Extra Credit Daily Grade To Replace your lowest “Daily Grade” Write a letter to a soldier who was hurt fighting for our country addressed and stamped envelope Assignment: Write a letter to a recovering American soldier and return it unsealed in an addressed and stamped envelope first thing in the morning and I will replace your lowest daily grade with a 100. A Recovering American Soldier Address: A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC

NEXT The South’s economy relies on cotton, and the slave labor used to produce it. Antebellum Society 1800–1860 The South builds a cotton economy, but also creates a class system with race as the most critical factor.

NEXT Antebellum Society 1800–1860 SECTION 1 SECTION 2 Southern Culture Antebellum Society in Georgia

NEXT Section 1 Southern Culture The South becomes a distinct region that is quite different from other regions of the United States by the 1850s.

NEXT “Cotton is King” Southern Culture Antebellum South Focuses on Cotton Southern antebellum society based on cotton antebellum (antebellum means “before the war,”) Late 1700s, cotton is Georgia’s most important crop with English textile mills creating a huge demand SECTION 1 Continued...

NEXT SECTION 1 The Cotton Gin Cotton seeds limited amount of cotton produced because the seeds hard to remove Eli WhitneyEli Whitney designs cotton gin in 1793 cotton gin -cotton gin—machine that removes seeds from cotton -allows each worker to clean 50 times more cotton per day More planters begin growing cotton as a result of cotton gin continued “Cotton is King”

The Cotton Gin

NEXT SECTION 1 Cotton Gin Brings Changes Cotton boom allows South to focus on agriculture North focuses on industry Cotton easy to sell, commands high prices Planters begin to grow more cotton than any other crops and less food crops South becomes dependent on cotton The Cotton Boom Continued...

NEXT SECTION 1 Slavery Expands Cotton requires large workforce; slavery increases in South Cotton profits skyrocket, very profitable As profits rise, slave prices jump: -male field hand is $300 in 1790s; rises to $1,000 by late 1830s Slave importation illegal after continue to trade slaves already living in U.S. continued The Cotton Boom

NEXT SECTION 1 Difficulties with Farming Continued... Soil Exhaustion Farmers plant same crops each year; takes vital nutrients from soil Exhausted” soil“Exhausted” soil no longer supports crops; plantations shift west use guanoasSome rich farmers use guano, bird droppings, as fertilizer fertilizer by 1850s

NEXT SECTION 1 Crop Failures Georgians too reliant on cotton; use profits for more land, slaves Wealth in south is determined by land and slaves owned not cash on hand. Crop failure can lead to poverty continued Difficulties with Farming

NEXT SECTION 1 Industry is Limited Little industry in Georgia; some textile (cotton) mills; iron -these industries later vital to Civil War effort Industry in Georgia Barriers to Industry Wealthy reinvest money in cotton instead of developing industries Planter class—no need to change industry while cotton is profitable

NEXT SECTION 1 River Travel Rivers are main transportation method until mid- 1800s Samuel Howard launches Georgia’s first Enterprise steamboat, Enterprise, 1816 SavannahIn 1819, Savannah makes first transatlantic steamboat trip -launched by group of Savannah businessmen Transportation in Georgia Continued...

NEXT SECTION 1 Railroads Western and AtlanticIn 1837, Construction of Western and Atlantic W&A (W&A) Railroad begins -first W&A stake driven seven miles east of Chattahoochee River -staked spot called Terminus—beginning of modern-day Atlanta All but two major southern railroads pass through Atlanta by 1860 Southern railroads are lighter gauge than northern railroads-built for lightweight hauling of agricultural goods (esp. cotton) continued Transportation in Georgia

NEXT SECTION 1 Georgia’s Public School Systems Georgia’s public school system weak, develops later poor school systemGeorgia creates poor school system to educate needy children in 1817 Many Georgians embarrassed to send children to poor schools old fieldIf able, families pay to send children to old field schools schools instead Education neglected—20% of Georgia’s white adults literate by 1850 Education in Georgia Continued...

NEXT SECTION 1 Georgia Still Mostly Rural Savannah is Georgia’s largest city in 1860, 22,000 people Augusta—12,500; Columbus, Macon, Atlanta— under 10,000 each Most Georgians live in rural areas, small towns Georgia’s Cities

NEXT Antebellum Georgia develops distinct social classes based largely on race and partly on economic opportunity. Section 2 Antebellum Society in Georgia

NEXT The Old South Antebellum Society in Georgia Social Classes and Slavery Georgia, South divided into social classes; race the critical factor Planters Yeoman Farmers Poor Whites Free Blacks House slaves Field Slaves Whites of all classes see themselves as higher in status than blacks -even free, wealthy African Americans considered lower than whites Only about 25% of Southern whites own slaves -slave ownership sign of wealth, political power SECTION 2

NEXT Planters A Wealthy Minority Planters—wealthy elite, own 20 or more slaves on plantations Plantations—large farms extending hundreds of acres 1860, under 3,000 of Georgia’s 600,000 whites considered planters SECTION 2 Continued...

NEXT Small Communities Plantations small self sufficient communities Plantation owners usually hire overseer to head farming operation Owners live in towns to enjoy social lives, better education Coastal owners come to cities to avoid disease- carrying insects Planters often well-educated community leaders SECTION 2 continued Planters

NEXT Yeoman Farmers The Majority of White Georgians Most Georgia whites yeoman farmers—own and farm a few acres of land Some slave owners, some rent farms from larger landowners SECTION 2 Poor Whites Poor whites own no land, hire selves out to land, business owners Live at subsistence level; many move to towns, work in mills by 1860

NEXT Free African Americans Freedom Not Guaranteed About 3,500 free African Americans in Georgia, 1850 Slaveholders free slaves or slaves purchase their own freedom Live mainly in towns where they can find work Many free slaves still must register; some kidnapped and enslaved SECTION 2

NEXT Different Roles on a Plantation Field hands tend crops on plantation; driver maintains discipline Some skilled slaves become carpenters or blacksmiths -some allowed to keep portion of earnings House slaves cook, clean, tend homes, care for children Considered of a higher class than field slaves SECTION 2 Continued... Enslaved Africans

NEXT Life Under Slavery Slaves live in slave quarters; some in servants’ quarters in homes Many slaves allowed plots to grow food; some can sell surplus food Illegal to teach slaves literacy, but some taught; pass it on Slaves can’t legally marry; many owners recognize informal marriage Owner may sell a slave anytime; children of slaves are also slaves Slave families often broken up throughout South SECTION 2 continued Enslaved Africans Continued...

NEXT Resistance Slaves develop means of protest; most common to work slowly Some escape to North; severe punishment to deter others if caught Many white Georgians fear slave revolts; pass strict slave codes SECTION 2 continued Enslaved Africans *Life of a slave girl reading slave girl Unchained Memories