• The invention of cotton gin in 1793 made short-The invention of cotton gin in 1793 made short-staple cotton profitable.staple cotton profitable.• Pre-1793: 1 worker=1 lb cleaned cotton per dayPre-1793: 1 worker=1 lb cleaned cotton per day

• 1793: Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin1793: Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin

• Post 1793: 1 worker = 50 lbs cleaned cotton per Post 1793: 1 worker = 50 lbs cleaned cotton per day or moreday or more

• Thereafter, cotton and slavery began to expand Thereafter, cotton and slavery began to expand west from the Atlantic Coast across the South.west from the Atlantic Coast across the South.

King Cotton: King Cotton: cotton cotton replaced sugar as replaced sugar as the world’s major the world’s major crop produced by crop produced by slave labor.slave labor.

3/43/4thsths of the world’s of the world’s cotton supply came cotton supply came from the southern from the southern U.S. U.S.

Southern cotton Southern cotton supplied the textile supplied the textile mills in the North mills in the North and Great Britain.and Great Britain.

After 1840, cotton After 1840, cotton production made production made the southern the southern economy stronger economy stronger and wealthier than and wealthier than the northern the northern economy.economy.

Most slaves worked Most slaves worked in the fields.in the fields.

On large On large plantations they plantations they worked in gangs worked in gangs under the direction under the direction of an overseerof an overseer

Some slaves Some slaves worked in cities as worked in cities as skilled craftsman or skilled craftsman or domestic servantsdomestic servants

8% of African 8% of African Americans in the Americans in the South were “free”South were “free” Still faced many Still faced many

problems due to problems due to racismracism

By 1800 a slave culture By 1800 a slave culture was forming in Americawas forming in America Strong religious Strong religious

convictions, close personal convictions, close personal bonds and musicbonds and music

This culture helped to This culture helped to endure the harsh endure the harsh conditions in which they conditions in which they livedlived

Whites used religion to Whites used religion to try to control slavestry to control slaves

African Americans African Americans looked to religion as a looked to religion as a promise of a better life promise of a better life

Spirituals were sung Spirituals were sung during work to help during work to help pass the time and to pass the time and to pass coded messagespass coded messages ““Go Down Moses”Go Down Moses”

Slaves took comfort Slaves took comfort in familiesin families Many married and Many married and

raised childrenraised children

Some slave owners Some slave owners kept mothers and kept mothers and children togetherchildren together

The sale of slaves The sale of slaves often broke up often broke up many slave familiesmany slave families Many runaway slaves Many runaway slaves

were trying to unite were trying to unite with family memberswith family members

Slaves resisted their Slaves resisted their work in many wayswork in many ways Breaking tools, Breaking tools,

working slow, feigning working slow, feigning illness and injury, illness and injury, running awayrunning away

The most severe The most severe form of resistance form of resistance was open rebellionwas open rebellion

Nat Turner’s Nat Turner’s Rebellion in Virginia Rebellion in Virginia in 1831 scared many in 1831 scared many southern slave southern slave owners owners

It lead to harsh laws It lead to harsh laws being passed to keep being passed to keep African Americans African Americans from having weapons from having weapons or being able to or being able to organize togetherorganize together

Was Nat Turner a hero or a Was Nat Turner a hero or a madman?madman?