Random Mode Keyboard shortcut: Command/Ctrl + Shift + R
thumbnail

The 13 Colonies Quiz

These were the colonies of Great Britain that became the 13 original states. Can you name them all in two minutes?
Quiz by CBTemple
Rate:
Last updated: October 8, 2019
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
First submittedApril 19, 2012
Times taken81,207
Average score84.6%
Rating4.97
2:00
Enter answer here
0
 / 13 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
Colony
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
Colony
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Colony
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virginia
+7
Level 28
Apr 20, 2012
Perfect score! Nice quiz :)
+1
Level 39
Mar 16, 2021
Nice quiz!!!
+1
Level 37
May 23, 2023
finished with 1:23 left
+42
Level 77
Nov 18, 2015
Fun Fact...Delaware...not a colony. Delaware was part of Pennsylvania until 1776 when it became our first state. It was officially known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" or the "Lower Counties" and was held as a separate deed from the Pennsylvania Deed, but still issued to William Penn as part of the Province of Pennsylvania. Both the Lower Counties and Pennsylvania shared a governor until statehood. Technically, there were twelve colonies, but we always learned of 13, only because the Lower Counties were the first to ratify the constitution thereby becoming the State of Delaware. It would have been awkward to have 12 colonies, and our first state not being one of them, so Delaware became a de facto colony after the fact.
+22
Level 77
Nov 18, 2015
Just to be clear...I am in no way advocating that we change the quiz. For all practical purposes, Delaware is an original colony. I just wanted to share something that I learned a while ago.
+17
Level 66
Feb 27, 2016
It's also noteworthy -- and explanatory to why Delaware has been consistently listed separately -- that Delaware had its own Assembly beginning in 1703. It was in practice separate, as evidenced by Delaware sending its own delegates to the Continental Congresses.

But yes, your point adds a fun "asterisk" to the traditional list of twelve!

+2
Level 61
Jul 3, 2016
Wow! Never knew!
+5
Level 66
Jan 1, 2019
Delaware didn't become a state in 1776. It was December of 1787 when DE, PA, and NJ were the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution
+1
Level 62
Jan 28, 2022
Delaware separated from Pennsylvania in 1776, declaring themselves completely separate from both Britain and Pennsylvania.
+1
Level 21
Apr 4, 2019
its called the original 13 states
+1
Level 51
Aug 31, 2020
Delaware's quarter says "The First State"
+1
Level 46
Sep 27, 2022
I think their license plates do, too, At least they did.
+1
Level 78
Mar 29, 2022
de facto post facto :)
+8
Level 31
Dec 20, 2015
I love how Connecticut and Massachusetts were the two that most quiz takers forgot. Those colonies played probably the most significant roles in early pre-US history, especially Massachusetts with the Mass. Bay Colony AND Plymouth.
+3
Level 84
Mar 1, 2016
Can't argue with Massachusetts. Why Connecticut? And, I think people in influential colonies like Virginia, and to somewhat lesser extents, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York would disagree.
+13
Level 81
Jun 4, 2016
spelling maybe
+2
Level 79
Jun 16, 2016
Connecticut was one of the first colonies established. The Quinnetukut (Connecticut) River was very helpful to the colonists, and they established Hartford, later becoming the whole Connecticut.
+1
Level 82
Jun 30, 2016
Virginia was the first.
+2
Level 88
Oct 9, 2018
In terms of early importance, which he is talking about, Connecticut was ahead of the later power house colonies.
+1
Level 82
Apr 4, 2019
Really? How important was Connecticut in 1607 when Virginia was first colonized (29 years before Connecticut)?
+5
Level 88
Apr 4, 2019
He didn't say earliEST, just regular old, non-superlative form of early colonies. For that matter, Maine had been explored and exploited for sending fish back to France and England since the late 1400s, whether the settlements were permanent or not.

For that matter, John Smith turned his attention to the more established fishing trade and exploration of Maine after your magical singular date of 1607 which is related to a settlement that didn't remain permanently either.

+1
Level 82
Apr 4, 2019
smh
+7
Level 56
Jun 30, 2016
They simply couldn't spell the long complicated names.
+2
Level 82
Jun 30, 2016
yeah... Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania were all much more important than Connecticut.
+1
Level 82
Jun 30, 2016
and probably Maryland (Baltimore harbor), too.
+2
Level 58
Jan 18, 2017
Well, let's think think about it. The first settlements were in North Carolina, Virginia and Massachusetts. However, North Carolina was the Roanoke Island mystery. Maryland didn't spark until way afterwards.
+1
Level 82
Jan 1, 2019
Without the success of Jamestown and Virginia's tobacco plantations there would have been no United States at all so I'd say that's pretty significant.

Also not incidentally home to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, James Madison and others. By 1770 the population of Virginia was 447k (not even including Kentucky which was also claimed by Virginia). The next closest colony was Pennsylvania with 240k. Connecticut had a piddly 183k.

There's also the fact that Washington DC was built just between Virginia and Maryland. That was not an accident.

and Maryland not sparking until way afterwards? Where do you get that from? Baltimore was already a major harbor by the time of the revolution and the de-facto capital of the United States at the end of 1776. The Battle of Baltimore in 1814 inspired the national anthem.

+2
Level 75
Apr 5, 2019
I'm sorry to say that until I read your comment I had never heard of George Mason. After looking him up, it seems he didn't get proper credit for his ideas, and the fact he refused to sign the Constitution probably didn't endear him to the writers of history. Thanks for including him.
+2
Level 53
Feb 8, 2022
yeah this is old, but why argue over virginia when now its like the least important state, connecticut and massachusetts are just misspelled don't argue over dumb stuff like that lmao
+1
Level 82
Sep 27, 2022
It's not really an argument. Virginia was the first of the 13 colonies and the most important in America's early (and perhaps entire) colonial history. These aren't unknown facts or a contentious point of view.

As to how important the state is now... is that relevant on a quiz about the 13 colonies? Though it's still got a lot more going on than Connecticut does. Don't see why this matters.

+1
Level 41
Apr 4, 2019
It's Georgia and New Hampshire now
+1
Level 34
Apr 21, 2020
Maybe because those are two of the most misspelled ones?
+3
Level 60
Mar 1, 2016
Cool quiz. Will help for my exam tomorrow
+2
Level 65
Jun 6, 2016
How old exactly are you to still be learning these?
+18
Level 47
Dec 2, 2016
How old exactly are you to be insulting people on a website?
+3
Level 58
Jan 18, 2017
^
+3
Level 88
Oct 9, 2018
Apparently in school. These are grade school questions. Every kid has internet.
+3
Level 66
Jul 2, 2019
How is it insulting to inquire about his age? I dont think it was meant as an insult, and if it was it failed. Because it just sounds like someone that is curious at what age these things are learned/tested in combination as to how early an age people are on this website.
+1
Level 82
Jun 30, 2016
It's really a test of "Can you list all the East Coast states in two minutes?" to which, I assume, the answer should be yes for just about everyone. No need to know anything about the Revolution or pre-US history.
+2
Level 88
Jun 30, 2016
Of course you need to know something about pre-US history and early US history for this quiz. Otherwise, how would you even know to start on the east coast? Also, not all east coast states are among the original colonies, so if it's too easy for you, try challenging yourself to get them all without typing an incorrect one.
+2
Level 60
Jun 30, 2016
But Vermont isn't one of the original 13 colonies :)
+2
Level 65
Jun 30, 2016
Florida was part of the Spanish Empire, Maine was part of Massachusetts, Vermont was part of New York, and New Hampshire isn't landlocked. New Hampshire was founded as a fishing colony.
+1
Level 84
Apr 5, 2019
BrosephStalin - Vermont was its own republic, and considered joining Quebec province. It held out and then after the war joined the US, mainly because of geography.
+2
Level 84
Apr 5, 2019
I bet a lot of people have Maine, Vermont, and Florida on their list of "13'
+1
Level 53
Feb 8, 2022
except for the florida men, and maine
+1
Level 71
Jun 30, 2016
TV Funhouse had a great mnemonic for memorizing these :-)
+2
Level 45
Jun 30, 2016
Go on then...
+1
Level 59
Jun 30, 2016
Interesting
+1
Level 15
Jun 30, 2016
12/13...couldnt spell massachuses
+2
Level 58
Jan 18, 2017
Here's some help. I went to Massachusetts the other day. It seemed so crowded, I mean, it is MASSive, with Boston and all that. Because of all that, my allergies acted up. Apparently, so did others. The most common noise was ACHoo. But we have to give an honorable mention to the noise of texters. I had to infer that people were lazy, they would always use the letter U instead of typing it out. There were so many SETs of people that I could see doing so. I had no words, I could only just TSk. Add it up. MASS+ACH+U+SET+TS = Massachusetts
+7
Level 66
Aug 24, 2018
sounds complicated.
+1
Level 88
Oct 9, 2018
2S, 1S, 2T
+1
Level 66
Jul 2, 2019
Based on yours: They was a MASS of sneezing people, ACHU. When playing double SETTS of tennis. (double for the double t)
+1
Level 66
Jul 2, 2019
@someone. That is of no help when you always try to make something like massachutes of it. (A mass of parachutes..)
+1
Level 53
Feb 8, 2022
all you need to do to remember is know spell mass+achu+setts
+1
Level 48
Jun 27, 2023
Just think of 2020
+1
Level 59
Dec 29, 2016
how the hell did i forget connecticut
+1
Level 89
Nov 25, 2022
I got that one last
+1
Level 31
Jan 1, 2017
only one I missed was Georgia
+1
Level 66
Apr 4, 2019
Theory as to why Georgia is the least guessed: There is such a wide alphabetical gap between Delaware and Maryland that the answer is not "prompted" as well as most of the others. And note that the incorrect (but not absurd) states that fit in this gap are Florida, Kentucky, and Maine.
+1
Level 21
Mar 9, 2017
couldnt remember how to spell massachusetts
+1
Level 17
Oct 10, 2018
Same here. Had to look it up.
+2
Level 55
Feb 20, 2018
Banged in no.13 Georgia as a sheer guess with one second on the clock come on you boys in green
+1
Level 23
Apr 12, 2018
respect.
+1
Level 88
Oct 9, 2018
Green Mountain Boys were the 14th state.
+6
Level 88
Oct 9, 2018
Now the 13 British Colonies are British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
+1
Level 63
Jan 8, 2019
"Massa, chu setts on de ground."
+1
Level 55
Jan 8, 2019
Very easy
+1
Level 26
Jan 9, 2019
This quiz should be included in the US badge, methinks.
+1
Level 66
Jul 2, 2019
Not a bad idea
+1
Level 85
Apr 4, 2019
+1
Level 24
Apr 4, 2019
cmon rhode island and new jersey!
+1
Level 18
Jun 8, 2020
Darn, Maryland and Virginia missed
+1
Level 37
Feb 14, 2022
My mind instantly went to Maine and Vermont🤣🤣🤣
+1
Level 67
Apr 18, 2022
I tried those just to be safe lol
+1
Level 67
Apr 18, 2022
41 seconds
+1
Level 20
May 16, 2022
I got it with 59 seconds left
+1
Level 70
Nov 25, 2022
The loser tonight has to keep James Corden!
+1
Level 30
Nov 25, 2022
Nice quiz forgot New Hmapshire at the last second
+1
Level 37
Nov 25, 2022
2 seconds left! Almost missed Georgia.
+1
Level 71
Dec 9, 2022
My thanks to the musical "1776" and the call for delegates' votes:

Mary-land? Mary-land says "Yea"

Massachusetts? Massachusetts says "Yea" ...

New York? New York abstains, courteously.

New York cracks me up every time. :)

+1
Level 26
Mar 23, 2023
I remember most of these thanks to Hamilton. Click boom