1811-1820: The War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars disrupted trade and caused prices to rise. By 1815, the price of cotton had reached its highest level in decades, driven by increased demand from Europe and the United States.
1821-1830: Prices began to decline again in the 1820s, as the US began to produce more cotton and competition increased from other countries such as India and Egypt.
1831-1840: The 1830s saw a period of relative stability in cotton prices, with some fluctuations but no major price spikes or declines.
1841-1850: The mid-19th century saw a renewed period of price increases, as demand continued to grow and supply became more constrained. The opening of new cotton-producing regions in the United States, such as the Mississippi Delta and Texas, helped to meet some of this demand, but prices remained high.
1851-1860: The decade leading up to the Civil War saw a period of further price increases, as the United States became the dominant cotton producer in the world. The expansion of slavery in the South and the increased use of steam power in cotton processing contributed to this increase in production and higher prices.
In summary, the price of cotton underwent significant fluctuations throughout the 1800s, driven by factors such as war, competition, and changes in production methods and regional supply. Overall, there was a general trend of increasing prices over the course of the century, as demand for cotton grew and the United States became the world's leading cotton producer.