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Cotton, Slavery and the Old South

This chapter explores the growth of cotton production in the Old South and its effect on the slave population and Southern society. It also delves into the economic and social dynamics of Southern planters and the various classes within Southern society.

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Cotton, Slavery and the Old South

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  1. Cotton, Slavery and the Old South Chapter 11

  2. Early South Upper South - tobacco *market unstable *uses up soil *some shift to Other crops

  3. Lower South: Rice – possible in few places Sugar – labor intensive, need $

  4. Many turn to Short-Staple Cotton *Grows in variety of climates

  5. Problem: Hard to get out seed Production is limited by ability to clean cotton

  6. Cotton Gin by Eli Whitney

  7. Cotton Gin solves final bottle neck in textile production, enough cotton

  8. Effect of IR on Cotton Production • 1820 500,000 bales • 1850 3,000,000 bales • 5,000,000 bales • 2/3 of total exports $200,000,000

  9. KING COTTON

  10. Cotton production in the deep South lead to shift in slave population away from Chesapeake region

  11. Southern Industry and Trade Majority of trade in South due to cotton Planters use a broker or ‘factor’ to find a buyer for the cotton

  12. Since the South had not developed a merchant class, most brokers were found in the North South did not develop a complex banking system-often went to factor for loans

  13. Transportation limited $ not put into canals and railroads What track they have is not a network

  14. Why not a diverse economy? *Lots of $ in cotton & other crops *Legacy of Jefferson anti big city and industry

  15. James De Bow *De Bow’s Review *Economic Independence from North

  16. SOUTHERN SOCIETY Southern Society

  17. Nottaway Plantation

  18. Percent of Southern Population that owned Slaves 5% 383,637

  19. Percent of Families that owned Slaves 20-25%

  20. LARGE PLANTER • At least 800 acres • At least 50 slaves • 2,292 owned over 100 • Top of society – have power

  21. Southern Women *Less educated *Less involved *More subservient *More involved in farm

  22. Education *Beyond basic ed only for sons of wealthy *Many educated at military schools VMI

  23. Thomas Jackson Stonewall

  24. Plain Folk *Most small farmers *Few own slaves *Connected to large planters: need access to Gins, markets, credit *Limited chance of advancement

  25. Hill People *Live in Hill country or backwoods-Appalachian/Ozarks *Subsistence farming *Dislike slavery and Planters

  26. POOR WHITE TRASH * ½ million *Worst land-few own land *renters, squaters *Hunt, forage, work as common laborer LOVE SLAVERY

  27. THE PECULIAR INSTITUTION

  28. Slave Laws * Can’t own property * Can’t leave w/o permission * Can’t be out after dark * Can’t congregate with other slaves * Can’t carry firearms * Can’t strike whites * Can’t testify against whites * Can’t teach slaves to read/write

  29. Cotton Gin increases value of slaves A slave in 1800 that cost $200-300 by 1840 cost $500-1700

  30. Working conditions for slaves based on where you are owned & work performed *large plantation vs. small farm *plantation vs. city *field vs. house

  31. About 250,000 free blacks in the South Laws that restrict them *outlawed from certain occupations *can’t supervise whites

  32. Domestic slave trade important to the system Need to transfer slaves to growing parts of the South 835,000 shipped to deep South from Chesapeake 1790-1860

  33. Planters need this trade but show guilt by assigning slave traders a low social position

  34. Justification of Slavery • Positive good • Necessary evil

  35. J. H. Hammond

  36. SLAVE REBELLIONS

  37. 1800-Gabriel Prosser 1000 slaves 1822-Denmark Vesey 1831-Nat Turner Virginia killed 60 whites over 100 executed

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