Which regional quality of the South helps explain why there were more slave owners in the Southern U.S.?

With rocky soil, Southern farms needed more hands to clear land.

With larger cities, Southern farmers spent more time shipping goods.

With richer soil, Southern farms produced more and needed more workers. ***

With less rainfall, Southern farmers needed more hands to build waterways.

I believe that you are correct.

Correct

The regional quality of the South that helps explain why there were more slave owners is that with richer soil, Southern farms produced more and needed more workers.

The regional quality of the South that helps explain why there were more slave owners is the richer soil found in Southern farms, which resulted in higher agricultural productivity and the need for more workers.

To understand why this specific regional quality led to more slave owners, one must consider the economic factors at play. The South's fertile soil allowed for the cultivation of cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and rice, which were highly profitable and in demand both domestically and internationally. To maximize their profits, plantation owners needed a significant workforce to cultivate and harvest these crops.

Initially, white indentured servants were used to work in the Southern farms, but their numbers eventually decreased as economic opportunities improved and they sought better prospects elsewhere. Additionally, the indentured servants were not a reliable long-term labor solution. Consequently, plantation owners turned to African slaves to meet their labor demands.

The richer soil in the South allowed for larger and more productive agricultural operations compared to the rocky soils found in other regions. The climate in the South was also conducive to year-round agriculture, further increasing the need for a constant labor supply. Slavery became intricately tied to the economic prosperity of the Southern states, as the agricultural industry heavily relied on slave labor to support its profitability.

Therefore, it was the combination of fertile soil, favorable climate, and the profitability of cash crops that led to more slave owners in the Southern United States.