Cotton, Slavery, and Regional Development (Antebellum America) (copy)

Cotton cloth

The most important industrial product of the 19th century.

Great Britain

The world’s leading manufacturer of cotton during the 19th century.

“Cotton is King”

A phrase used by Southerners to express the dominance of cotton in the economy.

Cotton gin

An invention by Eli Whitney in 1793 that made short-staple cotton profitable and sparked massive cotton expansion.

Slave labor

Labor system that became crucial for cotton production in the Southern economy.

Second Middle Passage

The internal slave trade that saw over 800,000 enslaved people sold in the U.S. from 1800 to 1860.

Planter Elite

Fewer than 2,000 families who owned 100+ slaves and controlled politics and society in the South.

Task system

A work system that allowed for less supervision and provided some free time for enslaved workers.

Gang system

A work system characterized by constant supervision and harsh conditions for enslaved workers.

Gabriel Prosser

Leader of a major slave rebellion in 1800.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

An agreement that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining a balance in the Senate.

Weaknesses of the Southern economy

Factors such as slavery hindering industrialization, urban growth, and high debt contributing to long-term stagnation.

Southern nationalism

A movement that developed after 1830, defending slavery as a positive good and calling for economic independence.

Lifelong labor

The condition of enslaved individuals beginning from childhood, often leading to a high infant mortality rate.

Resistance to Slavery

Actions taken by enslaved people against their oppression, including daily resistance and major rebellions.

Economic differences between North and South

The North developed a diverse industrial economy, while the South focused on agriculture and cotton production.