The Southern Colonies

Chapter 6 section 3 pages 163-166

The southern colonies

• Included:– Virginia– Maryland– North Carolina– South Carolina– Georgia

Middle vs. Southern

• Middle colonies:– Urban- cities– First settlers were poor

English looking for religious freedom and acceptance

– First settlers were from many different religions

• Southern Colonies:– Rural- farm land– Most of the first settlers

were rich English aristocrats looking for profit

– First settlers belonged to the Anglican Church

An agricultural Economy:• Most settlers made their living from the land• A few wealthy planters owned thousands of acres of

land • They made up the rich upper class• The rest were farmers, lower class• Most farmers grew corn and raised cattle for their own

use• They also plated cash crops such as:– Tobacco– Rice– indego

Tobacco Growing

• As a result of the enormous farms many planters became reliant on slave labor

• Half of all the tobacco that was shipped to England was grown in the southern colonies

• Large plantations began to form along the banks of rivers

• This region became known as tidewater • Many of the plantations had their own docks

along these rivers

Rice and Indigo

• The swampy lands near savanna were perfect for growing rice

• Each year while the rice was still growing the colonies would harvest their indigo

• At first, in order to maintain their farms planters used indentured servants

• Soon they began using slave labor

The African Population

• By 1760 there were almost 250,000 Africans in the colonies

• 200,000 worked in the fields and homes of the southern colonies

• The rest lived in the middle and New England colonies either as slaves or artisans

• Enslaved Africans were shipped directly from West Africa

Slave Trade

• The demand for slaves gave merchants a new job opportunity

• They would go to West Africa armed with guns• Capture slaves and place them on small over

crowded boats• Using the middle passage (route between

Africa and the colonies) they would bring them to the southern colonies

Slave codes

• Many colonists did not think slavery was wrong

• The need for labor was more important then the welfare of the Africans

• Some believed they were doing them a favor by teaching them Christianity

• Eventually they passed the slave codes, (laws that denied enslaved Africans most of their rights)

Reactions to slavery

• Some enslaved Africans tried to escape (some found refuge with local Native Americans) but most were returned to their owners

• European colonists were suspicious of any African they did not know

• Rebellions occurred on both slave ships and on plantations

Free Africans:

• Some enslaved Africans became skilled workers

• Generous slave holders may allow them to work for their families and keep part of the profit

• If they earned enough money they could buy their freedom

• Eventually small communities of free Africans grew up through out the colonies

The southern plantation

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