Southern Colonies Introduction:
During the 1760’s, there was a boundary dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Two men, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, were hired to survey the land with scientific instruments to draw a boundary line. This line became known as the Mason-Dixon Line which later marked the boundary of northern and southern states after the American Revolution. The southern colonies are located south of the line. These states were warm and humid with long growing seasons. Many colonists were farmers of tobacco and rice.
Maryland
George Calvert
1632, George Calvert is given a charter for Maryland. Maryland had a similar government to the House of Burgesses in Virginia. Catholics and Protestants settled here and it led to tensions; the government passed the Act of Toleration in 1649 giving Christians the right to vote and hold office but did not protect any other religions.
Carolina
Tobacco field
In 1663, King Charles II gave a charter for the colony of Carolina to be established. The northern part developed slowly, colonists lived on small farms, raising and selling tobacco. The southern part grew more quickly, growing sugar and bringing in slaves to help grow rice. As we know today, the colony split into two: North Carolina and South Carolina.
Georgia
Georgia was founded by the English for two reasons: they feared that Spain would expand its Florida colony northward, therefore by settling in Georgia it would keep the Spanish in Florida. Second, wealthy colonists wanted protection from people that owed them money – anyone who did not pay a debt could be imprisoned until they pay what they owe. Slavery was banned but did not last.
Conflict in the Southern Colonies
Bacon's Rebellion
Wealthy colonists took all the good land leaving nothing for poor colonists. Therefore, they had to work the land of the wealthy rather than own their own farms. This meant that poor colonists could not vote because they didn’t own land. When these poor colonists moved away to find their own land, conflicts between Native Americans broke out and people were killed on each side. The governor failed to protect the poor colonists because the governor wanted to continue trading fur with the Native Americans.
In 1675, Nathaniel Bacon organized 1000 westerners and began attacking and killing Native Americans. The governor declared these men as rebels. Bacon then attacked Jamestown, burning it to the ground and forcing the governor to run away. This revolt, known as Bacon’s Rebellion, ended when Bacon died of illness. The governor hung twenty-three of the rebels.
In 1675, Nathaniel Bacon organized 1000 westerners and began attacking and killing Native Americans. The governor declared these men as rebels. Bacon then attacked Jamestown, burning it to the ground and forcing the governor to run away. This revolt, known as Bacon’s Rebellion, ended when Bacon died of illness. The governor hung twenty-three of the rebels.
Southern Colonies Way of Life
Most colonists in the Southern colonies were farmers. However, a lot of land is needed to grow tobacco so colonists began taking it from Native Americans. This led to two conflicts (1622 and 1644) in which Native Americans were defeated each time. However, it also killed hundreds of colonists.
People on the coast lived differently than the people who settled inland (away from the coast). The people who lived along the coast had plantations, most on which tobacco was grown. They also grew rice but that required many men – therefore, they brought slaves over to work the rice fields under the hot southern sun. These people were often very wealthy and cared about rank/social class. People that lived inland usually farmed land they didn’t legally own. On a social level, these were small farms in which the entire family worked the land. They usually lived in simple, one room shacks. Few of these families had slaves and they cared less about rank/social class.
People on the coast lived differently than the people who settled inland (away from the coast). The people who lived along the coast had plantations, most on which tobacco was grown. They also grew rice but that required many men – therefore, they brought slaves over to work the rice fields under the hot southern sun. These people were often very wealthy and cared about rank/social class. People that lived inland usually farmed land they didn’t legally own. On a social level, these were small farms in which the entire family worked the land. They usually lived in simple, one room shacks. Few of these families had slaves and they cared less about rank/social class.