Empire of cotton

Empire of Cotton

A term that refers to the historical significance and economic impact of cotton cultivation and trade in the United States.

Advancement in cotton production

Improvements such as the cotton gin and farming techniques that increased efficiency and yield in cotton farming.

Cotton gin

A device invented by Eli Whitney that revolutionized the cotton industry by speeding up the process of separating cotton fibers from seeds.

Confederacy's cotton strategy

The Confederacy's initial attempt to leverage cotton as a means to gain support and recognition from European nations during the Civil War.

Manchester Cotton Supply Association

A group that recognized the dependency on American cotton and the implications of slavery in its production.

Cotton famine

A period during the U.S. Civil War when Europe faced a shortage of cotton due to the disruption of supplies from the South.

Hashish of the West

A metaphorical expression used to describe the addictive economic reliance on cotton in the Western world.

Slave labor in cotton production

The system of forced labor used primarily in the Southern United States to cultivate and produce cotton, which significantly impacted social and economic structures.

Yazoo-Mississippi Delta

A region compared to Saudi Arabia due to its significant wealth generation through cotton production and its agricultural importance.

Overproduction of cotton

An economic issue arising from the excessive growth of cotton that could lead to decreased prices and market instability.

Transition in slave labor

The movement of enslaved individuals from one region or type of plantation labor to another within the American South.