Lecture Notes: The Cotton Revolution

I. Introduction

• Significant changes in the southern states pre-Civil War.
• Expansion of wealth and population in the South.
• Integration into a global economy.
• Southern cities such as Richmond, Charleston, New Orleans grew in size and global importance.
• Slavery intertwined with economic and cultural developments.

II. The Importance of Cotton

• First American cotton imported to Europe in 1785.
• Shift from tobacco to cotton as the primary crop.
• Eli Whitney's cotton gin revolutionized cotton production.
• Expansion westward due to Native American removal and cheap land.
• Petit Gulf cotton strain boosted production.
• Cotton became the primary U.S. export by 1860.

III. Cotton and Slavery

• Slavery integral to the cotton economy.
• The South became known as the "Slave South."
• Growth of enslaved population alongside cotton boom.
• Enslaved laborers used as collateral and for credit in land purchases.
• Prices of enslaved individuals varied widely.
• Cotton economy and slavery were deeply entwined.

IV. The South and the City

• Urban growth in the South from steamboat and cotton trade.
• New Orleans, Charleston, and other ports became economic hubs.
• Steamboat technology revolutionized internal trade.
• Urban centers developed a middle class.
• Southern cities became cosmopolitan and diverse.

V. Southern Cultures

• Slavery created unique cultural dynamics.
• Enslaved people developed family networks and cultural traditions.
• Marriage was crucial for cultural identity and stability.
• Enslaved women faced particular vulnerabilities.
• Violence against enslaved people was a constant threat.

VI. Religion and Honor in the Slave South

• Evangelical Christianity was prevalent.
• Religion used to justify and support slavery.
• Nat Turner's rebellion highlighted tensions.
• Southern honor emphasized masculine reputation and female purity.

VII. Conclusion

• Cotton defined the antebellum South's economy and society.
• The internal slave trade grew amid expanding cotton production.
• Slavery remained a contentious and central issue.

VIII. Primary Sources

• Narratives from Nat Turner, Harriet Jacobs, and others provide firsthand accounts.

IX. Reference Material

• This chapter was a collaborative effort with contributions from various historians and scholars.

Recommended Reading

• Baptist, Edward E. The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism.
• Beckert, Sven. Empire of Cotton: A Global History.
• Blassingame, John W. The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South.

(Note: The list continues with more academic sources related to the topic.)