The growth of slavery became factored into life in the southern colonies in the 17th century and the late 18th century. Factors that led to this mixing of slavery with the life of those in the southern colonies were the social dynamic, geographical location and economic problems.
When the first slaves arrived to Jamestown, Virginia there was a creation of social classes. People who were in the higher classes had lots of land and money. They were the ones who introduced the idea of indentured servants to work on wealthy plantations. Indentured servants were bind by a contract that said they agree to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia. The indentured servants would serve their time according to their terms and eventually be free. When they did become free they did not own much which created the lower class of people, the people who did not have land or money. The class lower than that were the Indians and African slaves. Them being at the bottom of the social structure was mainly because of their skin color. They were brought to Virginia against their will and forced to work on fields and plantations.
The Bacon’s Rebellion caused an uproar with indentured servants because they were a threat to peace and tranquility within the colony. The idea of indentured servants dropped dramatically. The primary labor force then became slaves. Slaves were easy to identify and easy to control by physical intimidation including harsh beatings and whiplashes, sometimes even death by hanging or worse. Bacon’s Rebellion is the reason why a massive number of slaves were imported from Africa. Majority of the laborers on plantations were African slaves and their labor was needed because of the geographical location.
Compared to the Northern colonies, the Southern colonies were not suited for standard farming. The soil was not fertile enough to produce abundant vegetation like wheat and corn. The river system divided the southern colonies into many sections and it provided transportation for goods and wet soil. The south had many river parts which made it easy transfer the goods that were grown on plantations, and to make the purchase of slaves easier. “The climate of the Southern Colonies was the warmest climate of the three colonial regions. The warmer climate was a positive factor for the colonists in the Southern Colonies. They didn’t worry as much about surviving cold winters. The warmer climate was a negative factor for the colonists in the Southern Colonies; the warm, moist climate carried diseases that killed the colonists.” (Oregon.edu)
“The geography included flat land with rich soil, coastal plains that spread to the Appalachian foothills, and many navigable waters The climate was milder than New England allowing for a longer growing season The abundant natural resources included timber, fur, and rich farmland. The climate was the warmest within all three colonial regions, and it allowed for Map of Southern Colonies. The longest growing season within the three colonial regions was seven months. The natural resources included rich farmland and fish.” (Olyson-Raymer 2014)
The people that made up the Southern colonies were biracial, unequal, and hierarchal. Everyone was either black or white or both from masters raping slaves. Everyone was composed of five groups, landowners (large plantation and small farmers), merchants and craftsmenS, servants, and Indians; and slaves. The land was used to grow crops like tobacco, rice and indigo. These were called cash crops. They also used the forests for lumber. Indigo is a dye that’s extracted from certain plants. They were economically important because they were rare which meant people paid good money for them.
“Tobacco, one of the most important cash crops in American farming, is native to the North and South American continents. It first became known to the rest of the world when European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries saw it being used as a medicine and as a hallucinogen by Native Americans. The explorers returned to Europe with the new-found plant and it quickly was adopted by rich and poor alike as a drug of choice. Banned at first by kings and popes, its economic effects and broad popularity forced acceptance among all cultures. It quickly spread throughout the civilized world and became a foundation for the growth of the American economy.” (Young, Standford)
Slavery is what saved the south economically. The economy in the south was dependent on cotton and slave trading. Trading slaves made the colonists easy money and slave labor produced over two thirds of cotton supply at the time. “The economy in the south depended on slavery for the cotton growing areas and slave trading. Slavery has played a huge role in the Southern Colonies in developing economical and society choices in the 1600s-1800s. Although many farmers could not afford the cotton gin it was a huge help to the crops. Regardless of the achievements the cotton kingdom did not carry a consistently of steady wealth to the lower south.
Despite the flaws of slavery in the south it had a necessary effect on society and its economy. Many African Americans came over to the United States as slaves and soon would be a part of our country. Slavery played a huge role in our history and made America what it is today.America is a free state and continues to learn from our mistakes and findings.” (Bmozingo 2013)