THIRTEEN COLONIES & THE LOST COLONY Take a step back and discover the thirteen colonies of Colonial America. From European exploration through the American Revolution, witness the unique history and character of each colony. Trace the role of each colony in the American Revolution and that colony’s impact on the formation of our Constitution. This primary source series includes transcribed colonial patents and charters, with an explanation for readers in contemporary language. Maps and portraits of notable colonists are also included. Pennsylvania: In 1681, King Charles II granted William Penn, a Quaker, sole proprietorship of more than 450,000 acres of North American land. The colony soon offered thousands of European settlers the civil liberties, representative government, and affordable land they wanted, and by 1710 its capital city Philadelphia had become the second-largest city in the colonies, after Boston.