The Northern and The Northern and Southern Southern EconomiesEconomies1800 to 18601800 to 1860

Main IdeasMain Ideas

In the early 1800s, America could be divided In the early 1800s, America could be divided into two distinct regions, or sections. into two distinct regions, or sections.

Northern Section: New technologies helped Northern Section: New technologies helped agriculture prosper, while a variety of new agriculture prosper, while a variety of new industries brought growth – with its benefits industries brought growth – with its benefits and problems – to the North. An increase in and problems – to the North. An increase in people worked in urban areas, or cities. people worked in urban areas, or cities.

Southern Section: In the early 1800s, cotton Southern Section: In the early 1800s, cotton farming became the South’s main economic farming became the South’s main economic activity. As a result, the South became activity. As a result, the South became dependent on slave labor. dependent on slave labor.

The Northern SectionThe Northern Section An increasing number of people in the An increasing number of people in the

Northeast – the New England states, NY, NJ, Northeast – the New England states, NY, NJ, and Pennsylvania – worked in factories in and Pennsylvania – worked in factories in urban urban areas, or cities. areas, or cities.

Industrialization, Industrialization, or the development of or the development of industries to manufacture finished goods in industries to manufacture finished goods in factories, increased rapidly in the Northeast.factories, increased rapidly in the Northeast.

Farming opportunities in the region were Farming opportunities in the region were limited b/c the population had outgrown the limited b/c the population had outgrown the land and thousands of young workers moved land and thousands of young workers moved to the cities. to the cities.

A growing number of urban poor people lived A growing number of urban poor people lived in areas with cheap, run-down housing called in areas with cheap, run-down housing called tenements, or crowded apartments with tenements, or crowded apartments with poor standards of sanitation, safety, and poor standards of sanitation, safety, and comfort. comfort.

The Northern Section – The Northern Section – Labor Disputes in Labor Disputes in FactoriesFactories

Industries aimed to make a profit at the Industries aimed to make a profit at the expense of their workers. expense of their workers.

Most factory owners paid their employees Most factory owners paid their employees very little and did not provide a healthy work very little and did not provide a healthy work environment. environment.

Before long, laborers began to demand more Before long, laborers began to demand more from their bosses and complained mainly from their bosses and complained mainly about the long hours and low wages. about the long hours and low wages.

As workers saw factory owners grow rich, As workers saw factory owners grow rich, they began to want a slice of wealth that they began to want a slice of wealth that their hard labor produced. their hard labor produced.

The Northern Section – The Northern Section – Labor Disputes in Labor Disputes in FactoriesFactories The American government set no minimum The American government set no minimum

wage and workers could not go to their wage and workers could not go to their legislatures or courts for help. legislatures or courts for help.

Workers had only one real weapon – the could Workers had only one real weapon – the could call for a call for a strike, or a work stoppage to strike, or a work stoppage to demand shorter hours and higher pay.demand shorter hours and higher pay.

In 1834, workers organized the first national In 1834, workers organized the first national labor union – an organization of workers labor union – an organization of workers formed to protect the interests of its formed to protect the interests of its members, usually by negotiating to members, usually by negotiating to resolve issues concerning wages. resolve issues concerning wages.

First national labor union – NTU: National First national labor union – NTU: National Trades Union. Trades Union.

The Northern Section – The Northern Section – Labor Disputes in Labor Disputes in FactoriesFactories

Nearly 300,000 people joined the NTU or other labor Nearly 300,000 people joined the NTU or other labor unions in the 1830s. unions in the 1830s.

These early unions died out and factory owners These early unions died out and factory owners obtained court rulings that outlawed labor obtained court rulings that outlawed labor organizations. organizations.

Despite its failures, the early labor movements Despite its failures, the early labor movements showed that some workers were willing to take showed that some workers were willing to take action against their employers. action against their employers.

By the 1840s, the North had a booming and complex By the 1840s, the North had a booming and complex economy with a mixture of industry and agriculture. economy with a mixture of industry and agriculture.

It was a region of cities and towns, banks and It was a region of cities and towns, banks and factories, with huge benefits and problems caused by factories, with huge benefits and problems caused by a growing population. a growing population.

The Southern SectionThe Southern Section

One famous phrase sums up the economy One famous phrase sums up the economy of the South in the first half of the 1800s: of the South in the first half of the 1800s: “King Cotton”…the phrase came from the “King Cotton”…the phrase came from the book book Cotton Is King Cotton Is King by David Christy. by David Christy.

He claimed southern slavery would’ve He claimed southern slavery would’ve ended except for the ever-rising demand ended except for the ever-rising demand for cotton products. for cotton products.

Christy said, even Northern critics of slavery Christy said, even Northern critics of slavery continued to use more and more cotton and continued to use more and more cotton and other products of slave labor – and the other products of slave labor – and the American economy had come to depend on American economy had come to depend on the revenue from the sale of raw cotton. the revenue from the sale of raw cotton.

The Southern SectionThe Southern Section

In 1860, King Cotton made up two In 1860, King Cotton made up two thirds of the total value of American thirds of the total value of American exports and it created enormous wealth exports and it created enormous wealth for the South. for the South.

Cotton Belt States: North Carolina, Cotton Belt States: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas – the economy of Arkansas, and Texas – the economy of these states relied almost completely these states relied almost completely on the production of cotton.on the production of cotton.

The Southern Section – The Southern Section – Geography of Southern Geography of Southern FarmingFarming

Why did the physical geography of the Southern Why did the physical geography of the Southern states make farming highly profitable? states make farming highly profitable?

The South remained mostly rural, made up of farms The South remained mostly rural, made up of farms and countryside instead of cities. and countryside instead of cities.

Farmers could count on 200-290 frost-free days a Farmers could count on 200-290 frost-free days a year to grow cropsyear to grow crops

Southern land was fertile and had plentiful rains.Southern land was fertile and had plentiful rains. 15,000 Southern families owned plantations which 15,000 Southern families owned plantations which

used a great number of slaves to produce a cash used a great number of slaves to produce a cash crop.crop.

Hundreds of thousands of families owned just a few Hundreds of thousands of families owned just a few slaves and raised their own cash crops, own food, slaves and raised their own cash crops, own food, and livestock. and livestock.

The Southern Section – The Southern Section – Geography of Southern Geography of Southern FarmingFarming

Only one fourth of all slaves lived on Only one fourth of all slaves lived on plantations with more than 50 slaves. plantations with more than 50 slaves.

During the early 1800s, farms with six slaves During the early 1800s, farms with six slaves or fewer produced HALF of the Southern or fewer produced HALF of the Southern cotton crop. cotton crop.

With the invention of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin With the invention of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin in 1793, Southerners scrambled to put more in 1793, Southerners scrambled to put more land into cotton production which increased land into cotton production which increased the number of slaves. the number of slaves.

By 1850, of the 3.7 million African Americans By 1850, of the 3.7 million African Americans nationwide, only 12% (444,000) were free – nationwide, only 12% (444,000) were free – some lived in the North but most lived in some lived in the North but most lived in Southern urban areas or rural areas away Southern urban areas or rural areas away from large plantations. from large plantations.

The Southern Section – The Southern Section – The Slavery SystemThe Slavery System

In 1808, Congress banned all further In 1808, Congress banned all further importation of slaves to the United States. importation of slaves to the United States.

In the South, however, the population In the South, however, the population growth among people already enslaved growth among people already enslaved contributed to a sharp increase in the contributed to a sharp increase in the internal slave trade for the next 50 years. internal slave trade for the next 50 years.

Any child born into slavery became a slave. Any child born into slavery became a slave. Slave population:Slave population:

1820 = 1.5 million1820 = 1.5 million 1850 = over 3 million1850 = over 3 million 1860 = slaves made up half the population of 1860 = slaves made up half the population of

SC and MS; two fifths of the population of FL, SC and MS; two fifths of the population of FL, GA, AL, LAGA, AL, LA

The Southern Section – The Southern Section – The Slavery SystemThe Slavery System

On small farms, slaves often worked side On small farms, slaves often worked side by side with their owners in the fields. by side with their owners in the fields.

Most slaves did not live on small farms but Most slaves did not live on small farms but on large cotton plantations. on large cotton plantations.

By 1850, cotton farming employed nearly By 1850, cotton farming employed nearly 60% of the enslaved African Americans in 60% of the enslaved African Americans in the US.the US.

On the plantations, life was generally On the plantations, life was generally harsher than on small farms where harsher than on small farms where workers often toiled in large crews under workers often toiled in large crews under the supervision of foremen. the supervision of foremen.

Most owners saw slaves as “property” that Most owners saw slaves as “property” that performed labor for their businesses. performed labor for their businesses.

The Southern Section – The Southern Section – Slave RevoltsSlave Revolts Slave rebellions, especially on a large scale, stood Slave rebellions, especially on a large scale, stood

little chance of success. little chance of success. Most were small, spontaneous responses to harsh Most were small, spontaneous responses to harsh

and cruel punishment and they ended in failure. and cruel punishment and they ended in failure. Turner’s RebellionTurner’s Rebellion

Nat Turner, a 31-yr-old African American preacher, Nat Turner, a 31-yr-old African American preacher, planned and carried out a violent uprising in 1831planned and carried out a violent uprising in 1831

Acting because of “divine inspiration”, he led 70 slaves in Acting because of “divine inspiration”, he led 70 slaves in raids on white families in southeastern Virginia. raids on white families in southeastern Virginia.

The slaves killed more than 50 people before the local The slaves killed more than 50 people before the local militia captured them. militia captured them.

20 were hanged, including Turner. 20 were hanged, including Turner. In many Southern communities African Americans In many Southern communities African Americans

outnumbered the white population and for this reason, outnumbered the white population and for this reason, Southern states tightened restrictions on slaves – meeting, Southern states tightened restrictions on slaves – meeting, learning to read and write…learning to read and write…