Chapter 10
The South
Question:
Explain what you think of when
you think of the South.
Reflection
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What is King Cotton and what is the “New
South?”
The Cotton Kingdom
Lesson 1
I. The Cotton Revolution
1. Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin made cotton profitable again in America
a. By 1812-1/3 of exports.
2. Planters with 20 or more slaves put ALL of their effort into
growing it.
3. Cleared large areas the western south area-became known as
the “New South.”
New South-Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,
western Georgia, and Northern Florida.
4. Hot summers and rich soil river valleys created ideal conditions
for growing cotton.
5. Plantations-large farms on which crops were grown by slaves.
6. Slavery was revived.
Slaves using the Cotton Gin
Changes in Cotton Production
1820
1860
Value of Cotton Exports
As % of All US Exports
Toiling in the Fields
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Cotton needed a large amount of labor-this
work was done by women, children, and male
slaves.
Other Plantation Chores
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1.
2.
3.
4.
A slaves work was not done at the end of
the day:
Still had to feed the mules
Take care of their own families
Had to prepare the food for the next day.
Slaves who produced more were given
more food and earned special privilegesthey were actually valuable because the
slave trade had been banned in 1808.
“Hauling the Whole Week’s Pickings”
William Henry Brown, 1842
Slaves Working
in a Sugar-Boiling House, 1823
Rural South, Industrial North
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In the 1700’s both the North and South depended
on farming.
By the 1800’s the North began to develop industries.
In the Antebellum period-the time before the civil
war- the South was 80% farming.
In the North-40% farming.
Few southerners were interested in developing
factories or waterways.
Few cities grew-those that did had little industry.
Rural South, Industrial North
Some Southern leaders were worried:
1. Depended too much on cotton ( also had
tobacco, rice, sugar cane, and other grains
but cotton brought in the most money)
2. Too dependent on the North for
manufactured goods and transportation (had
few ocean-going ships).
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Impact of the Cotton Economy
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Between 1830 and 1860-new machinery in the
textile industry made it possible to grow cloth more
quickly.
This increased the demand for raw cotton.
The need for slaves and cotton grew.
Cotton was a cash crop-one grown mainly to sell for
money.
For security-some farmers crew more than one cash
crop because cotton wore out the land.
Political Impact of Cotton
1. The rise of the population in the South
because of the wealth:
1790: 1 million whites, 657,000 black slaves,
and 32,000 free blacks.
1860: 8 million whites, 4 million black slaves,
and 262,000 free blacks.
The rise of the population led to statehood for
many Southern countries and led to more
power.

Southern Society (1850)
6,000,000
“Slavocracy”
[plantation owners]
The “Plain Folk”
[white yeoman farmers]
Black Freemen
250,000
Black Slaves
3,200,000
Total US Population  23,000,000
[9,250,000 in the South = 40%]
II. Proslavery Movement
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White Southerners who did not own slaves
also took the proslavery stand.
Most benefited either directly or indirectly
from “King Cotton” – wanted economic
security.
Some white Southerners supported slavery
out of fear-afraid if the slaves were freed and
given rights that they would take control and
the white people would lose their property
and would be in danger.
A. Arguments Defending
Slavery
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1. The Bible recognized the existence of slavery.
2. Slavery had been accepted worldwide for 1000’s
of years.
3. By introducing Christianity to the slaves they were
saving their souls.
4. Thought Northern industrial workers were little
better off than slaves: long hours, lived in poverty.
Slaves were given food, clothing, and shelter from
their masters while Northerners were hungry and
cold.
5. Believed blacks were inferior to whites.
Arguments Defending Slavery
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Thomas Dew-wrote the 1st full length book in
defense of slavery- that it was a “positive
good.” Said they were children who thrived
on discipline and care of their masters.
James Hammond, a Southern planter and
politician said every civilization had a “mud
sill” class of laborers (the lowest level of a
building and supports the entire structure.
B. Impact of Antislavery
Movement
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Antislavery activity in the North helped strengthen
the support for slavery.
Not all Southerner supported it-not all Northerners
were against it.
Northerners were helping Southern slaves to
escape- this alarmed and made Southerners
resentful of the interference.
Southerners began to defend their position more
firmly-extremists wanted to start importing slaves
again!
The South’s main concern was maintaining the
plantation system.
Southern Pro-Slavery
Propaganda