Religion
Religon in the Southern Colonies was a little diverse. Maryland was founded for Catholics, but soon other worshipers lived there too. For the most part, the rest of the colonies, especially on the coast, were Anglican, the official church of England. Moving further from the coast into the back country, one found a more diverse religious population including Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists in later years. Like in both the New England and the Middle Colonies, religion was extremely important to the settlers.
Housing, Food, and Clothing
In the Southern Colonies, women wore petticoats and cotton dresses and girls, just the latter. Men and boys wore breeches, a shirt, a hat, and boots or shoes. Many rich families lived on vast plantations with many brick or stone buildings where they farmed crops to sell for money. Slaves usually lived their owner's plantation. In the back country, yeomen, or poor to middle class farmers, grew food to support their families. Most yeomen and back country settlers lived in log houses. In Charles Town (Charleston, today) richer people lived in Charles Town Single Houses and Charles Town Double Houses. Southern Colonists often had wild game, fish, raised animals, rice, fruits, vegetables, bread to eat and water to drink.
Chores, School, and Games
Children in the Southern Colonies were taught manners, reading, writing, and prayers. They usually were taught by their parents until the age of twelve or thirteen. From there, boys would either help out on their family's farm or be sent to college. Girls did not have this second option. The wealthiest of families could afford a private tutor (most often from Europe) for educating the children of the house. Men were the head of the families and owned all of the property. They usually helped supervise and plan the work of the slaves and received money for the crops they grew on the plantation. Plantation women quilted, helped raise the children, and helped their husbands supervise work on the plantation. Slaves cooked, worked on the plantations, chopped firewood, cleaned, and made clothes and candles. Slaves were not allowed to go to school. Yeomen usually did their own farming, hunting, fixing, making tools, and chopping firewood. Their wives cooked, cleaned, took care of the children, and made soap, butter, candles, and clothing. For entertainment, men had shooting contests; women, sewing and quilting; and children, hopscotch, kite flying, and marbles. The Southern Colonies in themselves had many diverse people who led very distinct lives.