What crop was the economic foundation of the Chesapeake and North Carolina colonies?
Tobacco
Which labor system replaced indentured servitude in the Chesapeake region?
Enslaved African labor
Why did tobacco lead to a plantation‑based economy?
It was labor‑intensive and required a large workforce.
What two economic activities formed New England’s mixed economy?
Agriculture and commerce
What made the Middle Colonies ideal for growing cereal crops?
Rich soil and a favorable climate
Which colony became known for religious tolerance and attracting diverse settlers?
Pennsylvania
What cultural impact did enslaved Africans have in the Southern colonies?
They preserved African traditions and blended them into new cultural practices.
Why did the colonies develop self‑governing institutions?
Britain’s distance and lax oversight
What was the main political institution in New England?
Town meetings with elected representatives
Who held political power in the Southern colonies?
Elite planters
What was the first representative government in British America?
The Virginia House of Burgesses (1619)
What were the Spanish primarily seeking in the Americas?
Wealth and the conversion of Native populations to Christianity
What system did the Spanish use to control Native labor?
The encomienda system
How did the Spanish incorporate Africans and mixed‑race individuals into society?
Through a hierarchical social structure
What economic activity were the French and Dutch most focused on?
The fur trade
