Name: _____________________
Date: ______________________
Chapter 8: The Southern Colonies
Guided Comprehension Questions
Lesson 1: England Founds the Southern Colonies
Think About What You Know:
Imagine that you wanted to start a colony in the New World. However, you
don’t want to risk putting all of the money into a colony. What could you do to
lessen the risk of starting the colony by yourself?
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Vocabulary:
1. Proprietor:
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2. Debtor:
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3. Toleration Act:
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Essential Questions:
1. Who, what, and why were the Southern Colonies founded?
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2. Evaluate the success of Maryland, North and South Carolina, and
Georgia. Tell why they were or weren’t successful.
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3. Why was Calvert more successful in founding a colony then the founders
of Georgia and the Carolinas?
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Name: _____________________
Date: ______________________
Chapter 8: The Southern Colonies
Guided Comprehension Questions
Lesson 2: Geography of the Southern Colonies
Think About What You Know:
What are some benefits of living in a place with a mild climate?
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Vocabulary:
1. Tidewater:
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2. Atlantic Coastal Plain:
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3. The Piedmont:
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4. The Appalachians:
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Essential Questions:
1. Describe the location and physical setting of the Southern Colonies.
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2. How did the geography affect the economy of the Southern Colonies?
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3. Compare the geography and climate of the South with that of New
England.
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Name: _____________________
Date: ______________________
Chapter 8: The Southern Colonies
Guided Comprehension Questions
Lesson 3: The Economy of the Southern Colonies
Think About What You Know:
How do you depend on farming? Think of goods that you use every day
that come from farms or are made form farm goods.
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Vocabulary:
1. Cash Crop:
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2. Plantation:
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3. Indentured Servant:
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4. Slave:
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5. Indigo:
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Essential Questions:
1. How did plantations affect life in the Southern Colonies?
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2. Discuss how slavery affected the Southern Colonies.
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3. Identify the major industries in the Southern Colonies.
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4. How did the people in the Southern Colonies use natural resources to
earn a living?
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5. How did the geography and climate affect the economy?
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6. What was the major cash crop in Maryland and Virginia, and in South
Carolina and Georgia?
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7. Compare and Contrast indentured servants to slaves.
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8. How did the colonists meet their economic needs?
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Name: _____________________
Date: ______________________
Chapter 8: The Southern Colonies
Guided Comprehension Questions
Lesson 4: Life in the Southern Colonies
Think About What You Know:
How do you think you would feel if you were never allowed to go where you
wanted to go or do the things you wanted to do and why?
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_______________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary:
1. County Seat:
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2. Back Country:
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Essential Questions:
1. Contrast the lifestyle of planters, slaves, and back country settlers in
the South.
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2. Describe what government was like in the Southern Colonies and why it
was different in the South.
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3. Why were there few southern towns?
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4. How did the plantations function?
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