INTRODUCTION

          By the early 1800’s the North had become more interested in technology and industry while the South remained agricultural.  The upper southern areas still grew tobacco, hemp, wheat and vegetables, while the Deep South grew primarily cotton, and in some areas rice and sugar.  With Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin in 1793, came the increased ability to effectively produce more cotton, and hence there was an increased demand for slave labor.  Cotton production was labor intensive, making slavery it seemed, an economic necessity in the South.  In 1680 slaves were less than one tenth of the total southern population.  By 1810 there were about 1.1 million, and in 1860 over 3.9 million.

 

The South had a varied population.  Large plantation owners typically had several thousand acres of land and lived in comfortable, but not luxurious houses.  They depended on slave labor to make huge profits.  Slaves were bought and sold like property; in fact a person’s wealth was partially determined by how many slaves he had ownership of.  Most of them owned 10 or fewer slaves.  Yeomen owned perhaps 50 – 200 acres of land and grew crops for their own use, and to trade to local merchants for goods.  The southern poor lived in crude cabins and etched out their living by clearing a little land to raise corn and a cow or hog. They would supplement their substance by hunting or fishing.  They were looked down on by others, but were proudly independent.  (Ruth S.)

          Because slavery had become such an integral part of the South's economy and society, slave trading was also very important.  (Next section:  Slave Trading)