The Southern Colonies, including Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, were characterized by their plantation economy and reliance on enslaved labor. They developed differently from the New England and Middle Colonies due to their climate, geography, and economic focus.

Source A: Excerpt from a colonial historian

'The Southern Colonies' economy was primarily driven by large plantations growing cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo, which required extensive land and slave labor.' Provenance: Colonial history textbook, 19th century.

The climate and geography of the South made large-scale farming possible, encouraging the development of plantation agriculture. Additionally, the desire for economic wealth and the availability of land motivated colonists to settle in these areas.

Source B: Letter from a landowner

'The fertile lands and warm climate of the South offer the perfect environment for plantations and profit.' Provenance: Letter written by a wealthy landowner, 1700s.

The development of plantation agriculture and reliance on slavery had profound consequences, including the growth of a racialized social hierarchy, economic dependence on cash crops, and the expansion of slavery as a central institution in the South.

Source C: Slave trade records

'The increase in slave importation was directly linked to the expansion of plantation agriculture in the Southern Colonies.' Provenance: Records from the transatlantic slave trade, 18th century.