lecture 1 Flashcards
otton, Textiles, and Fast Fashion (Week 10 Lecture)
In which regions was cotton first grown and used?
Cotton was first grown and used in South and Central America, the Indus Valley, and Egypt.
What was the role of the East India Company in the cotton trade?
The East India Company exploited Indian cotton production, restructuring the economy to meet British colonial needs.
What did the Spinning Jenny do, and who invented it?
The Spinning Jenny, invented by James Hargreaves, allowed one person to spin eight spindles of cotton at once, increasing production efficiency.
What was the cotton gin, and who invented it?
The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in the late 1700s, mechanized the removal of seeds from cotton, drastically increasing productivity.
Why was child labor common in the English cotton industry?
Children were used in factories because they could be paid less, and their small size allowed them to perform dangerous tasks like cleaning machines while they were still operating.
How did the Civil War affect the global cotton market?
The Civil War caused a cotton shortage as northern blockades cut off supplies, leading Britain to turn to India and Egypt for cotton.
What was sharecropping, and how did it affect former slaves?
Sharecropping was a system where former slaves farmed land owned by plantation owners in exchange for a share of the crops, keeping them economically dependent.
What was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, and what were its consequences?
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911 killed 146 garment workers and highlighted the dangerous working conditions in the garment industry, leading to some regulatory changes.
What event in 2013 highlighted the dangers of fast fashion?
The collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, which killed over 1,100 workers, highlighted the dangers of unsafe working conditions in the fast fashion industry.
What is the main ethical issue with fast fashion today?
The main ethical issue with fast fashion is the exploitation of cheap labor in countries with lax regulations, perpetuating unsafe and unfair working conditions.
