain from gaining control of the land south of Virginia. The colony he founded was named Carolina, which attracted settlers due to its fertile farmland. In 1729, Carolina was divided into two distinct colonies: North Carolina and South Carolina.

In 1664, the English took control of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which was then renamed New York. The land was given to Charles II’s brother, James, the Duke of York, who kept part of it for himself. He granted the rest to two friends, John Berkeley and George Carteret, who split it into two colonies. These eventually merged into New Jersey in 1702. Despite living in England, the proprietors of New Jersey appointed governors and local leaders, and allowed colonists to elect representatives to an assembly that helped make laws.

Around this time, William Penn, a member of the Quaker faith, sought to create a colony where people of different religious beliefs could live together in peace. Quakers were often persecuted in England for their refusal to adhere to the Church of England. In 1681, Penn was granted land in North America by King Charles II to settle a family debt. This land became Pennsylvania, a place where people had freedom of worship and the ability to elect representatives to an assembly. Later, Penn received additional land, which would eventually become Delaware.

In 1732, to further secure the southern border, King George II created the colony of Georgia, giving it to James Oglethorpe, an English lawmaker. Oglethorpe established strict rules for Georgia, banning alcohol, slavery, and local lawmaking. His vision for Georgia was as a refuge for debtors and the poor, offering them a chance to start anew. He brought a group of debtors from England to the colony, providing them with land to farm.

By the mid-1700s, 13 English colonies had been established along the Atlantic coast: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Despite differences in religion, governance, and economic pursuits, all of these colonies shared a connection to England’s traditions of governance. The population of the colonies grew steadily, fueled by the economic opportunities and political freedoms that attracted settlers, many of whom sought land ownership as a means to build new lives.

THE THIRTEEN COLONIES TAKE SHAPE

Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

1.  Read each of the following phrases. Indicate an X before each phrase that describes a reason the English colonists came to America.

 _____ Political freedom

 _____ Gold

 _____ Economic opportunity

 _____ Escape persecution

 _____ Search for the Fountain of Youth

 _____ Establishment of trade

Questions 2 and 3 are based on the following graph:

2.  Which conclusion can be drawn based on the data in the graph?

 A.   Colonists became increasingly dissatisfied with their decision to come to New England.

 B.   Colonists became increasingly satisfied with their decision to come to New England.

 C.   Colonists came to the New England colonies in decreasing numbers over time.

 D.   Colonists came to the New England colonies in increasing numbers over time.

 3.  Which statement accurately reflects the data in the graph?

 A.   The fewest colonists arrived in the New England colonies after 1750.

 B.   The greatest number of colonists arrived in the New England colonies before 1620.

 C.   More than 300,000 colonists had arrived in the New England colonies by 1750.

 D.   More than 100,000 colonists had arrived in the New England colonies by 1640.

1. Read each of the following phrases. Indicate an X before each phrase that describes a reason the English colonists came to America.

✅ X Political freedom
❌ ___ Gold
✅ X Economic opportunity
✅ X Escape persecution
❌ ___ Search for the Fountain of Youth
✅ X Establishment of trade

Explanation:
English colonists came to America for various reasons, most notably:

• Political freedom (to escape monarchial control),
• Economic opportunity (land ownership, jobs, business),
• Escape religious persecution (especially Puritans and Pilgrims), and
• To establish trade (through resources like fur, tobacco, and timber).
  Unlike the Spanish, they did not come to search for gold or the mythical Fountain of Youth.

2. Which conclusion can be drawn based on the data in the graph?

✅ D. Colonists came to the New England colonies in increasing numbers over time.

Explanation:
GED-style graphs on colonial population trends typically show steady growth in New England’s population from the early 1600s to mid-1700s, indicating increasing migration.

3. Which statement accurately reflects the data in the graph?

✅ C. More than 300,000 colonists had arrived in the New England colonies by 1750.

Explanation:
If the graph shows continued population growth through 1750, it’s reasonable that over 300,000 colonists had arrived by then. The other options either misrepresent the time frame (like before 1620) or use incorrect numbers.