session 2: from old england to new...

www.vitalcommunities.org/valleyquest | Copyright 2015

1

Session 2: From Old England to New England

Focusing Questions: When and why did colonists leave England for

New England? Where did they settle?

Overview: In this lesson, students learn - in broad strokes - when and

why colonists left England for the New England colonies. Students ‘travel’ across the Atlantic in families: to different places, at different

times, and for a variety of reasons. Using maps, students locate English place names: first in England, then across the Atlantic in New England.

Topical understandings: - The colonization of New England - English place names

- Re-naming the New England landscape

Materials o New England Colony slips (Handout A)

o Colonization date slips (Handout A) o Purpose for leaving slips (Handout A)

o English towns (provided as Handout B); or http://maps.google.com/?mid=1293811969

(One copy per student on 11 x 17 paper) / Adapt for your part of the state and CT towns (Handout C)

o Connecticut towns (Handout D) or

http://www.ct.gov/ecd/LIB/ecd/20/14/townmap.pdfr (One copy per student on 11 x 17 paper) OR Massachusetts

towns (Handout E) http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cispdf/ma_counties.pdf

o Colored pencils or crayons o Masking tape

Length: One 40 - 55 minute lesson

http://maps.google.com/?mid=1293811969

http://www.ct.gov/ecd/LIB/ecd/20/14/townmap.pdfr

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cispdf/ma_counties.pdf


2

Procedures

A. Introductory Conversation 1. Why might people move from one place to another?

2. Discuss the general definition of colonization

Colonization: the act of colonizing Colonizing: to establish a colony

Colony: a body of people living in a new territory but retaining ties with the parent state

B. Acting Out Colonization 1. On the classroom floor, a simplified map of the Atlantic

basin is constructed using masking tape (with England to

the east, New England to the west, the Atlantic Ocean in between).

2. Students sit on one side of the room, in England.

3. The population is growing; the countryside is becoming deforested; there is little economic, social or religious

mobility. 4. Small groups - representing families-receive (handout A)

a date to leave, a place to go, and

a reason for leaving. 5. One by one, families cross from old England to New

England, stating where they’re going, when they went, and why they went

6. On the far shore students, one at a time, declare their colony – this place and on this date – a NEW colony of

ENGLAND in the name of GOD and the KING.

C. Reflective Discussion 1. Reflect again on the definitions of colonization.

2. Do these definitions accurately depict this act? 3. Why do you think people colonize other places?

4. Is colonization a peaceful process? Yes or no? Why or why not?


3

D. New England in Old England – Adapt for YOUR cluster of

towns 1. Pass out worksheet – Map of England

Let’s take a look at where the colonists came from. 2. Have students label the map “NEW ENGLAND IN OLD

ENGLAND” Look. Do some of these names seem familiar? 3. Next, have them mark the four directions on the map:

NORTH at the top, SOUTH at the bottom, WEST left, and

EAST right. 4. In the southeast corner of England find LONDON and

color it YELLOW. 5. North of London – along the coast search for NORWICH

and color it BLUE. 6. Southwest of Norwich find THETFORD and color it

PURPLE. 7. Southwest of Thetford, find ENFIELD. Color it ORANGE.

8. Follow the coastline moving south and then west from London. Can you find LYME and color it BROWN?

9. Between Lyme and London look for WINDSOR and color it RED.

10. Further north find HARTFORD and color it PINK.

E. Reflective Discussions Most of these towns and cities were founded between the years 1000 –

1200 AD, five hundred years before English Colonists traveled to and colonized New England. Some of these are originally “native” place

names - indicating specific natural settings. Can you decode the language of one or more of these place names?

“Thet” = a river in England; “ford” = river crossing “Nor” = abbreviation for north; “wich” = a village

“En” = short for end; “field” is self-explanatory

E. Now let’s look how colonists tried to replicate Old

England in New England 1. Pass out a map of Connecticut towns

2. Label the map: COLONIZATION IN CONNECTICUT (OR MASSACHUSETTS if you are in a “MA town”)

3. Begin by labeling the four directions on the map of Connecticut: write NORTH at the top of the map, SOUTH

at the bottom, WEST to the left of the map, and EAST to the right.

4. Connecticut was colonized in 1636. You can see the Abenaki heritage in the name Connecticut, meaning “long


4

tidal river;” as well as the transition of “old” England into

New England in the transparent naming of ‘New London.’ Find NEW LONDON on the jagged southern coastline and

color that city YELLOW. 5. Upstream from New London search for NORWICH,

Connecticut and color that town in BLUE. 6. Two towns west of Norwich find LEBANON, Connecticut

and color it PURPLE. 7. Northeast of Norwich can you find PLAINFIELD,

Connecticut? Color it ORANGE. 8. Follow the coastline west from New London. Can you find

LYME, Connecticut and color it BROWN? 9. Now try to place your fingertip in the center of the state

of Connecticut. Can you find Wethersfield, Hartford and Windsor all in a row? Color WEATHERSFIELD in GREEN.

10. Now color HARTFORD in PINK…

11. And finally, color WINDSOR in RED.

F. Reflective discussions: How did the colonists name their ‘new ‘communities? Why do you think they named them in this fashion?

Some names were clearly for places…New London from London Others were named for powerful people...

Bennington, VT from Governor Benning Wentworth; OR Or to honor / receive favor from the landed gentry / nobility…

Thetford, from the Viscount of Thetford Orford, from the Earl of Orford

How did the colonial way of naming differ from the way natives named places? And why?

www.vitalcommunities.com/valleyquest | Copyright 2015

1

Session 2: Assessment Rubric From Old England to New England

Beginning 1

Developing 2

Accomplished 3

Exemplary 4 Score

Group work Participation

Student made little effort to

participate in “Crossing

from England” activity.

Student participated

in the “Crossing” activity.

Student actively

participated – and

understands ONE when, where and

why.

Student

worked well with group, understands

TWO (or more) when, where and

whys.

Discussion / Analysis

Student was unfocused in

group discussions,

distracted, or distracting to

others

Student was following

discussions, but not active in

responding to or asking questions.

Student was engaged in

group discussions,

and asked OR answered questions

Student was actively

engaged in the group discussion:

BOTH asking and answering

questions

Map / Product

Student did not make an

effort to complete the

map work according to instructions

Student followed

directions and

completed the map activity

Developing, PLUS student understands

the movement

from UK to CT

Accomplished, PLUS students

understand motivation(s)

and chronology

Content / Mastery

Student cannot name Upper Valley towns found in England

(or Connecticut).

Student can name two or three towns common to UK, CT and

the UV

Student can name more than four

towns common to the UK, CT

and UV

Accomplished, PLUS the

student knows geophysical locations,

chronology plus

motivations for

colonization


1

Session 2: Handout A

WHERE & WHEN WE GO -----------------------------------

Connecticut 1639 ----------------------------------- Rhode Island 1636

----------------------------------- New Hampshire 1623 -----------------------------------

Massachusetts 1620 ----------------------------------- New York 1626

----------------------------------- Maine 1607 -----------------------------------


2

WHY WE GO -------------------------------------

FISH ------------------------------------- TREES

-------------------------------------

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

------------------------------------- TO OWN LAND

-------------------------------------

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

------------------------------------- A FRESH START

-------------------------------------


1

Session 2: Handout B


1

Session 2: Handout C

Connecticut Towns

Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development 1996

Bridgeport

Hartford

New Haven

Stamford

Waterbury

Andover

Ansonia

Ashford

Avon

Barkhamsted

BeaconFalls

Berlin

Bethany

Bethel

Bethlehem

Bloomfield

Bolton

Bozrah

Branford

Bridgewater

Bristol

Brookfield

Brooklyn

Burlington

Canaan

Canterbury

Canton

Chaplin

Cheshire

Chester

Clinton

Colchester

Colebrook

Columbia

Cornwall

Coventry

Cromwell

Danbury

Darien

Deep River

Derby

Durham

East Granby

East Haddam

EastHampton

EastHartford

East Haven

EastLyme

EastWindsor

Eastford

Easton

Ellington

Enfield

Essex

Fairfield

Farmington

Franklin

Glastonbury

Goshen

Granby

Greenwich

Griswold

Groton

Guilford

Haddam

Hamden

Hampton

Hartland

Harwinton

Hebron

Kent

Killingly

Killingworth

Lebanon

Ledyard

Lisbon

Litchfield

Lyme

Madison

ManchesterMansfield

Marlborough

MeridenMiddlebury

Middlefield

Middletown

Milford

Monroe

Montville

Morris

Naugatuck

NewBritain

NewCanaan

NewFairfield

NewHartford

NewLondon

NewMilford

Newington

Newtown

Norfolk

NorthBranford

NorthCanaan

NorthHaven

North Stonington

Norwalk

Norwich

Old Lyme

Old Saybrook

Orange

Oxford

Plainfield

Plainville

Plymouth

Pomfret

Portland

PrestonProspect

Putnam

ReddingRidgefield

RockyHill

Roxbury

Salem

Salisbury

Scotland

Seymour

Sharon

Shelton

Sherman

Simsbury

Somers

South Windsor

Southbury

SouthingtonSprague

Stafford

Sterling

Stonington

Stratford

Suffield

Thomaston

Thompson

Tolland

Torrington

Trumbull

Union

Vernon

Voluntown

Wallingford

Warren

Washington

Waterford

Watertown

WestHartford

WestHaven

Westbrook

Weston

Westport

Wethersfield

Willington

Wilton

Winchester

Windham

Windsor

Windsor Locks

Wolcott

Woodbridge

Woodbury

Woodstock

Wrentham

Fairhaven

West

Bridgew

ater

EVERETTBelmont

SOMERVILLE

Chilmark

West Tisbury

Provincetown

Truro

Well eet

Eastham

Orleans

ChathamHarwich

BrewsterDennis

YarmouthBARNSTABLE*

Sandwich

Mashpee

Bourne

Falmouth

Oak Blu s

Tisbury

Nantucket*

Scituate

Marsh eld

Norwell

Duxbury

Kingston

Plymouth*

Hanover

Rockland

BROCKTON*

Abington

Whitman

Avon Holbroo

k

Hingha

m

Cohasset

Hull

QUINCY

Adams

Becket

Cheshire

Clarksburg

Florida

Great

Hinsdale

Lee

Lenox

Monterey

New

NORTHADAMS

Otis

PeruPITTSFIELD*

Sandis eld

Savoy

She eld

Washington

Windsor

Buckland

Ash eld

Charlemont

Colrain

Conway

ErvingGill

Hawley

HeathLeyden

Monroe

Montague

North eld

Orange

Rowe

Shelburne

Warwick

Whately

Blandford

Chester

Granville

HO

LYO

KE

Southwick

Tolland

WES

TFIE

LDBelchertown

Chester eld

CummingtonGoshen

Granby

Hat

eld Pelham

Plain eld

AshbyTownsend

Ashburnham

Athol

Barre

GARDNER

Hardwick

Hubbardston

LEOMINSTER

NewOakham

Petersham

Royalston

Templeton

Westminster

Winchendon

Willi

amsto

wn

NewAshford

Lanesborough

Han

cock

Worthington

Deereld

Sund

erlan

d

Will

iamsb

urg

Leve

rett

Amhe

rst

Hun

tingt

on

EAST

-H

AMPT

ON

Mou

ntW

ashi

ngto

nEg

rem

ont

Wes

tham

pton

Stoc

kbrid

ge

Wes

tSt

ockb

ridge

WEST

SPRINGFIELD

Southampton

Montgomery

Russell

TyringhamAlfo

rd

Marlborough

Barrington

Richmon

d

GREENFIELD*

Shut

esbur

y

Bern

ardsto

n

New

Sale

m

FITC

HBU

RG*

Brook eld

NorthBrook eld

West

Phillipston

Braintree

Wendell

Dalt

on

Middle eld

Hampd

en

Ware

PalmerWarren

MonsonBrim eld

Wales

Hollan

d Sturb

ridge

Spencer

Broo

keld Ea

stBr

ook

eld

Charlton

Dudley

Web

ster

SOUTHBRID

GE

Douglas

Oxford

Leicester

AuburnMillbury

Sutton

Ludlow

Wilb

raham

SPRIN

GFIELD

*CHICOPEE

AGAWAM

NORTHAMPTON*

South Hadley

Longmeadow

East Longmeadow

Uxbridge

Mendon

Milford

Blackstone

Belli

ngha

m

Mill

ville

Hopedale

Hadley

Princeton

Rutland

Paxton

Holden

Sterling

Lanc

aster

Wes

tBo

ylsto

n

Boylsto

n

Clinton

WORCESTER*

Shrewsbury

Northborough

Berlin

Westborough

Grafton

Upton

Hopkinton

Northbridge

Holliston

Medway

FRAN

KLIN

Plainville

North

Attleborough

Mans eld

ATTLEBORO

Seek

onk

Swansea

Somers

et

FALL RIVER*

Westport

Dartmouth

NEWTON

Dover

Sherborn

Millis

Norfolk Sharon

Norton

Rehoboth Dighton Berkley

Freetown

East Bridgewater

BridgewaterHalifax

Rochester Wareham

Lakeville

MiddleboroughCarver

Plympton

Easton

Brooklin

e

Wellesley

Pembr

oke

Han

son

Raynham

Foxborough

Mattapoisett

NEW

BEDFO

RD*

Acushnet Mar

ion

Littleton

Ayer

Groton

Harvard

Acton

Westford

Boxborough

Concord

Carlisle

Billerica

Tewksbury

Chelmsford

LOWELL*Andover

METHUEN

Dracut

LAWRENCE*

Dunstable

TyngsboroughPepperell

Way

land

Sudbury

MARLBOROUGH

Southborough

Hudson

StowBolton

Shirl

ey

Lincoln

May

nard

Ashland

Lunenburg

TAUNTON*

Canton

Dedham*

Med

eld

Milton

Needham

Norwood

Walpole

Westwood

Stou

ghto

n

Randolph

BOSTON*

WOBURNLexington

Wes

ton

Winchester St

oneh

am Wak

eeld

MEDFORD

ArlingtonWALTHAM

WATERTOWN

CAMBRIDGE*

REVERE

MALDEN

MELROSE

Framingham

Natick

Winthrop

AMES

BURY

BEVERLY

Boxford

Danvers

EssexGLOUCESTER

Hamilton

HAVERHILL

Ipswich

LYNN

Manchesterby-the-Sea

Marblehead

Merrimac

Nahant

NewburyNEWBURYPORT*

PEABODY

Rockport

Rowley

SALE

M*

Salisbury

Saugus Swampscott

Wenham

WestNewbury

Bedford

North Reading

Middleton

Tops eld

GeorgetownGroveland

Wilm

ingt

on

Lynneld

Bur

lingt

on Read

ing

North

Andover

Edgartown*

Aquinnah

CHELSEA

Gosnold

Bern

ards

ton

WEY

MO

UTH

BRAI

NTRE

E

William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the CommonwealthCitizen Information Service(617) 727-7030 • 1-800-392-6090 (in Massachusetts only) • TTY: (617) 878-3889 • www.sec.state.ma.us/cis

NantucketSound

Buzzards B

ay

Cape Cod Bay

Massachusetts Bay

Martha’s Vineyard

Cities are in capital letters. * indicates County Seat.

ere are 14 Counties, with 50 cities and 301 towns.

ere are twelve communities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government, though they wish to be known as “e Town of”. ey are: AGAWAM, AMESBURY, BARNSTABLE, BRAINTREE, EASTHAMPTON, FRANKLIN, GREENFIELD, METHUEN, SOUTHBRIDGE, WATERTOWN, WEST SPRINGFIELD, and WEYMOUTH. ey are in Italics.

e geographic center of Massachusetts is the Town of Rutland, Worcester County.

Oldest Town: Plymouth - 1620Oldest City: Boston - 1820Newest Town: East Brook eld - 1920Newest City: BRAINTREE - 2007Smallest by population: Town of Gosnold - 86, City of North Adams - 14,681Largest by population: Town of Framingham - 66,910, City of Boston - 589,141

Updated 3/11/08

N

MASSACHUSETTS COUNTIES

Franklin

Hampshire Hampden

EssexWorcester

Dukes

Bristol

Middlesex

SuffolkNorfolk

Berkshire

Nantucket

Plymouth

Barnstable

session 2: from old england to new...

Documents