Large landholdings: Southern colonies were characterized by large landholdings called plantations. These plantations often comprised thousands of acres and required a significant number of workers to maintain and manage them.
Lack of immigrant labor: Unlike northern colonies, which attracted skilled craftsmen, artisans, and merchants from Europe, southern colonies faced a shortage of immigrant labor due to various factors, such as the perception of a harsh climate, the presence of diseases like malaria, and the lack of religious freedom.
Economic incentives for slavery: The development of a plantation economy created a demand for cheap labor, leading to the institution of slavery in the southern colonies. Slavery provided plantation owners with a steady and inexpensive labor force.
Growing plantation economies: As the plantation system expanded, the need for more workers grew accordingly to support the increasing production of cash crops and the maintenance of vast plantations.
Social hierarchy: The presence of a significant slave population contributed to the social hierarchy of southern colonies, where landowners relied on enslaved individuals to perform various tasks, from agricultural labor to domestic service.