Chapter 4 Flashcards
What was the main economic activity in all colonies?
Farming
What is subsistence farming?
Producing enough crops to meet the needs of the family.
What is commercial agriculture?
When larger amounts of crops are produced to make a profit.
Why did New England farmers practice subsistence farming?
Because of long winters and thin, rocky soil.
What were the two main industries of the New England colonies?
Shipbuilding and fishing
What is the triangular trade?
A system in which slaves, crops, and manufactured goods were traded between Africa, the Caribbean, and the American colonies.
What was the name of the slave transporting leg of the Triangular Trade?
The Middle Passage
Where was the hub of the shipping trade in America?
New England
What is a cash crop?
A crop that could be sold in markets.
What were the two main cash crops of the Middle Colonies?
Wheat and oats
Which colonial region was known for its diverse population of German and Scotch-Irish citizens?
Middle Colonies
What was the main cash crop in Virginia and Maryland?
Tobacco
What was the main cash crop in Georgia and South Carolina?
Rice
What did rice and tobacco have in common (why slaves were used to harvest them)?
Both crops were very labor intensive.
What is supply and demand?
Controls the prices of crops.