- The demand for cotton skyrocketed during the Industrial Revolution, leading to an expansion of cotton cultivation in the southern United States.
- New land was cleared for planting, and existing cotton plantations expanded their operations.
2. Increased Use of Slave Labor:
- The growth of cotton production relied heavily on the expansion of slavery.
- As the demand for cotton increased, so did the demand for slave labor to work the plantations.
- The enslaved population in the South grew significantly during this period.
3. Improved Cultivation Techniques:
- Plantation owners adopted improved cultivation techniques, such as crop rotation, to increase yields and sustain soil fertility.
4. Mechanization:
- The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 revolutionized cotton production.
- The cotton gin drastically reduced the labor required to separate cotton fibers from seeds, allowing for more efficient processing and increased production.
5. Access to Transportation Infrastructure:
- The development of transportation infrastructure, including steamboats and improved roads, facilitated the efficient transportation of cotton from plantations to markets.
- This enabled planters to get their products to market more quickly and reduce transportation costs.