Colonies That Bordered the Virginia Colony
Virginia was the first of the original 13 colonies to be established, with the Jamestown settlement in 1607. Its official name was the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. In 1633, the colony of Maryland was established as Virginia's northern neighbor. Its southern border became the colony of North Carolina in 1653. Virginia was considered one of the Middle Colonies, as was Maryland. North Carolina marked the beginning of the region of colonies that came to be known as the Southern Colonies. Virginia had no bordering colony to the east because it runs all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, while the west region was Indian land during this period in history.
Other People Are Reading
-
Maryland in the North
-
Virginia's northern border was shared with Maryland after it was established in 1633. Lord Baltimore was the founder of Maryland. It was the first proprietary colony, which meant that Lord Baltimore became the proprietor. In proprietary colonies, the proprietor was allowed to set up laws and government as he wished. Tobacco was very successful for Maryland. Early Maryland was also known for religious tolerance. Settlers persecuted for their religious beliefs often chose Maryland as a safe haven.
Atlantic Ocean on the East
-
The colony of Virginia always ran all the way east to the Atlantic Ocean, so the colony of Virginia never had a bordering colony to the east. This was important to the colony because it gave it a connection to the sea, which was very important as so many things were imported from Europe. Being close to the ocean also gave Virginia a fishing industry, a valuable resource for food in colonial times.
-
Carolina to the South
-
Carolina was the southern bordering colony to Virginia. It was settled in 1653 by Virginians who received a charter from the King of England. Unrest in the colony would later lead to it being divided into two sections, which is why it is now referred to as North Carolina. The colony was most famous for its history, as the colony of Roanoke had been there before the Carolinians. The Roanoke colony was established in 1585, quite a while before Virginia. Its residents disappeared mysteriously sometime after that, and to this day no one has discovered what happened to them. If Roanoke had lived on, perhaps the Carolina colonies might have had a different name and heritage.
Native Tribes on the West
-
The western border of the Virginia colony was still occupied by Indians, or Native Americans, during the time of the 13 original colonies. This would continue on until the colonies expanded west. Virginia would eventually be bordered by the states of West Virginia and Kentucky. Kentucky was formed in 1774, just before the American Revolutionary War would sever the colonies' ties with Britain. West Virginia was formed at the beginning of the Civil War by seceding from Virginia.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
