The Southern Colonies
Maryland, Virginia, The Carolinas,
and Georgia
Mason Dixon Line
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Boundary between Pennsylvania and
Maryland that divides the Middle Colonies
from the Southern Colonies
Maryland
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Geography - coastline with warm climate
Founder - Lord George Calvert founded as a
haven for religious freedom
Government -allowed men to have a say in
government by creating an elected assembly
Economy – fishing, farming, lumber, shipping,
slave trade
Religion – Act of Toleration – provided religious
freedom for all Christians.
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Lord Baltimore himself was Roman Catholic as
were most people in the colony
Virginia
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Sir Walter Raleigh set up the Virginia Company
to make money by trading the raw materials in
the new colonies
Climate – very fertile land and warm climate
Religion - the Church of England
Politics – House of Burgesses
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Elected representatives
Economy- Farming tobacco, slave trade
The Carolinas
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Founded by a group of eight nobles (Eight Lord
Proprietors) who separated and settled in the
north and the south of the area
Climate – Very fertile land and warm climate
Religion – religious freedom
Politics – Set up Fundamental Constitution of
Carolina which was ruled by Parliament, type of
representative government
Economy – Farming and slave trade
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Rice, cotton, tobacco, and indigo – a plant used to
make blue dye.
Georgia
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Founded by James Ogelthorpe
Place where debtors (people who owed money
they could not pay) could start a new life.
Economy – farmed tobacco, cotton, indigo, rice,
and took part in the slave trade
Religion – religious freedom
Politics – had a governor with representatives
Climate – warm climate with fertile farmland
Bacon’s Rebellion
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English settlers were invading Indian lands.
Settlers asked the government to interfere and do
something about the Native Americans but they
refused
In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon organized men and
women on the frontier and raided Indian villages.
Then, he led his followers to Jamestown and
burned the capital. This was known as Bacon’s
Rebellion.
Bacon soon died and so did his rebellion.
This was the earliest form of resistance against
the government.
Tidewater Plantations
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People built their plantations along the rivers
or coasts so they could load ships armed with
their crops.
The planters family lived in a huge house
while the slaves lived in small quarters,
harvested the crops, and cleaned the house.
VA, MD, NC grew tobacco, SC and GA grew
rice and indigo, all areas grew cotton
Backcountry South
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Base of the Appalachians
with rolling hills and
thick forests
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The people here viewed
each other as equals and
were largely selfsufficient.
There were few enslaved
Africans here.