Crash Course: Black American History - Cotton and Slavery

Introduction

• Presenter: Clint Smith
• Course: Crash Course Black American History
• Topic: The historical significance of the cotton industry in the United States and its ties to slavery.

The Ubiquity of Cotton

• Cotton is a common material found in various items such as:
  • Shirts
  • Pants
  • Curtains
  • Blankets
• The U.S. cotton industry was historically built on the exploitation of Black enslaved labor.

The Economics of Cotton

• Cotton was a major economic driver in the U.S., heavily reliant on enslaved labor, especially in the Southern states.
• Northern U.S. also profited, as it was involved in the trade and processing of cotton.
• The global demand for cotton incentivized slave labor to meet production needs.

Cotton as a Global Commodity

• By the Civil War, the U.S. was a major exporter of cotton and a key player in global trade.
• Cotton was desired worldwide for various textiles and was a major part of the global economic network.

The Cotton Gin and Its Impact

• Inventor: Eli Whitney (1793)
• Function: Mechanically separated cotton fibers from seeds.
• Impact: Revolutionized cotton production, requiring increased supply and labor.
• Intensified the demand for enslaved labor due to increased productivity.

Economic Impact of Cotton

• By the 1850s, cotton accounted for three-fifths of U.S. exports.
• U.S. supplied three-quarters of the global cotton supply by the Civil War.
• Historian Edward Baptist highlights the profound economic impact of cotton and slavery on the U.S. economy.

Global Dependency on U.S. Cotton

• Britain: Relied on American cotton for over 80% of its raw material.
• France and other Western nations also depended heavily on U.S. cotton.
• The North was deeply involved in the cotton economy, contradicting notions of its detachment from slavery.

The Civil War and Cotton

• Cotton was a central factor leading to the Civil War.
• Post-war negotiations used cotton as a bargaining tool for Southern states to retain power in the Union.

Legacy and Generational Impact

• Enslaved labor created enormous wealth for the U.S., but Black people reaped none of these benefits.
• Sharecropping: Continued economic oppression and lack of property ownership for Black Americans.
• Generational wealth disparity persists due to historical lack of property and resource inheritance among Black families.

Conclusion

• The cotton industry created significant wealth but at the expense of Black lives and labor.
• Current inequities are rooted in historical exploitation, demanding reparative considerations for a more equitable society.

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