The founders of the Southern Colonies came to America seeking wealth in the form of land ownership. The coastal plains and the rolling hills were perfect for raising crops. The rich soil and the warm weather helped the crops thrive.
Each plantation required a lot of workers. Plantation owners could not find enough workers among the European immigrants and the Native Americans were not interested in working on the plantations either.
The plantation owners found the solution on a Dutch slave ship. They purchased their first slaves in Jamestown in 1619. First African Americans were known as indentured servants rather than slaves. They were forced to work on the plantations. Many more Africans followed in their footsteps and the plantation system started to develop with a great speed.
