How Early Colonists Made a Living is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the resources early colonists used to make a living, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Eco.3.3-5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 7 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.
How Early Colonists Made a Living
D2.Eco.3.3-5
NameDate
Draw a line from each colony or place to how people there made a living.
1.Draw a line from each one to its match.
New France, along the St. Lawrence River
California ranchos, after 1834
The coast of South Carolina
Russian America, now Alaska
A.Trading with Native nations for beaver furs
B.Making Aleut hunters hunt sea otters for their fur
C.Growing rice with the forced labor of enslaved Africans
D.Raising cattle on huge private land grants to sell hides and tallow
2.Draw a line from each one to its match.
New England fishing towns
The Spanish missions of the Southwest
Pennsylvania farms
New England shipyards
A.Growing wheat to grind into flour
B.Farming and herding under priests, with the forced labor of Native people
C.Building ships from the region's tall forests
D.Catching and drying cod to sell abroad
LessonPrint · D2.Eco.3.3-5 · Set 7 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — How Early Colonists Made a Living
Set 7. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. New France, along the St. Lawrence River — A (Trading with Native nations for beaver furs) 2. California ranchos, after 1834 — D (Raising cattle on huge private land grants to sell hides and tallow) 3. The coast of South Carolina — C (Growing rice with the forced labor of enslaved Africans) 4. Russian America, now Alaska — B (Making Aleut hunters hunt sea otters for their fur)
2.1. New England fishing towns — D (Catching and drying cod to sell abroad) 2. The Spanish missions of the Southwest — B (Farming and herding under priests, with the forced labor of Native people) 3. Pennsylvania farms — A (Growing wheat to grind into flour) 4. New England shipyards — C (Building ships from the region's tall forests)
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Eco.3.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.