USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Indigo is a dark blue dye that can be made from the “peas” of certain tropical plants. Indigo was used to dye clothes blue. It was very valuable to plantation owners and farmers in South Carolina because it could grow on land that was not suited for tobacco or rice.

Detailed explanation-2: -Indigo was grown in early South Carolina to produce blue dye that was exported to England for use in the British textile industry.

Detailed explanation-3: -Natural indigo is obtained from a variety of plants, the most widely used one being indigofera tinctoria. This shrub grows wild and is cultivated in tropical areas throughout the world. Indigo powder-the famous blue dye-is extracted from the leaves of the indigo plant.

Detailed explanation-4: -Indigo was used primarily for dyeing textiles, but also was useful as paint, cosmetics and for cleaning wounds. Indigo processing was a noxious process which many now believe was toxic to indigo workers. Indigo production began in East Florida during the British period and it was the colonies most important crop.

Detailed explanation-5: -This plant was given the name Indigofera Tinctoria and the blue that was extracted from it was called Indigo.