Unit 1: Three Worlds Unit 1: Three Worlds MeetMeet

Chapter 4: The Colonies DevelopChapter 4: The Colonies Develop

Section 3: The Southern Colonies: Plantations and Section 3: The Southern Colonies: Plantations and SlaverySlavery

Section 4: The BackcountrySection 4: The Backcountry

The Southern Colonies were The Southern Colonies were based on plantations and slave based on plantations and slave

laborlabor CornCorn IndigoIndigo Naval StoresNaval Stores PigsPigs RiceRice TobaccoTobacco

The south's soil, and the The south's soil, and the ability to grow crops all year ability to grow crops all year round made it a perfect place round made it a perfect place for crops like rice and for crops like rice and tobacco.tobacco.

These crops took a lot of These crops took a lot of people to grow them people to grow them successfully.successfully.

The south (and the The south (and the plantations) had a lot of rivers plantations) had a lot of rivers to use as shipping routes.to use as shipping routes.

Since most plantations were Since most plantations were self-sufficient, there wasnself-sufficient, there wasn ’’t t much of a need for a big much of a need for a big cities in the south.cities in the south.

As plantations and the As plantations and the southern economy grew…southern economy grew…

there was a bigger and bigger need there was a bigger and bigger need for workers for these farms.for workers for these farms.

In the mid 1660In the mid 1660’’s, white s, white servants began to leave servants began to leave

colonial farmscolonial farms They came as They came as

indentured servants, indentured servants, and when there time and when there time was up, they could was up, they could leave.leave.

There was a lot of free There was a lot of free land for these land for these indentured servants to indentured servants to go to – they werengo to – they weren’’t t stuck as indentured stuck as indentured servants and were servants and were free to go.free to go.

Landowners needed Landowners needed workersworkers

There were Native There were Native Americans around – but Americans around – but many had died, or knew many had died, or knew the land well enough to the land well enough to just run away.just run away.

Only one choice left for the Only one choice left for the planters: African slaves.planters: African slaves.

African slaves made up African slaves made up 40% of the south40% of the south’’s s population.population.

By 1750: 235,000 By 1750: 235,000 enslaved Africans in the enslaved Africans in the Americas (85% of them Americas (85% of them in Southern colonies).in Southern colonies).

The Plantation ownersThe Plantation owners

Some of the Some of the very wealthy very wealthy families formed families formed an elite upper an elite upper class of class of planters.planters.

Because they Because they had more had more slaves, they slaves, they could grow could grow more tobacco, more tobacco, rice, and indigo.rice, and indigo.

So, theySo, they’’d make d make more money more money and could buy and could buy more slaves.more slaves.

Some planters Some planters felt responsible felt responsible for their slaves for their slaves and tried to and tried to take care of take care of them a little bit.them a little bit.

Others wereOthers were tyrantstyrants who who would often use would often use violence.violence.

An absolute An absolute ruler who ruler who governs without governs without restrictions. and restrictions. and exercises power exercises power in a harsh, cruel in a harsh, cruel manner manner

There were a There were a lot more small lot more small landowners with landowners with just one or two just one or two slaves.slaves.

They could not They could not compete with compete with the large the large plantation plantation owners.owners.

Many gave up Many gave up there land and there land and moved west.moved west.

On large southern On large southern plantationsplantations

About 20-25 slaves would About 20-25 slaves would work together, with anwork together, with an overseeroverseer watching them.watching them.

(worker hired to watch (worker hired to watch slaves)slaves)

TheyThey’’d work up to 15 hours a d work up to 15 hours a day.day.

Lived in crude one room Lived in crude one room cabins.cabins.

One weeks pay: a quarter One weeks pay: a quarter bushel of corn and a pound bushel of corn and a pound of pork. They might be of pork. They might be allowed to grow their own allowed to grow their own vegetablesvegetables

Africans still preserved Africans still preserved many customs and many customs and traditions – music, dancing, traditions – music, dancing, and even religion.and even religion.

Family became very Family became very important to them.important to them.

Sometimes – to try and get Sometimes – to try and get even:even:

Slaves might work Slaves might work slow, damage goods slow, damage goods or property, or do or property, or do things the wrong way things the wrong way (on purpose), or (on purpose), or pretend to not pretend to not understand what they understand what they were being asked to were being asked to do.do.

There were even some There were even some slave uprisings and slave uprisings and

rebellions.rebellions.

(an attempt to overthrow (an attempt to overthrow someone in charge)someone in charge)

Plantation owners then Plantation owners then made even stricter slave made even stricter slave codes and made their codes and made their living conditions even living conditions even worse.worse.

And… there was And… there was ““the the BackcountryBackcountry””

(all along the Appalachian Mountains)(all along the Appalachian Mountains)

It was easy to start a small farm in this It was easy to start a small farm in this areaarea

Had many springs and Had many springs and streams for water.streams for water.

Had forests for lumber Had forests for lumber (homes/fences/furnitur(homes/fences/furniture/etc).e/etc).

At first, a lot of Native At first, a lot of Native Americans to trade Americans to trade with.with.

Then there started to Then there started to be conflicts with be conflicts with Native Americans – Native Americans – who were losing there who were losing there land.land.

In the late 1600In the late 1600’’s s many families moved many families moved there from the south there from the south (big plantation owners (big plantation owners forced them to move.forced them to move.

In the 1700In the 1700’’s – many Scots-s – many Scots-Irish moved into the Irish moved into the

backcountrybackcountry In 1707 – England and In 1707 – England and

Scotland combined to Scotland combined to form Great Britain. form Great Britain.

This caused some This caused some problems for the problems for the Scots-Irish (who were Scots-Irish (who were already having already having problems with poverty problems with poverty and crop failures)and crop failures)

So, they might as well So, they might as well come to the colonies.come to the colonies.

They brought their They brought their ““clan systemclan system”” with with them.them.

These clans were These clans were suspicious of outsiders suspicious of outsiders and really stuck and really stuck together – which really together – which really helped them survive helped them survive in the backcountry.in the backcountry.

In the backcountry, In the backcountry, people were very self-people were very self-

sufficient.sufficient.

They depended on They depended on no-one but no-one but themselves.themselves.

It was a very simple, It was a very simple, but very rough life.but very rough life.

And… they often And… they often lived with Native lived with Native Americans all Americans all around them.around them.

More and more people moved More and more people moved further west and into the further west and into the

backcountrybackcountryPeople moving further People moving further

west:west: The EnglishThe English Southern farmersSouthern farmers Scots-IrishScots-Irish The French (fur traders) The French (fur traders)

and Spanish still claimed and Spanish still claimed large parts oflarge parts of North North AmericaAmerica

All these groups had conflicts with Native Americans All these groups had conflicts with Native Americans – – and sometimes had conflicts with each other.and sometimes had conflicts with each other.

Today's essential question:Today's essential question:

Is the American Dream available to everyone?

Is there any way this idea of the American dream works for anyone in this time period of slavery?

Why or why not?