13 Colonies Regions - Southern Colonies

This page describes the land, economy, culture, and religions of the Southern Colonies

The Southern Colonies were Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Located in the southern part of the 13 Colonies, the region was known for its warm climate, long growing season, fertile farmland, cash crops, plantations, and an economy built heavily around agriculture.

People of Jamestown

Which Colonies Were the Southern Colonies?

Southern Colonies at a Glance

Colony	Economy and Resources	Religion and Culture	Important Features
Maryland	Farming and cash crops	Founded in part as a refuge for English Catholics	Plantation agriculture and access to Chesapeake Bay
Virginia	Tobacco farming and plantation agriculture	Anglican influence was strong	Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America
North Carolina	Farming, timber, and trade	Religious life was varied across settlements	Many farms and settlements were spread across a large rural area
South Carolina	Rice, indigo, plantation agriculture, and trade	Anglican influence was important in many communities	Charleston became a major port and center of commerce
Georgia	Farming and trade	Religious and cultural life developed as the colony grew	The southernmost of the original 13 Colonies

Climate and Geography of the Southern Colonies

The Southern Colonies had a warm climate with hot summers and mild winters. Geography ranged from coastal plains in the east to piedmont farther inland, while the westernmost areas were mountainous.

The soil was well suited for farming, and the growing season was longer than in the New England and Middle Colonies. These conditions helped agriculture become the foundation of the Southern economy. Hot summers also contributed to the spread of diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

Why Was Agriculture So Important in the Southern Colonies?

The Southern Colonies had fertile land and a long growing season, which made it possible to grow large amounts of crops. Agriculture became the dominant part of the regional economy, especially on large plantations.

Cash crops included tobacco, rice, indigo, sugarcane, and cotton. These crops were grown for sale and export rather than only for local use.

Religion in the Southern Colonies

Religion was important in the Southern Colonies, but it generally did not shape community life in the same way it did in New England. Many settlers were Anglican, while other religious groups were also present.

Maryland was distinctive because many of its early settlers were Catholic, and Lord Baltimore founded the colony in part as a refuge for English Catholics.

Southern settlements were often spread across large rural areas and plantations, so churches and towns were sometimes farther apart than in more densely settled regions.

Economy of the Southern Colonies

The Southern economy was based largely on farming. Plantation owners produced crops for sale in colonial and overseas markets, while ports connected the region to broader Atlantic trade networks.

Rice, indigo, tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton were among the important cash crops associated with the Southern Colonies. Large plantations became especially important in several colonies.

Slavery and Labor in the Southern Colonies

Plantation agriculture relied heavily on labor from enslaved Africans and, especially in the earlier colonial period, indentured servants. Enslaved people performed much of the difficult agricultural labor that supported plantation wealth.

Charleston, South Carolina, became an important center of the American slave trade during the 1700s. The forced labor of enslaved Africans became deeply connected to the economy and society of the Southern Colonies.

How Were the Southern Colonies Different from the Other Colonial Regions?

Region	Geography	Economy	Religion and Society
New England Colonies	Rocky soil, forests, cold winters, and a long coastline	Fishing, shipbuilding, trade, logging, crafts, and small farms	Puritan influence was especially strong in Massachusetts and Connecticut
Middle Colonies	Fertile farmland, rivers, good harbors, and a moderate climate	Grain farming, trade, shipping, manufacturing, and crafts	Especially diverse in religion, ethnicity, and culture
Southern Colonies	Long growing seasons, fertile coastal plains, and warm climate	Plantation agriculture and major cash crops	Plantation agriculture strongly influenced society and settlement

Map showing the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies

Regions of the 13 Colonies

Explore the Three Regions of the 13 Colonies

Southern Colonies and 13 Colonies Activities

Continue learning about the Southern Colonies and the other colonial regions with these interactive activities and classroom resources.

13 Colonies Reading Comprehension Activities

Teaching the 13 Colonies?

Use the free activities above, then explore additional interactive games, reading-comprehension activities, maps, printable resources, and subscriber-only 13 Colonies materials for deeper practice and classroom use.

Remove ad

Related activities