How Did the Economic, Geographic, and Social Factors Encourage the Growth of Slavery as an Important Part of the Economy of the Southern Colonies Between 1607 and 1775?
Economic, geographic, and social factors all contributed to the rise of importance for slaves in the southern colonies as their position in American society changed from 1607 and 1775. Slaves not only influenced Jamestown in 1607, but they influenced America, all the way into the American Revolution in 1775. Slavery ultimately flourished and aided economic triumph in the southern colonies. Slavery was not only a cheap source of labor in the Americas, but it was effective too, as slaves greatly boosted the economy of the south. Slave ships came with new slaves often to American shores, making it easy for plantation owners to purchase slave workers for their plantations. Tobacco, one of the most profitable crops of the south, was maintained by slaves. Without their existence, crops like tobacco and even cotton and indigo could not be produced without higher labor costs. The combination of cheap labor and lack of extravagant conditions for slaves provided the most efficient, cost-effective economic system in the south. Consequently, the growth of slavery increased because of economic conditions created by wealthy plantation owners in the south. Geographically, the southern colonies of America had very different farming conditions than in the northern colonies because of their different environment. The soil in the south was not useful for growing the same crops that were produced in the north, such as wheat and corn. Instead, the hotter climate allowed for tobacco, cotton, rice, and indigo to grow and thrive. Also, the many rivers of the south permitted for easy transportation of goods and for slaves to be easily transported and purchased throughout the south. The ownership of slaves became an important sign of wealth and status in the social hierarchy of the south. The more slaves and the bigger plantation someone owned, the higher up they were. Everyone who was white was automatically above blacks, as they were seen as mediocre and incapable of academic