Chapter 9, Section 2 The South The Growth of Industry

The South 1. West Virginia 2. Virginia 3. North Carolina 4. South Carolina 5. Georgia 6. Florida 7. Kentucky 8. Tennessee 9. Alabama 10. Mississippi 11. Arkansas 12. Louisiana 13. Oklahoma 14. Texas

The Confederacy The South is generally defined as the states of the old Confederacy and the border state of Kentucky. It also includes Oklahoma, which was a territory during the Civil War, and West Virginia, which broke away from Virginia in 1863.

“Bedspread Alley” During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Georgia led the way in transforming the South from an agricultural to an industrial economy. Catherine Evans and her friends made chenille bedspreads and sold them from the front porch.

The region has a warm climate and receives adequate rain. The coastal plains have rich soil. And more than 200 frost-free days each year make for a long growing season.

regional profile Seven of the top 10 cities with the largest growth in their Hispanic populations are in the South.

Hispanics Hispanics are people who were born in Latin America or whose ancestors came from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

King Cotton King Cotton was the nickname of the South’s major crop. For many farmers, it was their only source of income.

The Boll Weevil The Boll Weevil is an insect that began destroying cotton crops across the South in the 1890s. Over the next 30 years, many farmers went bankrupt. However…

Unexpected consequences Farmers who had depended solely on cotton began to plant other crops, and many became wealthy as a result. In 1919, the grateful citizens of Enterprise, Alabama, actually established a monument to the Boll Weevil.

citrus crops Citrus fruits require year- round warmth and sunshine, which Florida provides. Lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges are major crops.

rice Rice also grows well along the Gulf Coast and in the Mississippi River Valley.

Georgia Georgia is known for its agricultural products, including peaches, peanuts, and pecans.

petrochemicals Petrochemicals are substances that are made from oil by-products, like plastics, paints, and fabrics.

coal mining Southern states like West Virginia are leading coal producers. These counties produce more than 60 million tons of coal each year.

Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay lies between Maryland and Virginia and is famous for its shellfish, including clams, soft-shell crabs, and scallops.

Southern forests

industrialization Industrialization means changing an agricultural economy to a manufacturing economy. It started in the South when Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin.

textiles Textiles are cloth fabrics that are knitted or woven. They were an important part in moving to a manufacturing economy.

high technology One of the nation’s outstanding computer and electronics development areas is in the South.

aerospace Aerospace is technology related to leaving the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is located in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Huntsville, Alabama, and Houston, Texas.

cable television Ted Turner, a pioneer in cable television, established his headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. His companies include CNN, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, Headline News, Tru TV, and the Cartoon Network.

tourism

The Sun Belt The Sun Belt is a broad area of the U.S. that stretches from the southern Atlantic coast to the southern California coast.

The District of Columbia The District of Columbia is an area of federal land on the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland. It is the site of our nation’s capital, the City of Washington.