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Chesapeake Colonies

Definition

These were British colonies located along the Chesapeake Bay (Virginia and Maryland) during the 17th century. They were known for their tobacco plantations which relied heavily on indentured servants and later African slaves for labor.

Analogy

Imagine if your school divided students into two groups - one group focused on arts & humanities while another focused on science & technology. Each group would develop its own culture, strengths, weaknesses over time - just like how Chesapeake Colonies developed distinct characteristics due to their focus on tobacco farming.

Related terms

Tobacco Plantations: Large-scale farms in colonial America that grew tobacco as cash crop primarily using slave labor after 1660s when demand for indentured servants decreased.

Indentured Servants: Individuals who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America and the promise of land or money once their service was completed.

African Slavery: The forced labor of Africans who were captured and sold into slavery, primarily in the Southern colonies. This practice began in earnest in the Chesapeake Colonies around 1660s when demand for indentured servants decreased.