History of South America

How did people make a living in the southern colonies and why?

Agriculture:

- Cash crops: Tobacco, rice, indigo

- Food crops: Corn, wheat, vegetables

Reasons:

- Fertile soil

- Long growing season

- Water resources (rivers, bays)

- Access to markets (Europe, West Indies)

Trade:

- Export of agricultural goods

- Import of manufactured goods

Reasons:

- Southern economy was based on agriculture, so they needed to export their goods to get other things they needed like weapons, tools, luxury items.

Slavery:

- Many plantations in the South used enslaved African labor

- Enslaved people performed agricultural labor, domestic work, and other tasks

Reasons:

- The labor-intensive nature of agriculture in the South made slavery economically profitable

- The institution of slavery was supported by laws and social customs