About The South
Kendra, MaGyver, Adam, Connor, Tanner, Paxten, and Bradley.
Cotton Kingdom in the South
- The Industrial Revolution greatly increased the demand for southern cotton.
- The cotton gin led to a boom in cotton production.
- Cotton was the South's most profitable cash crop.
- After the war of 1812 cotton planters moved west.
- Tragically as the cotton kingdom grew so did slavery.
- They used the profits to buy more land and slaves which brought more profits.
- In addition to the major cash crops of cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco the south also led the nation with livestock production.
- Over 90% of the nation's mules and over 60% percent of the hogs were raised in the South.
- Flour Milling was an another important industry in the South.
- Cheap cotton cloth was made for use in slaves clothing.
- Slavery also reduced the need for Southern Industry.
Cotton Boom
Load of cotton.
Slaves on a Cotton Plantation
Slaves picking on cotton.
Cotton Gin
Used to seperate seeds from cotton.
Life in the South
- The old south is often pictured as a land of vast plantations worked by hundreds of slave
- A small number of less than 1 percent owned 50 or more slaves
- The wealthy families were called cottonocracies because they made huge amounts of money from cotton
- The richest planters built elegant homes and filled them with expensive furniture from Europe
- 75 percent of southern farmers were called plain folk
- Unlike planters plain folk worked with their slaves in the fields
- 8 percent of southerners owned 5 or more slaves
- 50 percent of southerners owned no slaves
- Poor whites often lived in the hilly wooded area of the south they planted corn potatoes and other vegetables
- Free African Americans also faced discrimination
- Free African Americans were not allowed to vote or travel
- By 1860 enslaved African Americans made up 1/3 of the Souths' population
- The life of enslaved African Americans was determined by strict laws and the practices of individual slave owners some owners made sure their slaves had clean cabins, warm clothes
- Southern states passed laws known as slave codes to keep slaves from running away
- African Americans were not allowed to own guns
- Slaves worked up to 16 hours a day
- Enslaved African Americans had a hard time keeping their family together
- Slave codes also made it a crime for slaves to learn how to read and write
- On large plantations many enslaved families did manage to stay together
- Enslaved African Americans were devout Christians
- Enslaved African Americans struck back against the system that denied them both freedom and wages
- Some laws were meant to protect slaves but only from the worst forms of abuse
- In 1831and African American preacher names Nat Turner led a major revolt
- Nat Turners revolt increased southern fears of an uprising of enslaved African Americans