STANDARD INDICATOR TENSIONS BETWEEN THE UPCOUNTRY & LOWCOUNTRY

TENSION BETWEEN UPCOUNTRY & LOWCOUNTRY Surfaced as the Regulator Movement Increased as a result of the Revolutionary War Continued to grow as differences between the two regions developed Upcountry: Northwestern part of state, original home of Cherokee Lowcountry: area along Atlantic coast, first area settled in state

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UPCOUNTRY & LOWCOUNTRY Lowcountry Patriots Elite planters Wealthy & civilized Plantation farming Cash crops (rice & indigo) Many slaves Slave main labor source Upcountry Loyalists Traders & woodsmen Poor & uncivilized Subsistence farming Staple crops (food & small amounts of flax) Few slaves Farmers & slaves worked together

Differences Continued Lowcountry Strong support for slavery Economy & social status depended on slavery Small white population Large slave population Controlled politics & government Upcountry Little support for slavery Economy & social class depended on their hard work & determination Large white population Small slave population Little political power

Differences Continued Lowcountry Greater representation in legislature Greater influence Center of government & business Charleston capital Upcountry Little representation in legislature Little influence Had to travel too far to present issues to legislature or argue court cases

How Did the Revolutionary War Economically Affect the People of SC? Upcountry & Lowcountry suffered Fighting destroyed countryside & slaves Livestock & goods were taken by British After war economy was slow to improve

Reasons for Economic Suffering of Lowcountry No British subsidies No protected markets Britain developed new sources of raw materials and markets for goods Planters could not pay debts to British creditors

Reasons for Economic Suffering of Lowcountry cont……. US & SC governments could not pay for goods they had commandeered from citizens Poor crop yields (Economic problems would continue until the early 1800’s when cotton became new cash crop)

Political Tensions Between Upcountry & Lowcountry are Eased When…. 1785: Legislature created counties and county courts 1786: capital moved to Columbia in center of state (Political tension still exists since the Lowcountry maintained its majority control in legislature)

Lowcountry resisted giving equal representation to Upcountry because they feared they did not support slavery. Why did the Lowcountry agree to share power? A. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin B. Cotton became a cash crop in Upcountry C. Slavery increases in the Upcountry D. Lowcountry agrees to share power in legislature How Inventions changed history (for better of for worse) (5:15)

Lowcountry resisted giving equal representation to Upcountry because they feared they did not support slavery. Legislature passed the Compromise of 1808: this act 1. Reapportioned the house 2. Representation based equally on white population & amount of taxable property (including slaves) Low & Up Countries had their share of slaves & political power