How Northern Ingenuity Strengthened Slavery in the South and Help Set

the Preconditions for Civil War

The Cotton Gin
Before 1794 cotton was not very profitable. Even though cotton doesn't spoil most
people didn't farm cotton. Buried inside cotton fibers are small black seeds that
need to be removed before turning cotton into thread. Eli Whittney changed the
game with the cotton gin in 1794. The cotton gin removed the cotton seeds from
the cotton fiber. because of the cotton gin, producing cotton became much more
profitable, which led to the expansion of cotton farming, which led to the high
demand of slaves in the south.
The South
Since the south was not as diverse as the North was, they relied on agriculture. In
the South, slaves were used as farmers and became very important to the southern
economy. In order to preserve slavery eleven southern states seceded from the US,
and became the confederate states of America.
The Cotton Gin
To use a cotton gin you first put cotton in the front of the cotton gin. Then you turn
the handle, which brushes the seeds out of the fibers. After turning the handle the
clean cotton is left in the back end of the Cotton Gin.
Confederate States of America
11 states seceded from the union. 7 states from the deep south, which include:
Alabama, Florida, Georiga, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. After
April 12, 1861 Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia joined the
Confederate States of America.
Bibliography
Foner, Eric, and John A. Garranty. "Confederate States of America." History.com. A&E
Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
Arrington/United States. National Park Service, Benjamin T. "Story (U.S. National
Park Service)." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 10 Dec.
2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
"Causes Of The Civil War." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History
Online. Americas Civil War, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
What did Northern Ingenuity do?
Northern ingenuity made slavery more profitable in the North and the South. Which
led to conflict when people wanted to end slavery. It also gave poor farmers
something to be proud about. Since Black slaves were considered the lowest of the
low it made poor farmers higher class than someone.
Frieden, James. "Lesson Plans Based on Movies & Film Clips." Learning Guide to
Lincoln. Teach With Movies, 8 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Economics
Northern ingenuity (like the Cotton Gin) made slaves more profitable in the South.
Slaves made every business that had one very profitable. You didn't have to pay
them and you can make them do whatever you want when you want. Slaves didn't
just benefit the South's economy, it also benefited the North's. Slaves were often
brought from Africa to the northern ports, which boosted the northern economy.
Social
A lot of people in the south cared about their social status. Everyone wanted to be
like the planters, who were the rock stars of the south. But obviously most of them
weren't. The people who were really the lowest in the social ladder were the poor
farmers until someone decided that the slaves were. In the south everyone was
considered higher in class then the Black slaves, even the poor farmers. And when
slavery was about to be abolished a lot of people didnt like it because they didnt
want to be on the lowest step of the social ladder.
Cotton
As defined by the Marian-Webster dictionary cotton is "a soft, white material that
grows on the seeds of a tall plant and that is used to make cloth; also : the plants on
which this material grows"
Slave Life
The life of a slave was very rough. Field slaves worked from dawn to dusk, and were
only granted breaks on Sundays and holidays. Many slaves lived in stick houses with
dirt floors. The one thing the slaves had the freedom to do was to create a family.
Slave owners allowed this, because any child they had became part of their
property.
"3.1 The Life of a Slave." The Life of a Slave. UNC Libraries, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
"Slave Life during the Civil War, Emancipation of Enslaved African Americans,
African American Identity: Vol. I, 1500-1865, Primary Resources in U.S. History and
Literature, Toolbox Library, National Humanities Center." Slave Life during the Civil
War, Emancipation of Enslaved African Americans, African American Identity: Vol. I,
1500-1865, Primary Resources in U.S. History and Literature, Toolbox Library,
National Humanities Center. National Humanities Center, July 2009. Web. 11 Dec.
2015.