The Worlds of North and South

Chapter 19
 19.1 Introduction
• Eli Whitney changed the South with his
invention of the cotton gin.
 19.2 Geography of the North
• 4 distinct seasons; cold winters, hot, humid summers.
• Hundreds of bays for harbors. Rocky soil, not good for
farming.
• Central Plains were good for farming.
• Much deforestation—clearing trees for wood.
 19.3 Geography of the South
• Mild winters; long, hot, humid summers.
• Fertile lowlands, many marshes and swamps.
• Perfect for growing rice, sugar, indigo, tobacco
(cash crops).
 19.4 Economy of the South
• South’s economy was based on AGRICULTURE. Most
southerners were agrarians (favored a way of life
based on farming).
• Most had small farms.
• Slavery beginning to decline in late 1700s; prices
went down (tobacco, indigo) and cotton was difficult.
 Why Was Cotton King?
• The cotton gin made cotton profitable. Cotton was South’s
most important crop. Earned more money than all other
exports combined.
• With the spread of cotton, demand for slaves increased. 1790
to 1850, number of slaves rose 600%.
• Southerners put all their money into slaves and land, and
almost none into building factories.
 19.5 Economy of the North
• The North experienced the Industrial
Revolution—the shift from handmade goods
to machine-made goods. This resulted in new
jobs, increased production, and improved
efficiency in agriculture.
• The Indust. Rev. changed northern
agriculture with Cyrus McCormick’s reaper. It
could cut 28xs more grain than a single man.