The New England Colonies — Reading Comprehension

The New England Colonies began when groups of people left England to find a new home in America. In 1620, the Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on a ship called the Mayflower. They wanted freedom to follow their own religion. The Pilgrims landed at a place called Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts.

Life was hard for the Pilgrims. The first winter was very cold, and many people became sick. The Native Americans, like Squanto, helped the Pilgrims learn how to plant corn and catch fish. With this help, the Pilgrims survived and started to build their own town.

In 1621, the Pilgrims made a peace treaty with the Wampanoag tribe. They gave thanks for their first harvest with a feast. This event is known as the first Thanksgiving.

Other groups soon followed the Pilgrims. The Puritans came to Massachusetts Bay in 1630. They wanted to build a community based on their beliefs. Puritan leaders wrote rules to help everyone work together. They built towns with churches, schools, and meeting houses.

The New England Colonies included Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Each colony had its own government and leaders. People in these colonies worked hard. They farmed, fished, and traded goods. They helped each other to solve problems and build strong communities.

The ideas of self-government and working together were important in the New England Colonies. In the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrims wrote, "We... combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick." This idea helped shape future American government.

Interesting Fact: The first public school in America was started in the New England Colonies in 1635!

Who sailed on the Mayflower?

Where did the Pilgrims land?

Who helped the Pilgrims survive?

Why did the Pilgrims leave England?

What was the first Thanksgiving?

How did Puritans shape their communities?

The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules. True or false?

What does 'colony' mean?