Exploration & Colonization — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The House of Burgesses in Virginia was the first elected assembly in the colonies.
The House of Burgesses (1619) gave Virginia colonists a voice in government, making it the first elected lawmaking body in English North America.
2. Roger Williams founded Rhode Island after being banished from Massachusetts.
Roger Williams was expelled from Massachusetts for demanding separation of church and state, so he founded Rhode Island as a colony with full religious freedom.
3. The colony of Maryland was founded as a safe place for Catholics.
Lord Baltimore founded Maryland in 1634 so Catholics could worship freely, since they faced discrimination in England and in other colonies.
4. James Oglethorpe founded Georgia as a colony for people released from prison.
Oglethorpe wanted to give debtors who had been jailed in England a fresh start, so he established Georgia in 1733 as a colony where they could rebuild their lives.
5. A royal charter gave colonists official permission from the king to settle land.
A royal charter was an official document from the king granting permission to establish a colony, outlining the boundaries and rights of the settlers.
6. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was an early written constitution in the colonies.
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) is considered one of the first written constitutions in history, setting up a government elected by the people.
7. William Penn believed in treating Native Americans fairly and paying for their land.
Unlike many colonists who took land by force, William Penn negotiated treaties with the Lenape people and paid them for the land that became Pennsylvania.
8. John Smith's rule of "no work, no food" helped save Jamestown from collapse.
Many early Jamestown settlers refused to farm or build shelters, so Captain John Smith enforced a rule that anyone who did not work would not eat, which pushed the colony to survive.
9. Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts for challenging church leaders.
Anne Hutchinson held Bible study meetings where she publicly disagreed with Puritan ministers, which the Massachusetts colony considered a threat to its strict religious order.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each colony to the person or group who founded it.
Pennsylvania
→ William Penn
Puritans
Georgia
→ James Oglethorpe
Lord Baltimore
Massachusetts
→ Puritans
James Oglethorpe
Maryland
→ Lord Baltimore
William Penn
Correct matches: Pennsylvania → William Penn; Georgia → James Oglethorpe; Massachusetts → Puritans; Maryland → Lord Baltimore.