In the Southern Colonies, plantations were established for the growing of cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, rice, and indigo. These large agricultural estates were characterized by extensive fields and relied heavily on the labor of enslaved Africans and indentured servants.
Tobacco was one of the first cash crops to be cultivated in the region, particularly in Virginia and Maryland, and it became a significant driver of the economy. As the demand for cotton increased, particularly in the 19th century with the advent of the cotton gin, cotton plantations became increasingly important, especially in states like Alabama and Mississippi.
The plantation system had a profound impact on the social, economic, and political landscape of the Southern Colonies and later the Southern United States, contributing to the development of a distinct regional identity and laying the groundwork for many of the social issues that would arise in the years leading up to the Civil War.