The southern colonies were mostly estbalished for their costal plains and they were perfect for raising crops. The rich soil and warm weather helped the crops thrive which made alot of money because they were rich in natural resources.
Mining and cattle ranching help prepare western territories for statehood by : Creating large industries that attract people to move to the west.
These industries provide a lot of job opportunities because it need a lot of manpower to keep up with the production
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