South Carolina’s Natural, Human, and Political

Resources

Standard Indicator 8-1.5: Students will be able to explain how South Carolinians used their natural, human, and political resources uniquely to gain economic prosperity, including settlement by and trade with the people of Barbados, rice and indigo planting, and the practice of mercantilism.

Carolina’s Natural Resources Abundant deer; hunted for

deerskins Pine forests to harvest for

lumber & naval stores Fertile land for farming Mild climate Long growing season Geographic conditions

made Lowcountry suitable for rice planting

Charles Town became major trade market due to good port

Navigable waterways along coast & into interior for shipping goods

South Carolinians & Human Resources

Carolina’s people developed a flourishing trade became a profitable colony

Economic Activities & People (Colonists)

traded beads, trinkets, guns, & alcohol to Natives for deerskins & furs

enslaved Natives & ended good trade relationship

Carolina settlers from Barbados sold Natives & cattle to island

sold Naval Stores to Britain to make ships watertight

used African slaves to cultivate rice, Carolina Gold: First Cash Crop

grew indigo & made dye, Carolina Blue: Second Cash Crop

Carolina Cash Crops Bring Wealth

Rice: Carolina Gold Labor intensive crop African slaves had

knowledge of how to plant rice

Staple crop & cash crop Brought long term

prosperity Determination of

settlers & hard work of slaves resulted in growing agricultural economy

First Cash Crop

Indigo: Carolina Blue Introduced by Eliza

Lucas Immigrant from

Antigua Planted indigo to

make family plantation successful

British government offered a subsidy as an incentive to growers

Eliza shared her success with other planters

Second Cash Crop

Political Factors Contributing to SC’s Prosperity

Mercantilism: Mother country controlled trade to export more goods than imported

By enforcing mercantilism mother country would amass more gold & silver & become wealthy & powerful

SC source of raw materials & market for British manufactured goods

Britain’s dependence on foreign trade was lessened improving her balance of trade (exported more than imported)

Britain encouraged development of new products by offering subsidies (bounties)

Indigo planters received subsidies Rice & Indigo on ‘enumerated’ list of products that

could be sold only to Britain

Mercantilism Benefited Carolina

Carolina planters had secure market to sell their rice and indigo crops

Britain did not enforce ‘enumerated list’ on Carolina rice giving Carolina the advantage of a wider market

Britain was lax on enforcing most mercantilist laws (salutary neglect)

Neglect left English colonists free to develop their economies without much interference from Britain the mother country