The United States of America, the land of the free. Many people know this vast country to be made up of fifty states, from Alaska to Wyoming, but it is also not known how this land came to be. Originally there were thirteen colonies, including Virginia and Massachusetts. These two states have both had their share of religious events, wars, and struggles to gain freedom of worship or Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay As one of the original thirteen colonies of America and one of the six states (or commonwealth) of New England, Massachusetts was discovered around the year 1620 under the authority of William Bradford, the leader of the Pilgrims. This colony had harsh winters and mild summers. During its early years, this colony had a wide variety of jobs, from farming and ranching to logging, working in stores, and mail (or shipping) . During this time, the king presided over the Anglican Church. Nevertheless, not everyone agreed with the practices of the Church, so a group of Puritans wanted to help restore the spirit of the Church by simplifying Church services and abolishing the ranks of authority. In contrast, another group of Puritans called Separatists wanted to be completely "separate" from the English Church and wanted to be able to create their own gatherings. Since the king discovered this, when he began imprisoning (and even executing) the separatists, the rest of them settled in Holland, able to freely participate in their religious affairs. In the 1621s, a group of Separatists undertook a tedious adventure across the Atlantic and landed at Plymouth. When the Separatists landed, they were greeted by the Wampanoag, who taught them how to plant crops, trap animals, and catch fish. Without the help of these American Indians, the Pilgrims might not have survived their first winter and would have perished from blizzards, hurricanes, and disease. In gratitude to the Wampanoag, the Separatists invited the Wampanoag to share their first harvest in a three-day feast known as Thanksgiving. Today, Americans still celebrate this holiday every November. Another of the original thirteen colonies, Virginia was one of the southern colonies, similar to Maryland and Georgia. This colony had mild winters, while in contrast to these winters, summers were both hot and humid. Although people know Georgia as where we get most of our fisheries and Maryland is known for its crabs, some don't know that the Virginia colony of Jamestown was the first successful English colony in North America. Soon after a rocky start, Virginia boomed, prospered financially, and brought increasing numbers of new citizens to this colony. Because Virginia was located in the Southern Colonies, the fertile land and warm climate helped the state create “cash crops” like tobacco. Virginia's entire economy was based on tobacco, and because tobacco required a vast array of land and workers, the residents quickly turned the Indians into slaves and made them their tobacco trade. Not only were they unaccustomed to farming, but they were also seriously ill at the hands of the settlers. Around the eighty-fifth percentile, Indians died of disease, forcing settlers to find a separate alternative to).