Cotton Industry In The South Dbq Essay

438 Words2 Pages

After the War of 1812, America suffered from financial panic and the Union seemed to lack the ability to ebb and flow with disruption to order as exemplified by the lack of cooperation between all states. As cotton plantations thrived in the South, a different way of economy was produced through industry, paving a clear path to business building in the North. As shown in a graph showing the growth of trade and manufacturing, the North shows a vastly spreading industry but the South remains mostly disengaged (Document L). The importance was instead placed on agriculture, exemplified by Jefferson regarding inventions such as the cotton gin as gaining “considerable interest” for the “success...for family use” (Document M). When writing to Eli Whitney, Jefferson shows the curiosity in up and coming devices, but only those that may be worked by hands at home. …show more content…

As the steamship and transportation as a whole began to futher integrate itself into northern economy, the South focused more on cotton growth and strenghtening planations. The concerns about the workload were justified through the necessity of cotton, buhe concept of slaves being property and used harshly for profit went against the country’s Declaration of Independance which states that man is entitled to liberty. On the other hand, the North spent days at the factory to create product and participate in trade. Although the North used southern cotton for textile creation, there is no denying that with one clear side of manufacturing, and another on agriculture, the lines of national economy were clearly blurred as both ends of America continued to work without working