Social Hierarchies in Chesapeake Colonies

Very Hard Period 2: 1607–1754 Chesapeake Colonies

By the late 1600s, the Chesapeake colonies had developed a distinctive social hierarchy that reflected their economic reliance on tobacco. This hierarchy often manifested in various social and cultural practices, including land ownership and labor systems. In understanding the early demographic and social trends of the Chesapeake region, which of the following statements accurately reflects the societal structure of the Chesapeake colonies during this period?

The majority of land in Virginia and Maryland was owned by small-scale farmers who relied solely on family labor.

The social structure was defined by a wealthy planter elite who controlled the majority of tobacco production and land ownership.

Indentured servitude became obsolete by the end of the 1600s, leading to a labor system predominantly based on free labor.

The Chesapeake colonies had a largely egalitarian society with minimal distinctions based on wealth or land ownership.

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