Why Did Slavery Grow 1789-1838? Flashcards
How does the demand for cotton effect the growth of slavery?
Point: easy profits and growing demand from europe encouraged new slave plantations to open.
Evidence: in 1820 42% of US exports were cotton
Analasys: as the demand for cotton increases more plantations open to make a profit therefore more slaves were needed to make this profit. Demand particularly increased in europe and the north becauese it was being turned into cloth.
How did the invention of the cotton gin effect the growth of slavery?
Point: it made it much easier and cheaper to produce cotton.
Evidence: eli whitney invented it in 1793 and it processed 50 times more cotton every day
Analasys: as the cost of producing cotton decreased because it was now a lot more efficient to produce it ,so more was being produced, and the demand was increasing rapidly it meant that it was incredibly profitable so lots of slaves were needed to produce the cotton to make more money.
How did new fertile lands effect the growth of slavery?
Point: ideal, cheap land in the deep south made it possible to increase the number of plantations.
Evidence: southwest territory able to be used for plantations in 1790 and the louisiana purchase in 1803
Analasys: there was lots of new land available that was also very fertile which was ideal for new plantations so more were made which meant there was a larger demand for slaves. More land - more plantations - more slaves.
How did funding effect the growth of slavery?
Point: banks and northen speculators lent money needed to open new slave plantations
Evidence: there was a speculator boom from 1829-1837 where banks fueled slavery by loaning money to plantations with the intention that they would pay it back with interest after the harvest.
Analasys: this allowed plantations to start by buying new or more land, they could buy more and “better” slaves and could buy cotton gins which wouldve all made the production of cotton increase which is completely done by slaves. This allowed new slave plantations to also start which meant more slaves were needed.
What was the most significant reason as to why slavery grew?
The demand for cotton increase and expansion of land meant more cotton profitable to produce and bank loans allowed slave plantations to start incredibly easily however without the cotton gin producing it wouldnt be nearly as efficient. This would mean that even though there was an increase in demand and more land to produce it it wouldnt have made as much profit so there would be less people wanting to make plantations and so banks would also loan less money so less slave would be needed. The cotton gin enabled slavery to grow everywhere.
