Explain why tobacco and slavery were important in Virginia? Have several supporting details.

Tobacco was important in the Virginia colony because it
was the basis of the colony's economy from the earliest days of that
colony.

The Virginia colony had its beginnings in 1607 when
the English landed at Jamestown.  By 1612, John Rolfe had perfected a way to grow and to
cure (prepare for smoking and other use) tobacco.  Demand for tobacco in Europe was so
great that tobacco became by far the most planted crop in
Virginia.

Tobacco caused at least two important negative
effects.  First, it depleted the soil quickly and led to the English needing to expand
and take more land.  This helped lead to conflict with the Indians.  Second, tobacco
production needed a great deal of labor.  This led to a great demand for
slaves.

Tobacco, then, became the backbone of Virginia's
economy and led, among other things, to the colony's dependence on slave
labor.