The Textile Industry One of the first industries to regain strength after the Civil War. Cotton was grown nearby, so it was easy to rebuild. By 1900, NC had 177 cotton mills, and was producing more cotton textiles than any other southern state except SC.

The Tobacco Industry The demand for tobacco exploded after Union soldiers discovered it during the Civil War, and wrote for more after the war. R.J. Reynolds and Washington Duke were N.C.’s largest tobacco producers.

Cigarettes Skilled workers could roll about 4 a minute until John Bonsack invented a cigarette rolling machine in Washington Duke(Duke University) created the American Tobacco Company in 1890, and eventually controlled 75% of the nation’s tobacco industry(monopoly)

Tobacco Road The bulk of N.C.’s textile mills and tobacco factories were located in Charlotte, Concord, High Point, Greensboro, Durham, and Raleigh-Became known as the Tobacco Road

J.P. Morgan Trusts He was the most powerful banker in the U.S. He combined N.C.’s railroads into Trusts Trusts brought all companies in an industry together and coordinated their activities to reduce competition and control prices. J.P. Morgan connected N.C.’s industries to regional, national, and overseas markets

N.C. ‘s Furniture Industry The first furniture factory to produce large amounts of furniture was started in High Point N.C. High Point’s success was because of its location by good railroad transportation, and it was in the middle of the N.C.’s hardwood forests. It has 125 furniture plants and 60 furniture stores, and is known as the “ Home Furnishing Capital of the World”