Cotton, Slavery and the Old South Chapter 11
Early South Upper South - tobacco *market unstable *uses up soil *some shift to Other crops
Lower South: Rice – possible in few places Sugar – labor intensive, need $
Many turn to Short-Staple Cotton *Grows in variety of climates
Problem: Hard to get out seed Production is limited by ability to clean cotton
Cotton Gin by Eli Whitney
Cotton Gin solves final bottle neck in textile production, enough cotton
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
KING COTTON
Cotton production in the deep South lead to shift in slave population away from Chesapeake region
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
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
Transportation limited $ not put into canals and railroads What track they have is not a network
Why not a diverse economy? *Lots of $ in cotton & other crops *Legacy of Jefferson anti big city and industry
James De Bow *De Bow’s Review *Economic Independence from North
SOUTHERN SOCIETY Southern Society
Nottaway Plantation
Percent of Southern Population that owned Slaves 5% 383,637
Percent of Families that owned Slaves 20-25%
LARGE PLANTER At least 800 acres At least 50 slaves 2,292 owned over 100 Top of society – have power
Southern Women *Less educated *Less involved *More subservient *More involved in farm
Education *Beyond basic ed only for sons of wealthy *Many educated at military schools VMI
Thomas Jackson Stonewall
Plain Folk *Most small farmers *Few own slaves *Connected to large planters: need access to Gins, markets, credit *Limited chance of advancement
Hill People *Live in Hill country or backwoods-Appalachian/Ozarks *Subsistence farming *Dislike slavery and Planters
POOR WHITE TRASH LOVE SLAVERY * ½ million *Worst land-few own land *renters, squaters *Hunt, forage, work as common laborer LOVE SLAVERY
THE PECULIAR INSTITUTION
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
Cotton Gin increases value of slaves A slave in 1800 that cost $200-300 by 1840 cost $500-1700
*large plantation vs. small farm Working conditions for slaves based on where you are owned & work performed *large plantation vs. small farm *plantation vs. city *field vs. house
About 250,000 free blacks in the South Laws that restrict them *outlawed from certain occupations *can’t supervise whites
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
Planters need this trade but show guilt by assigning slave traders a low social position
Justification of Slavery Positive good Necessary evil
J. H. Hammond
SLAVE REBELLIONS
1800-Gabriel Prosser 1000 slaves 1822-Denmark Vesey 1831-Nat Turner Virginia killed 60 whites over 100 executed