The Southern Colonies:

Plantations & Slavery

~The Plantation Economy~• Most large Plantations were built on the Tidewater• The Southern Colonies soil and almost year round growing

season allowed the cultivation of cash crops– Crops grown for profit and trade– Tobacco – Native American plant, cultivation saved

Jamestown– Rice Many Africans came to America knowing how to farm it.– Indigo – Introduced by Eliza Lucas grown on higher ground

in the South.• All Required large labor forces to grow

• The many Southern waterways allowed oceangoing ships to load goods directly at the Plantations– As a result there was few large cities

• Charleston was one of the few exceptions• Most plantations were self sufficient, meaning they farm and

make nearly everything they need.

Plantations

The Planter Class• The Plantation owners became the elite of

Southern Society.– This Planter Class as it was called controlled

all the political and economic power in the South.

– The best comparison is they were like the Nobles in England and Europe

– It made up about 10% of the population– The rest of the population was made up of

mostly poor freemen, indentured servants, and slaves

~The Turn to Slavery~• When the Southern Colonies began most workers were

European indentured servants– By the 1660’s indentured servants use declined

• They were paying off their time and starting farms of their own

• They became to expensive as most were living through their servitude.

• Bacon’s Rebellion also ended the use of Indentured Servants (later slide)

• Planters also tried to enslave natives– European diseases kept killing them.– Or they would escape

• The Planters turned to enslaved Africans• By 1750 African Slave population was over 235,000.

– 68% lived in the Southern Colonies– African Slaves made up 40% of the Southern Population

Bacon’s Rebellion• In 1676 Nathaniel Bacon and a group of landless settlers

demanded that the Virginia Governor (William Berkeley) defend the Western Frontier from Native Americans.– These former indentured servants and poor freeman had

been pushed to the Backcountry by the Planters– Governor Berkeley refused to defend the frontier

• Bacon and his followers took control of Jamestown and burn it and the House of Burgesses to the ground– Bacon dies suddenly and the rebellion is quickly crushed

• 23 of Bacon’s followers are hung• King Charles II is angered by the Governor Berkeley’s

actions and is recalled to England• The House of Burgesses passes new laws to prevent the

Governor for assuming such power again

~Life Under Slavery~• The Brutal Daily Life of Slaves

– On large plantations Slaves were watch by Overseers people who directed the work of the Slaves

– Slaves would often work 15 hours a day– Overseers would often whip and punish slaves for failure– Slaves often lived in one room cabins.– They usually received a quarter bushel of cornmeal and 3

pound of pork per week• Some were allowed to grow their own food depended

on the owner– Families could be separated and sold at anytime– Traveling Africans were often checked for passes – Slave quarters were often checked for weapons– Slaves did their best to keep their traditions of music,

dance, stories and religion • Most turned to Christianity as time went on

~Resistance to Slavery~• Most resistance was subtle

– They worked Slowly– Damaged Goods– Deliberately carried out orders the wrong way– Pretended not to Understand

• Slaves sometimes revolted• Stono Rebellion• In September 1739 100 slaves joined together killing planters,

their families and burned seven plantations while trying to escaped to Spanish Florida. – By the end of the day the militia had surrounded the rebellion killing most

of the slaves and later executing the survivors.

• As a result– Slaves were forbidden form leaving their plantations without permission.– Laws made it illegal for slaves to meet with free Africans– Slavery became even worst for most slaves.