Answer:
The southern colonies in America, particularly during the colonial period, depended heavily on agriculture, specifically on cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo. The favorable climate and fertile soil of the southern region allowed for the large-scale cultivation of these crops. The economy of the southern colonies was primarily based on the production and exportation of these agricultural goods, which generated significant wealth for the plantation owners and slaveholders in the region. Slavery played a crucial role in supporting the economy of the southern colonies by providing the labor necessary for cultivating and harvesting the cash crops.