The Southern Colonies Questions and Answers
The Southern Colonies
Compare and contrast the colonies of Virginia and Massachusetts Bay.
The Virginia Colony began as an explicitly economic venture, an attempt to establish a profitable colony that would also serve as a strategic check on Spanish expansion. It was first founded as a...
The Southern Colonies
How did people make a living in colonial North Carolina?
The main way colonists in North Carolina made a living was through farming. There were large plantations growing the cash crops of tobacco, wheat, and corn. The crops were then either sold abroad...
The Southern Colonies
What are five bad things about the Colony of Virginia?
1. There were over 200 settlers who made their home in Jamestown, but that number later dwindled to a little over 50. During a period known as "the Starving Time," food supplies dwindled due to a...
The Southern Colonies
Was the land in colonial Virginia good or bad, and why?
The English settlers of the Virginia Colony generally found very good land to cultivate. The many rivers provided nutrient-rich soils in the coastal areas that were able to support the cultivation...
The Southern Colonies
Compare the settlements of Virginia and Massachusetts in regard to their founding religion, form of government, and...
The colonies of Virginia and Massachusetts were quite different. The Virginia colony was established in 1607 by English gentlemen looking to strike it rich in the New World and then leave. While...
The Southern Colonies
Why were the southern colonies better than the other two regions of colonies (New England, Middle Colonies)?
The idea of one group of colonies being better than another is entirely subjective. In other words, different people may view each group of colonies as being "better" than the others for different...
The Southern Colonies
What was cotton used for in the 1700s?
The cotton that was grown in the Southern colonies during the 1700s was used for the same purpose that cotton is used for today—as a material for fabric. Cotton, however, was not a major crop until...
The Southern Colonies
What was the government of the Southern colonies like?
Like the other colonial regions, the government of the Southern Colonies was democratic to the extent of voting and participation in decision-making. Voting and election to the legislature were...
The Southern Colonies
What were cash crops in the Southern colonies?
The southern colonies consisted of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The climate and geography of this region made it perfect for a variety of cash crops, which built...
The Southern Colonies
Describe the climate of the Southern Colonies.
The Southern Colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The climate of these colonies led to their success with growing cash crops on large plantations. The...
The Southern Colonies
Describe the southern colonies' characteristics and ways of life.
The Southern colonies were agricultural in nature, based on the production of "staple" crops produced in large quantities for sale to England. These included tobacco in Virginia and Maryland, rice...
The Southern Colonies
Why were the Southern colonies founded?
When speaking of the Southern colonies of America, these generally include Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Unlike the Northern colonies which were predominated by...
The Southern Colonies
In his book Forced Founders, author Woody Holton argues that the American Revolution in Virginia, commonly believed...
To a great extent, Woody Holton answers this question with the title of the book: Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves, and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia. Essentially, he...
The Southern Colonies
Why was South Carolina founded?
South Carolina was founded through a royal charter from Charles I in 1629. It was established because the British wanted to keep the Spanish contained in Florida, preventing them from moving north...
The Southern Colonies
What were the most important landforms in the Southern Colonies?
The two most important landforms in the southern colonies were the marshes and low-lying flood areas in the low country of the Carolinas and the rolling hills of the Piedmont that ran from Georgia...
The Southern Colonies
Who settled in the Southern colonies?
The Southern colonies are considered to be Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Virginia was the first permanent colony, established in 1607. King Charles gave Maryland...
The Southern Colonies
If the cotton gin had not been invented by Eli Whitney. How might that have changed the development of the South...
That is a great question! The invention of the cotton gin had profound implications for the South in many ways, expanding its economic base of cotton, creating a plantation "culture," and...
The Southern Colonies
What was the geography of the Southern colonies?
The five Southern colonies that Britain ruled were Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. In addition, Spain had the colony of Florida, and France established Louisiana,...
The Southern Colonies
Describe education in the Southern colonies.
In the Southern Colonies, education was based on social class and geography. With the sprawling plantations, community schools did not exist, so children started their education at home. Children...
The Southern Colonies
What are some facts about the Southern colonies?
The Southern colonies were Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. Their founding and historical development were distinct. The best known of these colonies was Virginia. Its history grew out of the...
The Southern Colonies
Who was Maryland settled by?
In the early 1600s, English settlers who were predominantly Christian settled in Maryland. Under the leadership of Cecil Calvert, Maryland was meant to be a refuge for persecuted English Catholics...
The Southern Colonies
When and why were the Carolinas divided?
In the late 1600s, the south of Carolina was characterized by the slave economy. Rice was grown in the region and quickly became a cash crop. Consequently, the demand for workers increased, which...
The Southern Colonies
How were the Carolina Colonies named?
The Province of Carolina was named after King Charles I of England and his son, Charles II. Carolina derives from "Carolus," which is the Latin for Charles, and it was King Charles II who, in 1663,...
The Southern Colonies
What was everyday life like in the Southern Colonies?
The Southern colonies were North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland. Of the three colony regions (New England, Middle, and Southern), the Southern colonies were located in...
The Southern Colonies
What are some important facts about the colony of Georgia?
There are plenty of important facts about the colony of Georgia. Georgia was founded in 1732 by James Oglethorpe. King George made sure to name it after himself in the charter. Like most colonies,...
The Southern Colonies
Describe the economy of the Southern colonies.
The economy of the southern colonies can be described as agrarian. This means that nearly all business was done through farming and other agricultural areas. Throughout the early 1800s, cotton...
The Southern Colonies
Why was the North Carolina colony started?
The Roanoke Colony was England's the first initiative to found a permanent settlement in North America in what is now Dare's County, North Carolina. Also referred to as the Lost Colony, the...
The Southern Colonies
Why did George Calvert establish Maryland?
George Calvert established the colony of Maryland for economic gain and to create a place of refuge for Catholics, who were being persecuted. He had previously sustained an English settlement off...
The Southern Colonies
Why is James Oglethorpe considered to be important?
James Oglethorpe (1696-1785) was a British Member of Parliament, soldier, philanthropist, and social reformer. However, he is chiefly remembered for having founded the colony of Georgia. General...
The Southern Colonies
What features were common to all of England's southern colonies?
The term "southern colonies" almost invariably refers to Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia.
The Southern Colonies
Explain the economic, social and psychological factors that caused Europeans and Americans to enslave Africans. Why...
Indentured servants were the preferred form of labor for most of the seventeenth century. Rich plantation owners were often given 50 acres as an incentive for bringing indentured servants to...
The Southern Colonies
What kind of society did Sir William Berkeley envision for Virginia?
Sir William Berkeley, who governed Virginia over two separate terms, envisioned a society that was very different to the one he observed upon his arrival to Jamestown in 1642. Over the course of...
The Southern Colonies
What were the literacy rates in the Southern Colonies?
There were no statistical methods for determining literacy rates in the Colonial era, and as such, it is extremely difficult to measure. Historians gather information from a small number of...
The Southern Colonies
What were the effects of the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649?
The Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 mandated freedom of worship for Christians who believed in the Holy Trinity. It was enacted to protect Catholics and other Christians whose religions did not...
The Southern Colonies
When was North Carolina officially established? Why?
North Carolina was initially founded as part of the Carolina colony. The success of the Virginia colony led King Charles II to grant a charter to eight noblemen in 1663 for the establishment of a...
The Southern Colonies
What was Virginia named for?
Virginia was named after Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was nicknamed "The Virgin Queen"; this transitioned easily into the name "Virginia", which was believed to be England's prized possession...
The Southern Colonies
What major event happened in North Carolina in 1653?
According to the North Carolina Museum of History timeline and the NC Pedia, Nathaniell Batts becomes the first permanent settler in what will later become the State of North Carolina. The...
The Southern Colonies
What was the religion in the Southern colonies?
The Southern Colonies included Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia. In 1712, Carolina split into North and South, creating five Southern Colonies. Throughout these colonies, there was a mix...
The Southern Colonies
How was Maryland founded?
The Colony of Maryland was founded in 1632, when King Charles I granted a charter to George Calvert, also known as the first Lord Baltimore. This charter granted Calvert lands between the Potomac...
The Southern Colonies
What was the purpose of the Province of Georgia?
The Province of Georgia was founded for a couple of purposes. First of all, its founder James Oglethorpe saw the land as a place where English debtors could make a new life. In the early 1700s,...
The Southern Colonies
What happened to the Roanoke colony?
The simple answer is that no one knows for sure. The true fate of the Roanoke colony is of the great mysteries of American history. Founded in 1587 on Roanoke Island, off the coast of modern-day...
The Southern Colonies
Who was Lord Baltimore?
There were two Lords Baltimore. The first was George Calvert, who served as Secretary of State to King James I of England. Upon resigning his position, he was rewarded with the title of Baron, or...
The Southern Colonies
How were the Chesapeake colonies created?
The Chesapeake colonies (Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) were founded primarily by white, English, male settlers. The first colony of Jamestown (in the Virginia region) was...
The Southern Colonies
How could I compare and contrast the Southern and Middle Colonies?
You could discuss geography and how it affected colonial populations and land use; the Middle colonies contained a more extensive system of rivers, which made trade more efficient. As such, there...
The Southern Colonies
What is Raleigh, NC known for?
Raleigh, North Carolina, was built as a planned capital city in the 1790s and named after English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), who had settled the North Carolina coast in the early...
The Southern Colonies
Who began the first English colony on Roanoke Island?
Historians credit Sir Walter Raleigh as the founder of the first English colony on Roanoke Island. According to historical records, two explorers (Arthur Barlowe and Phillip Amadas) initially set...
The Southern Colonies
What is Lord Baltimore known for?
Lord Baltimore (also known as Cecil Calvert, the Second Lord Baltimore) established the colony of Maryland in colonial America. His father, George Calvert, the First Lord Baltimore, was secretary...
The Southern Colonies
How was the colony of Virginia founded?
The Colony of Virginia was established by colonists such as John Rolfe in 1607 in Jamestown. The name “Virginia” was coined from Queen Elizabeth I’s moniker “Virgin Queen.” Before colonists from...
The Southern Colonies
Will the mystery of the Roanoke Colony ever be solved?
The desertion of the Roanoke colony in 1590 remains a mystery. Will it ever be explained? An unexpected archaeological discovery in the future may provide an answer. There were almost no clues left...
The Southern Colonies
What happened to the Lost colony of Roanoke?
The simple answer is that no one knows for sure. The governor of the colony, John White, went back to England to pick up some much-needed provisions for the struggling settlement. But when he...
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