Section 1: Growth of the Cotton Industry

cotton gin

A machine for cleaning the seeds from cotton fibers, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793.

Why had slavery been on the decline before the invention of the cotton gin? How did slavery change as a result of the cotton gin?

After the American Revolution, the demand and the prices of slaves went down. As seeds needed to be removed from cotton fibers, the demand for slave labor increased.

cotton belt

Area for high cotton production

What other crops and industries were encouraged in the South?

Food crops: corn, rice, sweet potatoes, wheat, and sugarcane. Cash crops: tobacco, hemp, and flax. Industries: steam-powered sawmill and textile mills.

What effect did the cotton gin have on the southern economy?

It boosted the economy in the US and it fueled industrial production in Britain and Europe as well.

How did the cotton gin make processing easier?

It was a faster way to remove seeds from cotton fibers than by hand.

Tredegar Iron Works

Large iron factory that operated in Richmond, Virginia, in the early to mid-1800s.

planters

Large-scale farmers who held more than 20 slaves.

Why were some southern leaders worried about the South's reliance on cotton?

Some worried hat their overseas customers would find new sources for their product.

What areas made up the cotton belt?

Southeastern US, from South Carolina to east Texas where most U.S. cotton was produced during the mid-1800s.

What effect did the cotton boom have on the slave trade within the United States?

The need for slaves greatly increased and the number of slave states shot up. Plantations grew, and work became strenuous.

How might the rise of cotton production and slavery affect Southern society?

The rise of cotton production represented more than half of all US exports and slaves were forced to provide cheap or free labor.

Do you think the South should have paid more attention to its industrial growth? Why?

Yes, because it was dangerous for the south's economy to be dependent on agriculture and one crop.

factors

crop brokers

Why were some southern leaders worried about the South's reliance on cotton?

Reliance on one crop was risky.