What was the primary labor source in the Southern Colonies for agricultural work?

The primary labor source in the Southern Colonies for agricultural work was indeed indentured servants and slaves. This practice was integral to the plantation economy that developed in the region, focused largely on cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and later cotton.

Indentured servants were individuals who contracted themselves to work for a specific number of years in exchange for passage to the colonies and eventual freedom. However, as the demand for labor grew and the supply of willing indentured servants diminished, the reliance shifted more significantly towards enslaved Africans, who were forcibly brought to America and forced into lifetime labor with no rights or the possibility of freedom.

This system was foundational in establishing the social and economic structure of the Southern Colonies, where agriculture played a dominant role in the economy. The dependence on this labor system had profound implications, including social hierarchies based on race and tremendous wealth for plantation owners, while also laying the groundwork for the later conflicts and issues surrounding slavery in the United States.