Southern Colonies
by Meredith Henry
Virginia
The settlement of Jamestown marked the beginning of American colonization, and the Virginia Colony. Virginia had a rough beginning, demand for workers was high because it took a great deal of labor to tend to tobacco. Virginia depended on tobacco. To make the work load easier, white landowners used enslaved africans. Prisoners and criminals of war were also shipped from england so they could work for their release. People also came to the colony to become indentured servants. Indentured servants were people that couldn't pay for their trip to America, so they worked without being paid to pay for the trip.
Maryland
Sir George Calvert was the one who founded Maryland. He wanted somewhere safe for the catholics because they were being persecuted in england. Calvert died just short after receiving the grant to found Maryland, so he gave the grant to his son Cecilius. As plantations grew in this area, so did the number of workers needed. The colony imported enslaved africans, and indentured slaves to help with the work load. There was more conflict in religion because there were more protestants than catholics.
The Carolinas
Carolina split into two different parts, north and south. They grew tobacco and sold timber and tar. In North Carolina there were no good harbors so farmers used Virginia's ports. An important crop in the Carolinas was indigo, which was used to dye fabric. The Carolinas were both very successful
Georgia
Georgia was founded in 1733, and was the last british colony set up in America. James Oglethorpe received a charter from George the second to make a colony where debtors and poor people could make a fresh start.