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The Southern Economy
Southern Economy Economy was based on commercial
agriculture Based on cash crops
tobacco, cotton, indigo, rice, etc. Led to the rise of plantations=large farms
which required many laborers (live on the farm)
Tobacco and the Chesapeake Between 1620 and 1660, the demand for
tobacco was greater than the supply=high prices the larger quantity of tobacco you
produced=the more money you make Required intense manual labor=large work force
Chesapeake Bay region was perfect for tobacco farming the bay provided an outlet for trade
Most farms were located by rivers so they could access the bay
Indentured Servants
Enclosure Movement=poor tenant farmers needed jobs Were willing to become indentured
servants Met the need for workers for the tobacco
farmers Also b/c of the headright system, it gave
the tobacco farmers more land=increase in tobacco production
Rice and Indigo in South Carolina S.C. proprietors had hoped to grow
sugarcane and rice=failed In 1690, new type of rice was introduced
Planters from Barbados and Jamaica imported African slaves to cultivate it Led to rice becoming South Carolina’s cash crop
In the 1740’s, S.C. began to develop another $ crop 17 yr. old Eliza Lucas discovered that indigo
needed high ground and sandy soil Good second crop for rice plantations b/c had
different harvesting seasons
Southern Society
Top= Wealthy Landowners->gentry Huge economic and political influence in South
Plantations functioned as self-contained communities
1600’s plantation Small Planters worked w/ indentured servants under
difficult conditions 1700’s plantation
Slave labor w/ overseers Large brick mansions=England’s upper class Didn’t work their land
Southern Society
Bottom=Backcountry Farmers ½ indentured servants died b4 they acquired land
½ of those acquired land Pay for deed and land survey Pay for tools, seed, and livestock
Plantation owners most land along the rivers Most landowners in the South lived in the
“backcountry” Referred to as yeomen
Grew some tobacco, practice subsistence farming Corn, beans, potatoes, barley, and rye
Uneven distribution of wealth b/w the gentry and yeomen would lead to rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion
By the 1660’s, wealthy planters lead by Sir William Berkeley (VA governor) dominated Virginia’s society He controlled legislature
Appointed who he wanted to the House of Burgesses Received majority of supporters
Exempted himself and his supporters from taxes
Also stated you must have property to vote= ½ of VA voted (wealthy)
Bacon’s Rebellion
Most important issue for colonists was acquiring land By1670, most land not acquired was
claimed by N.A.’s Wealthy had no interest in
backcountry=opposed expansion In 1675, war b/w backcountry settlers and
Susquehannock people Governor Berkeley built more forts in frontier
for protection
Bacon’s Rebellion
In April 1676, backcountry farmers met to discuss the situation Nathaniel Bacon organized his own militia and
attacked the N.A.’s House of Burgesses authorized Bacon to raise a
force of 1,000 Allowed free men to vote Took away tax exemptions
Bacon still wasn’t satisfied He went to Jamestown and seized power, charged
Gov. Berkeley w/ corruption Bacon vs. Berkeley until Oct. 1676, Bacon died and
his army broke apart
Slavery Increases in Virginia From 1680, VA colony supported
westward expansion African slaves=replaced indentured
servants Didn’t have to be freed English government encouraged slavery
w/ King Charles establishing the Royal African Company
Slavery in the Colonies
Middle Passage=voyage that brought captured Africans to the Americas from Africa Estimated 10 to 12 million Africans
2 million believed to have died on the voyage Read pg. 89 Oladuah Equiano
1st Africans arrived in VA in 1619 Were treated like indentured servants Maryland became the 1st colony to deny
their rights in 1638. By 1660, most southern colonies limited their rights