The term "Virginia Planters" refers to wealthy landowners in colonial Virginia who cultivated large plantations, primarily growing cash crops like tobacco. These planters played a significant role in the economy of the Chesapeake Bay region and were instrumental in the development of the plantation system, which relied heavily on enslaved labor. Virginia Planters were influential in the political landscape of early America, often holding positions of power in colonial government. Their wealth and social status allowed them to shape policies that favored their agricultural interests, contributing to the economic and social structures of the Southern United States.