The different geography and even climate of the North and South ended up making them differently susceptible to tobacco, rice, and other productions.
The soil on the North was not that suitable for farming. Many became ship builders, traders and fishermen. They'd import a lot of what was needed since farmers weren't many.
In the south on the other hand, as mentioned, rice, tobacco, and even indigo were constantly cultivated since the land seemed rich to do so, and the cheap labor was very needed.