1. Agricultural Changes in the South

2. $ $ PRICES The Growth of Cotton
Southern Agriculture began to decline after the American Revolution.
Prices for Cash Crops fell.
RICE, INDIGO, TOBACCO $ $
PRICES

3. The Growth of Cotton Farmers began to rely on cotton to make money!
Need for Clothes
PROBLEM:
Cotton seeds were hard to remove by hand and it was a SLOW process.

4. The Growth of Cotton
Cotton Gin: Machine for removing seeds from cotton – revolutionized the industry.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COTTON GIN (Click Here)

5. The Cotton Boom
By 1860, southern states east of the Mississippi River produced 2/3 of all U.S. cotton
Cotton Belt: Land stretching from SC to Texas.
Slave labor demand is going up!!!!

6. The Southern Economy “COTTON IS KING”
Increased trade in cotton led to growth of port cities
Savannah, GA
New Orleans, LA
Charleston, SC
Transportation Revolution didn’t have a wide enough impact on the South
How could they travel?
Using What?
Other crops in demand:
Corn, Rice, wheat, tobacco, sugarcane.
“COTTON IS KING”

7. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ The Southern Economy Southern Factories:
Served the needs of farmers
Lumber industry / Rope Industry
Most were built to process crops. $ $ $ $ $ $
Southerners poured money into the development of the plantation system, not southern industry $ $ $

8. Southern Society - Population
Planters
Wealthiest members of society
Only 1/3 of population by mid-1800’s
Yeoman (owned small farms)
“Middle-Class”
Majority of population
Poor-Whites
Didn’t own land
10% of population

9. Southern Society - Population
Free African Americans
2% of population
Some became financially successful, but faced constant discrimination.

10. Southern Society - Culture
Religion was central to social life.
Some southerners used religion to justify slavery – saying God created some people to rule over others.
Urban South
Similar to cities in the North – Industrialized.
Slaves did much of the work in cities
Maids, worked in mills, shipyards, ect.

11. Review Questions
1.) By 1860, cotton had become the most profitable crop in the South. What affect did this have on slaves in the south?
2.) How did the cotton gin affect Southern agriculture?
3.) How was society in the South set-up?