Final answer:
Few cities developed in the Southern Colonies primarily due to the emphasis on agricultural production and the economy's focus on plantation-style agriculture which did not encourage urbanization. In contrast, the middle colonies saw more cities and towns due to economic and occupational diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why few cities develop in the Southern Colonies is mainly due to the emphasis on agricultural production. This focus on large-scale plantation-style agriculture, facilitated by the geography and climate conducive to crops such as tobacco, cotton, and rice, required significant landholdings and a labor force primarily comprised of enslaved Africans. Without a significant industrial base or a middle class, and facing a large racial underclass, the South did not modernize in the same way as other regions. Cities typically emerge as centers of trade, industry, and services, but in the Southern Colonies, the economy centered on agricultural production and rural life, thereby limiting urbanization.
Conversely, in places like the middle colonies, economic diversity, ethnic and religious variety, and different agricultural practices led to the growth of cities and towns. In these regions, a more even distribution of wealth, occupational diversification, and economic opportunities in urban areas created the conditions necessary for urban centers to flourish.