Grade 4 · The Colonial Period

The Thirteen Colonies: Colonial America Worksheet

Practice matching colonial founders, recalling key terms, and comparing colonial regions in this thirteen colonies review for Grade 4 students.

15 questions · Matching · Fill in the blank · Multiple choice · Short answer · Application

This worksheet introduces Grade 4 students to the thirteen colonies — who founded them, why they were established, and how geography shaped the way people lived. Students explore three colonial regions: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies, each with its own climate, economy, and way of life. The worksheet begins with matching, which tests recall of key founders and colony characteristics, then moves to fill-in-the-blank sentences that require students to remember important terms on their own. Multiple-choice questions add nuance with plausible answer choices. The final short-answer question asks students to compare two regions, building the reasoning skills they need for later study of the American Revolution. Pair this sheet with a regional map of the colonies for best results.

The Thirteen Colonies: Colonial America Worksheet — Grade 4

Answer each section about the thirteen colonies using what you have learned in class. Each section has its own directions.

Remember

The 13 colonies were divided into three regions: New England, Middle, and Southern.
Each colony was founded for different reasons, such as trade, religious freedom, or farming.
Geography shaped colonial life: New England had rocky soil, while the South had rich farmland.

Part A — Match each colonial founder or place to its description

Draw a line from each item in the left column to the correct description in the right column.

Choose from

A. founded Rhode Island for religious freedom
B. the last of the 13 colonies to be founded, in 1733
C. known for fishing, shipbuilding, and trade
D. founded Pennsylvania as a home for Quakers
E. the first permanent English settlement in America, in 1607

1.
William Penn
2.
Jamestown, Virginia
3.
New England colonies
4.
Roger Williams
5.
Georgia

Part B — Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase

Write the correct word or phrase on the line to complete each sentence.

6.
The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in the colony of ____ in 1620.
7.
Colonists in Virginia grew ____ as their most important cash crop.
8.
The Middle Colonies were called the 'breadbasket' because they grew large amounts of ____.
9.
Roger Williams founded Rhode Island so that colonists could have ____ freedom.
10.
In New England, colonial children often learned to read and write in a one-room ____.

Part C — Choose the best answer for each question

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

11.
Which region of the 13 colonies had the warmest climate and grew crops on large plantations?
1. A.New England colonies
2. B.Middle colonies
3. C.Southern colonies
4. D.Chesapeake colonies
12.
James Oglethorpe founded which colony in 1733?
1. A.Maryland
2. B.South Carolina
3. C.Georgia
4. D.North Carolina
13.
What was a typical task for children growing up in colonial New England?
1. A.Working on large tobacco plantations
2. B.Helping with fishing, farming, or household chores
3. C.Attending large city schools five days a week
4. D.Trading furs with Native peoples on the frontier
14.
Which crop was most important to the economy of colonial South Carolina?
1. A.Wheat
2. B.Tobacco
3. C.Rice
4. D.Cotton

Part D — Answer in your own words

Write one to two complete sentences to answer the question below, using what you have learned.

15.
How did daily life in the New England colonies differ from daily life in the Southern colonies? Give at least one example in your answer.

Answer key

Part A — Match each colonial founder or place to its description

1.founded Pennsylvania as a home for Quakers
2.the first permanent English settlement in America, in 1607
3.known for fishing, shipbuilding, and trade
4.founded Rhode Island for religious freedom
5.the last of the 13 colonies to be founded, in 1733

Part B — Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase

6.Massachusetts
7.tobacco
8.wheat
9.religious
10.schoolhouse

Part C — Choose the best answer for each question

11.Southern colonies
12.Georgia
13.Helping with fishing, farming, or household chores
14.Rice

Part D — Answer in your own words

15.Example: Life in New England was different from life in the Southern colonies. New England families worked in fishing, trade, and small farms because the soil was rocky and cold. In the Southern colonies, many people worked on large plantations growing crops like tobacco or rice, and enslaved Africans were forced to do much of that work.

What this sheet teaches

Identify the founders and reasons behind the establishment of key colonies.
Compare how the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies differed by region.
Explain how geography shaped daily life for colonists in different regions.

Notes for the adult

Students often think all colonists came for religious freedom; many came for trade, land, or economic opportunity.
Correct this by pointing out that Virginia was founded for profit in 1607, before most religious colonies were established.
A student is ready to move on when they can sort all 13 colonies by region and name one feature of each region.

The Thirteen Colonies: Colonial America Worksheet

The Thirteen Colonies: Colonial America Worksheet — Grade 4

Part A — Match each colonial founder or place to its description

Part B — Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase

Part C — Choose the best answer for each question

Part D — Answer in your own words

Part A — Match each colonial founder or place to its description

Part B — Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase

Part C — Choose the best answer for each question

Part D — Answer in your own words

What this sheet teaches

Notes for the adult

More like this

American Revolution: Causes and Effects Worksheet

Revolutionary War Battles Worksheet

Major US Rivers: Mississippi to Columbia