Economic, Geographic and Social Impact on Slavery

From the founding of Jamestown to the beginning of the American Revolution, the

slavery was intertwined in the life of the southern colonies. Despite the colonies prior

dependence on the indentured servants, slaves soon became an ideal source of labor due to the

lack of reliability with servants. Influenced by economic, geographic and social factors, slavery

soon became a vital part of the southern colonies economy from 1607 to 1775.

During this period, the economy in the southern colonies was booming due to the trade of

cash crops such as tobacco and rice. In order to meet the demand for tobacco, the plant needed to

be harvested in large quantities, which in turn required a large amount of land and labor. Farmers

soon turned to indentured servants and slaves to fulfill their need of labor. Servants served their

master for a term of four to seven years compared to slaves who were bound to their masters for

life. While slaves turned to be more expensive than servants, owners would also be in charge of

the slaves' offspring thus giving owners more labor for their money. Towards the end of the 17th

century slaves 'became economically viable sources of labor for the growing tobacco culture' as

they were a source of cheap labor (www.ida.net). As a result, slavery played a significant role in

the plantation system. In addition, after the Royal African Company lost its monopoly on the

slave trade in 1698, farmers jumped at the opportunity to make money quickly as the demand for

labor was sought after all across the world (www.pbs.org). Thus, the economic conditions of the

southern colonies encouraged the growth of slavery.

The geographic nature of the southern colonies promoted the growth of slavery during

the British colonial era. The rich and fertile soil and the warm and humid climate made the area

ideal for growing cash crops such as cotton and rice. As the plantations were spread across the

land, the need for laborers became apparent. In addition, the laborers would need to be able to

work in the hot climates of the south. Slaves seemed to be the ideal source of labor as they were

able