Map of the 13 Colonies Map of the Southern Colonies
Maryland
Colony
Virginia Colony
North Carolina
Colony
South Carolina
Colony
Georgia
Colony
 Geography: The geography of the Southern Colonies featured fertile soil, hilly coastal plains, forests, long rivers and swamp areas
 Natural Resources: Fish, forests (timber) and good agricultural land, farming was important.
Exported agricultural products to other colonies
 Religion : Not dominated by a specific religion which gave way to religious freedom for
Baptists, Anglicans and others.
 Climate : Warmest of the three regions, winters not difficult to survive, but the hot and humid summers gave rise to the spread of disease. The warm climate made it possible to grow crops throughout the year and was ideally suited for plantations
 Trade / Exports: Tobacco, cotton, rice, indigo (dye), lumber, furs, farm products
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Southern Colonies Colonies - Economic Activity & Trade
There were considerable differences between the New England, Middle and Southern regions.
Economic activities and trade were dependant of the environment in which the Colonists lived.
The geography and climate impacted the trade and economic activities of Southern Colonies.
The Southern Colonies concentrated on agriculture and developed the plantations exporting tobacco, cotton, corn, vegetables, grain, fruit and livestock. The Southern Colonies had the largest slave population who worked on the Slave Plantations. Plantations grew cotton, tobacco, indigo (a purple dye), and other crops. Some of the Southern plantations were massive and consisted of the main house, slave quarters, a dairy, blacksmith's shop, laundry, smokehouse and barns which made the

plantations to large degree, self-sufficient. Crops were traded for items that could not be produced on the plantations including farm tools, shoes, lace, and dishes.
Southern Colonies Government
All of the systems of government in the Southern Colonies elected their own legislature, they were all democratic, they all had a governor, governor's court, and a court system. The systems of
Government in the Southern Colonies were either Royal or Proprietary. Definitions of both of the government systems are as follows:
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Royal Government : The Royal Colonies were ruled directly by the English monarchy (King)
Propriety Government : The King granted land to people in North America, who then formed
Proprietary Colonies.
Southern Colonies Religion
The Southern Colonies were not dominated by a single religion which gave way to more liberal attitudes and some religious freedom. There were mosttly Anglicans and Baptists in the Southern region and Colonies.
Summary
Maryland began as a safe haven for Catholics who were being persecuted in England. Many
Protestants settled there as well, which led to religious and political tensions. Meanwhile, Virginia settlers continued to push westward, in defiance of agreements Vir ginia’s governor had made with
Native Americans.
Although originally intended to be one colony, Carolina split into North Carolina and South Carolina.
Georgia was founded in 1733 for poor people and debtors. The Carolinas and Georgia developed into major Southern Colonies.
The French were able to establish good relations with Native Americans as they gradually expanded their lands, along with their fur trade, towards the interior of the continent. Spain founded settlements in the Southwest of the present-day United States. The Spaniards built missions to convert Native
Americans to Christianity. Native Americans were forced to labor in fields and workshops.