THE SOUTHERN COLONIESChapter 3 Section 1

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

Chesapeake 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

Indentured Servants

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

Indigo Plantation

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

Gentry

Yeomen

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)

Sir William Berkeley

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

Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon’s Rebellion

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

Olaudah Equiano

Slavery in the Colonies

In 1705, VA created a slave code Became more harsh over time

Denied rights to property and couldn’t testify against white people

Became an accepted institution in colonial society, especially the southern colonies