The Southern Colonies:

 

Similarities:

      plantation style economies (lesser degree in N.C. small farms)

      staple cash crops were the rule

      slavery was used in all

      aristocratic style political system (large land holders) except in North

            Carolina

      scattered settlements discouraged church/school creation

      permitted some religious toleration

      Anglican Church was dominant faith (weakest in N.C.)

      became expansionist: (destruction of soil and usable rivers)

 

Differences:

 

Virginia:

      Began as Jamestown 1607 via Virginia Company of London enterprise

      charter guaranteed rights of Englishmen to settlers

      faced many obstacles “starving time”, disease, Indian raids

      John Rolfe fathered the tobacco industry in Virginia

      African slaves were imported in 1619

      House of Burgesses: first mini-Parliament

      1624 James I revoked the charter and made it a royal colony

 

Maryland:

      created as a haven for Catholics and a new feudal style domain 1634

      Catholic lords vs. Protestant planters: rebellion at end of 1600’s

      tobacco colony using white indentured servants

      Act of Toleration 1649: for all who accepted the divinity of Jesus

     

The Carolinas 1670: founded by aristocrats who were Charles II’s court favorites

 

South Carolina:

      close ties economically with British West Indies

      exported Indian slaves and later rice

      by 1710, African slaves were majority in the colony

      Charles town became busiest seaport in South

      aristocratic flavor was added and community became diverse

      border problems with Spanish Florida

 

North Carolina:

      settled by poor outcasts and religious dissenters from Virginia

      small squatter farms of tobacco, with little need for slaves

      developed spirit of resistance to authority (due to isolation)

      harbored pirates and were regarded as irreligious

      separated from South in 1712  and it became a royal colony

 

Georgia:

      founded in 1733 with main port at Savannah as a buffer to Florida and La.

      received subsidies from the crown from the start

      founded by philanthropists for debtors, led by Oglethorpe

      Savannah became a melting pot community as Charleston was

      didn’t develop large plantation economy due to climate,

            location, restriction on slavery (at the beginning)