There is something special about bringing music into the classroom. From the moment the music turns on, students are engaged, excited, and eager to learn. From playing quiet music in the background during work time to singing a song together as a class, music can bring renewed energy into the classroom. In fact, according to Donna Stoering, “It’s the music itself that puts the meaning of words way down deep; much deeper than if there was no sound in them at all.”
Sometimes, there is nothing better than using a song to teach a concept to our students! Below, I have compiled a list of the best 13 Colonies songs for kids.
1. Start It Up! (13 Colonies)
Concept the Song is Teaching:
This song lists the names of the 13 colonies, emphasizing that these colonies were the beginning of the United States of America.
Note: The video linked above is a student sing-a-long version with the background music and lyrics. Please see the example videos below to hear how the melody is supposed to sound!
Activity Ideas:
This song would be a super fun introduction to your 13 Colonies unit. Practice singing it regularly throughout your unit. Then follow along with the Start It Up! trend and make a fun music video of your class singing the song! Here are a few examples:
Song Lyrics:
Start it up!
Start it up!
Up!
13 Colonies
The start of America, the 13 Colonies
Start it up!
Start it up!
Up!
13 Colonies
A place ruled by another country
Start it up!
Start it up!
Up!
13 Colonies
The start of America, the 13 Colonies
Start it up!
Start it up!
Up!
13 Colonies
A place ruled by another country
Delaware
New Hampshire
And Maryland
Connecticut
New Jersey
And Rhode Island
North and South Carolinas
Calling all the debtors down to Georgia
Massachusetts
And New York
Pennsylvania
And Virginia
Those are the names of the colonies
That’s what started our country
Start it up!
Start it up!
Start it up!
UP!
2. Flocabulary’s History of Colonial America
Concept the Song is Teaching:
In this rap-style video, Flocabulary describes major characteristics of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Including geography, education, religion, economy, social patterns, and enslavement of African Americans.
Activity Ideas:
Give students a graphic organizer on which they write down the main characteristics they learn about the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Focus on the following topics: Where did they come from? Why did they come? What was life like there?
Flocabulary also has complete lesson plans and activities to go along with this song. You can check them out here. *You have to create an account or start a free trial to access them.
Song Lyrics:
Now, let’s start in the Northeast.
Look, and you’ll see the New England colonies:
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine
New Hampshire and Massachusetts, people came
Mainly from England for religious freedom,
To practice their religion the way they needed.
But to raise a family and try to feed them
Could prove to be difficult, and for a few reasons.
The soil was rocky, the climate: cold.
They could barely grow more food than their bellies could hold.
So, to make money, they whaled and fished,
And from all the lumber there, they built ships.
And since they needed to trade,
Boston became a port city, that’s how they got paid.
Aye, in New England they had town meetings
In the meetinghouse, that’s where people found seating.
The men discussed the issues of the town,
And the meetinghouse is where church services went down.
Now, religion was a major inspiration,
And it was integrated in kids’ education.
Lastly, for black people living in New England,
Some lived free, but they were treated different.
And even worse, many were enslaved,
Doing skilled jobs or housework for no pay.
I’ve got something y’all will want to see,
Follow me through the 13 colonies.
New England, the Middle and Southern,
And each region shared traits you’ll discover.
Some came for freedom of religion,
Some came to get money and make a living.
Others were forced here to work as slaves.
The 13 colonies became 13 states.
Now, in the Middle colonies there are
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Yeah, and they were the most diverse,
Home to German, French, Irish, Dutch, the works.
And it hurts when we mention blacks,
Some were free, some were slave laborers breaking their backs.
And the climate was more mild.
It was wild, the wheat and many grains stockpiled.
Plus they had factories supplying
The people with paper, textiles and iron.
And big cities like New York and Philly
Had merchants and artisans of all kinds, really.
Now, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina
And Georgia: the Southern colonies, where you’ll find a
Climate that’s much warmer than up north.
And, with rich soil, they grew crops of all sorts.
So, of course in the Southern colonies,
Plantations were the base of their economy.
Large farms where cash crops were produced,
Like cotton, rice and tobacco, and they used
The labor of African slaves who were taken
From their home countries and forced on the plantation.
They were beaten and treated as less than human,
Though the work slaves did kept the economy moving.
See, slavery was critical to plantations,
But the harm it caused wasn’t part of the equation.
That history cuts deep, but peep before we skate,
The 13 colonies became 13 states.
I’ve got something y’all will want to see,
Follow me through the 13 colonies.
New England, the Middle and Southern,
And each region shared traits you’ll discover.
Some came for freedom of religion,
Some came to get money and make a living.
Others were forced here to work as slaves.
The 13 colonies became 13 states.
3. 13 Colonies – A Maroon 5 Sugar Parody
Concept the Song is Teaching:
This short and simple song will help your students remember the names of the 13 colonies – and the order in which the colonies were founded!
Activity Ideas:
This song would be great used as an introduction or review to your unit! You could also pair this song with my free 13 Colonies Timeline Activity by having students point out each colony on the timeline as they sing about it.
Song Lyrics:
Before the US, there were thirteen
Thirteen original first colonies
After Jamestown, 1607
There was a voyage of pilgrims on the Mayflower
They all wanted religious freedom
So they signed the Mayflower Compact
The second colony
Discovery!
For reasons like trading, farming
They started to sail where we are
And started our first colonies
Virginia, the first
Massachusetts Bay colony
Maryland, Connecticut
1634 and 36
Yeah, Rhode Island was then founded before New York
New Jersey followed by New Hampshire
Pennsylvania, Delaware
North, South Carolina, Georgia
4. U.S. History – The English Colonies Song by Mr. Nicky
Concept the Song is Teaching:
This song explains why each of the 13 Colonies was founded and describes the economy, religions, and governing bodies. Giving specific examples and names of prominent people, this song is rich with historical facts!
Activity Ideas:
This song is packed full of names, facts, and moments in the history of the U.S. Colonies. It would be best used as a review after all of this information has been taught to your students. Have your students fill out an “Active Listening Guide” graphic organizer. For example:
- Before Listening: Students write down something they know, something they wonder about, and something they predict.
- During Listening: Students take notes on keywords, concepts, names, vocabulary, etc.
- After Listening: Students reflect on the things they learned and extend their learning further (ex. Discussing things they didn’t quite understand, researching topics further)
*Because this song is so full of information, I recommend having your students listen to it several times.
Song Lyrics:
Georgia, 13th colony, we take the heat from Spanish Florida
Instead of debtors’ prison, just leave England and come join us
I banned slaves, but these plantation owners will exploit them
Cashing crops they sow, like rice and indigo
Our Southern region’s rural economy runs on slave labor
This transatlantic human trade is immoral
Taking shape there are triangular routes shipping raw materials to Britain
We constantly enrich them, that’s the point of mercantilism
The motherland is finishing goods and exporting them
making up trade laws, be careful enforcing them
We have rights to defend as Englishmen
Kings rule with consent of elected Parliament
So you’d better give our colonies a voice in government
though we say voting is a right for white male landowners
not indentured servants, serve until your term is over
Some rebel, like Bacon’s men, against royal governors’ orders
We’ve formed legislatures to assemble and support us
As Virginia has shown, its House of Burgesses is drafting laws
and the assembly in Maryland helped out the Catholic cause
Their Toleration Act was first to enact the clause
“the free exercise” of faith (if it’s in Christ)
to prosper under their Lord Proprietor
Like William Penn’s “holy experiment” to found a colony on equality
hoping his Quaker friends are safe there
got the land because King Charles (II) owed his dad money
Europeans from various countries made a home in
Penn’s “Sylvania,” where there is brotherly love in Philadelphia
That port city is booming like New York’s is
with shops and docks and wagon carts with grain brought for exporting
but New York farmers can’t afford the rent, the land is awarded
to royal favorites, or it’s held by Dutch patroons remembering
back when the colony was owned by the Netherlands
Now there is New Jersey, it went to James’ wealthy friends
It’s a good thing that these Middle Colonies
easily tolerate a wide array of faiths
because in England, once you separate from the Anglicans
you can run to Holland, then you’re a pilgrim floating
to the New World on the Mayflower, sign the compact holding
you all to just and equal laws, self-government is unfolding
Establish Plymouth through the winter, if you live you’re throwing
a thankful harvest feast, then Puritan families
will follow suit to Massachusetts Bay, a great migration
pursues John Winthrop’s vision with religious legislation
saying education is vital for your Bible reading
Make sure you’re not a Sabbath breaker
You’d dissent like Roger Williams did
He said the church can’t enforce worship, they banished him
started Rhode Island running like Anne Hutchinson
Her preaching aggrieves the male authorities
Intolerant beliefs enable tragedies, like witch trial horrors
in Salem, and continual wars with Indians along the borders
although just governing is written in the Fundamental Orders
of Connecticut, as powers of the monarchs get brushed over
they’ll start to revoke your charters, hide them in iconic trees
Break their Dominion of New England Colonies
You’re too resourceful for these inequalities
You’ve clearly forsaken God, let a Great Awakening revive
and liberate your minds, it’s glorious!
5. Mr. Bett’s Class – 13 Colonies Song
Concept the Song is Teaching:
This hilarious parody of Queen’s Somebody to Love teaches about the reasons why colonists moved to the New World.
Activity Ideas:
This would be a great review song for your 13 Colonies unit. As a fun extension activity for this song, have your students write their own verse about a particular colony! In their verse, they must teach about the colony’s economy, government, etc.
Song Lyrics:
Thirteen British Colonies in the New World
Ooh, the first colonists were down in Jamestown
For the Virginia Company
(Then the Pilgrims) Then the Pilgrims followed and made
The Plymouth Colony
(Ooh) Later absorbed into Massachusetts
New Hampshire starts in ‘23, ooh!
Colonies (colonies) colonies (colonies)
Thirteen British Colonies in the New World
It was hard (it was hard) for the Catholics
They wanted a place of their own
Maryland (Then in Connecticut)
Puritans led by Hooker find a new home
Roger Williams’ Rhode Island and Providence
(Ooh) Is a place that’s allowing all faiths, ooh!
Colonies (colonies) ooh colonies (colonies)
Thirteen British Colonies in the New World
Delaware is New Sweden
But that name ain’t lasting for long
(Ooh) And Carolina’s gonna start as just
(Ooh) A single colony
(Aah) Gonna have to split it North and South
And I didn’t forget
There’s nothing to know ‘bout New Jersey
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah right, it’s New Amsterdam
New York’s gonna be its new name
Stuyvesant, hand it over
William Penn’s colony (this is Pennsylvania)
For Quakers as well as other faiths
(Ooh) Instead of a debtors’ prison cell
There is the Georgia Colony, ooh!
Thirteen British Colonies (x 10)
Colonies colonies colonies colonies
Colonies, British
Thirteen that were settled in the New World
Thirteen British Colonies
In the New
World
6. BONUS RESOURCE: Bad Wolf Press – 13 Colonies Historical Classroom Play
Concept this Song is Teaching:
Okay, this one is a little more than a song for students to sing along to… It is a full-blown classroom musical! I have used several Bad Wolf Press productions in my classroom and they have always been such a hit with my students! This play reviews early American History and covers topics from the arrival of Europeans all the way through the Bill of Rights. You can check out a preview of the play here. (Note: You have to pay to download the complete resource).
Activity Ideas:
This would be a GREAT way to conclude my 3-Week 13 Colonies Unit! This play can be done as a full play, in small skits, a readers’ theater read aloud in your classroom, or you can even just sing along with the songs!
13 Colonies Timeline Activity
I hope these13 Colonies songs for kids bring laughter, energy, and deeper learning into your classroom.
As your students learn about the 13 Colonies, add further insight with this free 13 Colonies Timeline Activity.
In this activity, students will learn about who founded each of the 13 colonies and their reason for settlement. They will also place the colonies in order of settlement on a timeline.
This activity includes task cards that will get your students up and out of their seats! I have also included a reflection sheet for early finishers.
Download your FREE 13 Colonies Timeline Lesson
More 13 Colonies Resources
Looking for additional resources to help you teach about the 13 Colonies?
- 3-Week 13 Colonies Unit: This all-inclusive unit provides interactive lesson plans that will keep your students engaged and help them learn the information in a meaningful way.
- 13 Colonies Primary Sources: An outline of 5 primary sources, complete with teaching suggestions. I have also created a compilation of primary sources for several other US History topics as well!
- 13 Colonies Picture Books: 5 worthwhile picture books to help bring the Colonial Era to life in your classroom.
- 13 Colonies Videos: An overview of 5 (additional) videos teaching all about the history of the 13 Colonies – complete with corresponding student worksheets!
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