USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cotton transformed the United States, making fertile land in the Deep South, from Georgia to Texas, extraordinarily valuable. Growing more cotton meant an increased demand for slaves. Slaves in the Upper South became incredibly more valuable as commodities because of this demand for them in the Deep South.

Detailed explanation-2: -By 1860, Southern plantations supplied 75% of the world’s cotton, with shipments from Houston, New Orleans, Charleston, Mobile, Savannah, and a few other ports.

Detailed explanation-3: -U.S. cotton is grown predominantly in 17 southern-tiered “Cotton Belt” States-from Virginia to California. Cotton is planted from March to June and harvested from August to December. Among the U.S. States, Texas is the largest producer, contributing approximately 40 percent of U.S. cotton production in recent years.

Detailed explanation-4: -Indeed, it was the South’s economic backbone. When the southern states seceded from the United States to form the Confederate States of America in 1861, they used cotton to provide revenue for its government, arms for its military, and the economic power for a diplomatic strategy for the fledgling Confederate nation.