Final answer:
The relationships among the rich planters in the Chesapeake colonies after 1690 were characterized by a harmonious social hierarchy, with a stable social stratification based on land ownership and tobacco production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationships among the rich planters in the Chesapeake colonies after 1690 could best be described as a harmonious social hierarchy. Despite the challenging surroundings, including antagonistic interactions with Native American tribes and other external pressures, the Chesapeake colonies developed a network of large and small plantations. These plantations were part of a stable social stratification where social status and wealth were determined by land ownership and the ability to produce tobacco, the most lucrative product of the Chesapeake colonies. Family and kin-based networks became commonplace, and while there might have been competition and conflict, the general trend was towards a hierarchical, yet socially stable community among the planters.