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Quizzes > History

13 Colonies Quiz: Can You Name All the Original Colonies?

Quick 13 colonies test to check what you know. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Dan TaylorUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for 13 colonies quiz on a dark blue background

Use this 13 colonies quiz to see how many original colonies you can name and spot what to review before your next test. To build map skills, try 13 colonies map practice and thirteen colonies map quiz. Curious how regions shaped trade? Explore colonial geography and trade.

Which colony was the first founded among the original 13 English colonies?
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Massachusetts Bay
Jamestown in Virginia was established in 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Prior attempts like Roanoke failed, making Jamestown the first enduring colony. It was funded by the Virginia Company and laid the groundwork for English expansion on the continent.
Which colony was known as the "Holy Experiment" providing religious freedom to many faiths?
Georgia
Connecticut
Maryland
Pennsylvania
William Penn designed Pennsylvania in 1681 as a "Holy Experiment" to allow religious tolerance and civil liberty. He envisioned a colony where Quakers and other persecuted groups could live peacefully. This approach attracted diverse settlers and became a model of religious freedom.
Which of these colonies was founded primarily by Puritans seeking religious freedom?
Delaware
Maryland
New York
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was settled by Puritans in 1630 under John Winthrop to practice their faith free from persecution in England. It grew rapidly and formed the basis of the New England region. Its strict religious governance influenced local laws and community life.
Which colony was established as a debtors' colony under James Oglethorpe?
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Virginia
Georgia was founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe as a haven for debtors and the poor, aiming to offer a fresh start. It also served as a buffer between South Carolina and Spanish Florida. Early settlers followed strict rules against slavery and alcohol until those were later relaxed.
Which colony enacted the Maryland Act of Toleration in 1649 guaranteeing freedom of worship to Christians?
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Virginia
Rhode Island
Maryland passed the Act of Toleration in 1649 to protect Trinitarian Christians from persecution, one of the earliest legal guarantees of religious freedom in the colonies. It reflected Lord Baltimore's intent to provide refuge for English Catholics and Protestants alike. This act marked a significant step toward religious pluralism.
Which of the 13 colonies was originally settled by the Dutch and named New Netherland?
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New York
New York began as New Netherland, a Dutch colony founded in 1624 with New Amsterdam as its capital. The English seized it in 1664 and renamed it New York in honor of the Duke of York. Its strategic port and diverse population fueled rapid growth.
Which colony was founded by Roger Williams after he was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony?
New Hampshire
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts Bay in 1636 and established Providence Plantations, later Rhode Island, as a refuge for religious dissenters. He promoted separation of church and state and freedom of worship. Rhode Island became known for its religious tolerance.
In what year did William Penn receive the charter for Pennsylvania?
1664
1607
1681
1632
King Charles II granted William Penn the charter for Pennsylvania in 1681 as payment for the crown's debt to Penn's father. This charter provided Penn with proprietary rights to the land. It laid out governance structures that emphasized religious freedom.
Which cash crop was central to the economy of Maryland?
Tobacco
Rice
Indigo
Wheat
Tobacco became Maryland's primary export by the mid-17th century, mirroring Virginia's plantation model. The crop's labor demands fueled indentured servitude and later African slavery. Tobacco prices influenced colonial prosperity and land use.
Which was the last of the original 13 colonies to be established?
Georgia
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Georgia was founded in 1733, making it the last of the Thirteen Colonies. Established under James Oglethorpe's leadership, it initially banned slavery and alcohol. Its strategic location helped protect South Carolina from Spanish Florida.
Under what name was New York originally settled by the Dutch?
New Amsterdam
New Rotterdam
Fort Nassau
Fort Orange
The Dutch established New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island in 1624 as the capital of New Netherland. Fort Orange was a separate inland trading post near present-day Albany. Control passed to the English in 1664, and New Amsterdam was renamed New York.
Which colony was the first proprietary colony granted by the English crown?
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Maryland
Carolina
Maryland was granted to Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, in 1632 as the first proprietary colony, giving him almost feudal rights over the territory. This model allowed proprietors to govern colonies much like private estates. Later proprietary grants included Pennsylvania and Carolina.
North Carolina and South Carolina were part of which colonial region?
Southern Colonies
Middle Colonies
New England Colonies
Frontier Colonies
Both North and South Carolina were classified as Southern Colonies, characterized by plantation agriculture and cash crops like rice and indigo. They shared social structures tied to landholding and slavery. Their economy and climate differed significantly from the Middle and New England regions.
What was the primary motive for the founding of the Virginia Colony?
Scientific exploration
Religious freedom
Economic opportunity
Penal settlement
The Virginia Colony was established by the Virginia Company in 1607 to profit from resources like gold and to establish trade. While some sought religious freedom, the charter emphasized economic gain. Tobacco soon became lucrative, underpinning the colony's economy.
Which colony adopted the Fundamental Orders in 1639, considered one of the first written constitutions?
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Pennsylvania
Connecticut's Fundamental Orders of 1639 established a rule of law and democratic principles for its towns. Often called the first American constitution, it provided for an elected governor and assembly. It influenced later colonial and state constitutions.
The colonial capital of Maryland was moved from St. Mary's City to which city in 1694?
Baltimore
Annapolis
Williamsburg
Jamestown
In 1694, Maryland's capital was relocated to Annapolis for its more central location and better harbor. St. Mary's City had served since 1634 but faced swampy conditions. Annapolis grew into the province's political hub.
What was the name of the 1682 document that established self-government in Pennsylvania?
Fundamental Orders
Charter of Liberties
Frame of Government
Mayflower Compact
William Penn's Frame of Government (1682) outlined the colony's legislative assembly, governor, and council, promoting democratic governance. It balanced proprietary authority with elected representation. The document helped shape Pennsylvania's tolerant society.
The Mason - Dixon Line settled a border dispute between which two colonies?
Maryland and Pennsylvania
Virginia and North Carolina
South Carolina and Georgia
New York and Massachusetts
Surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, the Mason - Dixon Line resolved the Maryland - Pennsylvania boundary. It later symbolized the cultural divide between North and South. The line clarified overlapping colonial land grants.
The Calvert family played a central role in founding which colony?
North Carolina
Georgia
Maryland
Virginia
Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, and his father George Calvert received the Maryland patent in 1632. They governed the colony as proprietors, promoting religious tolerance. The Calvert family maintained control until the American Revolution.
Which of these colonies did NOT establish the Anglican Church as its official church?
Virginia
Connecticut
South Carolina
Georgia
Connecticut's official church was the Congregational Church, not the Anglican Church. The colony's Puritan founders established congregational governance. Anglicanism was official in many Southern colonies, but not in New England.
Which colony was originally administered as part of Pennsylvania until gaining its own assembly in 1704?
Delaware
New York
Maryland
New Jersey
The Lower Counties on the Delaware River were part of William Penn's Pennsylvania colony until 1704. They elected their own assembly that year, eventually becoming Delaware. Shared governance had proved contentious between the regions.
Which colony used the headright system extensively to attract settlers by granting land?
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
Massachusetts
Virginia introduced the headright system in 1618, granting 50 acres per person brought to the colony to encourage settlement. Wealthy planters used it to amass large landholdings by sponsoring indentured servants. This system shaped Virginia's plantation economy.
Which colony saw its first European settlers arrive under a Swedish trading company in 1638?
Georgia
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New Jersey
Swedish settlers established Fort Christina on the Delaware River in 1638 under the New Sweden Company. This colony predated English control of the region, which was taken over in 1664. The Swedish influence remained visible in local place names.
In what year was the Province of Carolina officially chartered by King Charles II?
1632
1663
1681
1701
King Charles II issued the charter for the Province of Carolina in 1663, granting land from Virginia to Florida to eight Lords Proprietors. This charter outlined governance and land distribution in the colony. The Grand Model for Carolina's government followed from this grant.
Which colony was granted to eight Lords Proprietors in 1663, leading to the development of the Grand Model for its governance?
Pennsylvania
Carolina
Georgia
Maryland
The 1663 Carolina charter granted the territory to eight Lords Proprietors who commissioned the Grand Model from John Locke. It proposed a structured society with manorial holdings and religious toleration. Although never fully implemented, it shaped colonial governance.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify the 13 Original Colonies -

    By taking this 13 colonies quiz, you will be able to name all thirteen British settlements and recognize each colony's unique founding purpose.

  2. Recall Founding Dates -

    This quiz on the 13 colonies will help you remember key establishment years and link each colony to its historical timeline.

  3. Locate Colonial Regions -

    Through our thirteen colonies quiz, you'll accurately place each colony within New England, the Middle Colonies, or the Southern Colonies.

  4. Compare Regional Characteristics -

    Analyze differences in economy, governance, and society across the colonies and understand how geography shaped their development.

  5. Evaluate Personal Knowledge -

    Review your score on the 13 original colonies quiz to identify strengths and areas for further exploration in colonial history.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Cluster Chronology by Region -

    Study the colonies in three time-bound regions: New England (Massachusetts 1620, New Hampshire 1630, Connecticut 1636, Rhode Island 1636), Middle (Delaware 1638, New York & New Jersey 1664, Pennsylvania 1681), and Southern (Virginia 1607, Maryland 1634, North/South Carolina 1653/1663, Georgia 1733). This approach, recommended by the Smithsonian's Colonial Studies Center, reduces overload by grouping similar settlement waves. Quizzing yourself on each regional cluster simplifies memorization for a thirteen colonies quiz.

  2. Economic Foundations & Export Crops -

    Remember the Northern shipbuilding and trade focus, Middle "breadbasket" grain production, and Southern tobacco, rice, and indigo plantations (Library of Congress). A quick mnemonic: "Ships, Wheat, & Tobacco" maps directly to New England, Middle, and Southern colonies in a 13 colonies quiz. Visualizing a map while naming the dominant export reinforces economic differences.

  3. Founding Motives & Charter Sponsors -

    Match each colony to its motive and sponsor: e.g., Virginia Company for profit (Virginia), Puritan dissenters (Massachusetts Bay), Lord Baltimore's haven for Catholics (Maryland), and William Penn's Quaker refuge (Pennsylvania). University of Pennsylvania archives offer a handy matching chart that's great for quiz drills. Flashcards pairing colony, date, and sponsor can boost recall during a quiz on the 13 colonies.

  4. Key Colonial Documents & Dates -

    Learn the landmark documents: Mayflower Compact (1620), Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639), and Pennsylvania's Frame of Government (1682) (National Archives). A timeline chart helps you slot each document into the broader colonial narrative, aiding a thirteen colonies quiz. Quoting a phrase from each, like "just and equal laws" for Connecticut, anchors memory.

  5. Map Skills & Capital Locations -

    Practice drawing a blank Atlantic coast map and marking each colony's boundaries and capitals (Colonial Williamsburg Library). Spatial recall is key for "identify on map" questions in a 13 original colonies quiz. Labeling capitals like Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston under timed conditions builds speed and accuracy.

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