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Why 13 Colonies? 3863 Views
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Description:
Why were there thirteen colonies? This video digs into this question and discusses the different groups that founded colonies—religious zealots like the Puritans, the Pilgrims, and the Quakers and rich investors and English companies. It also explains the groups that the thirteen colonies were divided into: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies.
Transcript
- 00:08
Why 13 colonies? What's so special about a baker's dozen?
- 00:12
Well, there are 10 commandments.
- 00:18
A football team sends 11 players out onto the field at one time.
- 00:23
There are 12 days of Christmas.
- 00:26
And there were 13 original colonies. But why? Was there some significance to the
Full Transcript
- 00:32
number, or were the colonists just tempting fate?
- 00:37
Why not just sign the papers underneath a ladder
- 00:39
in the presence of a black cat while they were at it?
- 00:45
Let's take a look at the major players.
- 00:49
Who founded these colonies in the first place?
- 00:54
Well, it was a mix of really religious guys...
- 00:56
... and really rich guys. We'll start with the really religious guys.
- 01:01
Four of the colonies were founded by the Puritans, the Pilgrims, the Quakers,
- 01:07
and the Candlestick Makers.
- 01:08
Okay, scratch the candlestick makers.
- 01:12
The other nine colonies were founded by the really rich guys.
- 01:16
A mix of wealthy investors and English companies that wanted a piece of the New World.
- 01:22
We always find that stuff is easier to remember in the form of a song, so here goes.
- 01:27
Please don't judge -- I never made it past the first round on The Voice...
- 01:36
Here's a story...
- 01:37
...of some religious zealots...
- 01:38
...who established four colonies of their own.
- 01:42
Each of them had strong beliefs...
- 01:45
...like back home...
- 01:48
...but they were not alone. It's the story...
- 01:50
...of some really rich guys...
- 01:52
...who were itching to make bucks overseas.
- 01:56
Nine British colonies...
- 01:58
...they then added...
- 01:59
...and we were left with these: The thirteen colonies...
- 02:05
...the thirteen colonies.
- 02:07
That's the way... they became the thirteen colonies!
- 02:14
We hope that little ditty helped.
- 02:18
Even if it didn't, at least you now have something new to download from iTunes.
- 02:22
Anyway, once the thirteen colonies were established...
- 02:24
...they were informally divided into New England...
- 02:27
...the middle colonies...
- 02:28
...and the southern colonies.
- 02:31
For a while at least, all of these colonies were loyal to British rule...
- 02:36
...but they were starting to form government systems of their own...
- 02:40
...and one day, England would regret that they hadn't kept the colonists on a
- 02:44
tighter leash, or been more liberal in sharing the spoils.
- 02:52
So in the end, there was nothing all that unlucky about the number 13 -- not for the colonists, anyway.
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