13 Colonies Regions - Mid-Atlantic (Middle) Colonies (2024)

Colonies

• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware

Climate and Geography

The Middle colonies spanned the Mid-Atlantic region of America and were temperate in climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains along the coastline, piedmont (rolling hills) in the middle, and mountains farther inland. This area had good coastal harbors for shipping. Climate and land were ideal for agriculture. These colonies were known as the "breadbasket" because of the large amounts of barley, wheat, oats, and rye that were grown here.

Religion

Religion in the Middle Colonies was varied as no single religion seemed to dominate the entire region. Religious tolerance attracted immigrants from a wide-range of foreign countries who practiced many different religions. Quakers, Catholics, Jews, Lutherans and Presbyterians were among those religious groups that had significant numbers in the middle colonies.

Economy

The Middle Colonies enjoyed a successful and diverse economy. Largely agricultural, farms in this region grew numerous kinds of crops, most notably grains and oats. Logging, shipbuilding, textiles production, and papermaking were also important in the Middle Colonies. Big cities such as Philadelphia and New York were major shipping hubs, and craftsmen such as blacksmiths, silversmiths, cobblers, wheelwrights, wigmakers, milliners, and others contributed to the economies of such cities.

13 Colonies Regions

• New England Colonies
• Middle (Mid-Atlantic) Colonies
• Southern Colonies

13 Colonies Regions Articles

• 13 Colonies Printable Blank Map
• Life in Puritan Massachusetts
• Who were the Quakers?
• Tobacco in the Southern Colonies
• History of Cotton in America
• Indigo in the South Carolina Colony
• Highlights of a Colonial Town: Williamsburg

13 Colonies Online Activities

• New England Colonies Correct-me Passage
• Middle Colonies Correct-me Passage
• Southern Colonies Correct-me Passage
• 13 Colonies Regions Categorization (by colony)
• 13 Colonies Regions Categorization (by fact)

13 Colonies Regions Reading Comprehension (Online and Printable)

• Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• Who were the Quakers? Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Who were the Quakers? Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• Tobacco in the Southern Colonies Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Tobacco in the Southern Colonies Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• History of Cotton Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• History of Cotton Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feedback and Score Report)
• Religion in the 13 Colonies Compare and Contrast Reading Comprehension and Critical Thought Questions (Printable)