How Did The Cotton Industry Affect The Economy

In the early eighteen hundreds, the textile industry had begun to increase in Northern states and Great Britain. Several mills and factories opened along rivers and all people, no matter age or gender, were set to work. Thus creating a new industrialization era. The rise of cotton production was very crucial and had an extreme effect on America's economy.
After Indigo had begun to be exported to Britain from other places, America needed a new cash crop. Following careful consideration, it was decided that cotton was the most reasonable choice. This led many former “indigo farmers along the coast [to] switch[ed] to Sea Island, or “black seed,” cotton” which was a long-staple type of cotton (South Carolina Journey, pg. 119). This type of cotton
One of which was the Task System. Most commonly found on rice and Sea Island cotton plantations, this system said that after a slave's work was completed, they had the limited freedom to “rest, help others, or plant and work small plots of land for themselves” (South Carolina Journey, pg. 123). The second system was the Gang System, which was much harsher on the slaves. This system committed the slaves to work “dusk to dawn” under strict supervision (South Carolina Journey, pg. 123). Slaves could also gain more or less freedom depending on their special skills. Some were paid with the consent of their owners and saved up to buy freedom for themselves and even some of their loved ones. Slaves often played music and sang with their “community” in order to lighten the mood. They also got married, but the US government did not acknowledge these marriages, they had to marry themselves in their shacks. White preachers often lied and told the slaves that “the Bible justified slavery” to keep the slaves from revolting. However, not many slaves listened and had secret sessions where they sang and prayed for freedom (South Carolina Journey, pg. 124). Slaveowners were always on alert for possible slave uprisings. This said, when it was found that a free slave named Denmark Vesey was planning a revolt in Charleston, it was quickly acted upon. Denmark knew his plans had been shared and moved the revolt to a later date. The plans were leaked again and Denmark was arrested and hung along with twenty two other men. Life on a plantation became even harder, stricter laws, longer hours, and harder work. Slaves were forced to do the hard work. Six days a week they did the “work of plowing, hoeing, planting, weeding, protecting the crops from pests, and harvesting” (South Carolina Journey, pg. 125). They carried large baskets of cotton long distances to the cotton gin. Some worked as blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, and cobblers. All