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How Did The Environment Affect The Development Of The Northern And Southern Colonies

738 Words3 Pages

When analyzing the development of the Americas, people often overlook the fact that simple geography and environment was one of, if not the biggest influences in shaping the future of the Americas after colonization. For example, The geography and environment of the coastal colonies impacted the settlers’ very way of life. The most prominent geographical differences that affected colonial development and growth were between the Northern and Southern regions. The middle region contained environmental factors from both the North and South and consequently was less radical in the way that it shaped colonial development. The Northern and Southern areas differed and as the way of life in these regions shifted to adapt to the environment, one prominent …show more content…

The soil was rich, fertile and perfect for crops. The weather was relatively warm year-round and the land was screaming to be used for agriculture. There were rivers readily available for the transportation of any crops that the settlers might want to export. As a result of this near-perfect farm land, the Southern colonies developed into a region dominated by agriculture. Huge tobacco and crop plantations arose and suddenly, a massive need for labor arose. Despite the settlers best efforts with finding workers through means like indentured servants and non-hereditary slavery, it soon became critical to the Southern economy that they turned to permanent and hereditary slavery. Additionally, while the Southern region might have initially seemed like a blessing from gods, there was a fatal flaw in its geography. Because of the fact that it was located right above Spanish territory in Florida, the Southern colonies were under a constant threat of attack which created tension that hindered Southern development. This hindrance ultimately made the South colonies unable to fully develop and find more efficient labor and move past the need for cheap slave labor. A nearly direct result of the geography and environment, slaves ended up becoming a pillar of the Southern …show more content…

The South became a crop-based society that depended on the cheap labor of slaves. The North became a manufacturing and trading society that had saw slaves as helpful, but not absolutely crucial. Further into the future, this difference would drastically affect the Americas, through racial tension and ethical dilemmas. It would become a huge part of the civil war’s cause, a war that irrefutably shaped today’s world. All of these implications arose simply from the fact that the Northern colonies adapted to their environment in a way that did not require workers whereas the South adapted differently, demanding slave

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