The South’s economic base was highly dependent on the use of slaves; as it was almost their complete labor force. One of the most crucial parts to the South’s success was Eli Whitney’s cotton gin. Made in 1793, it allowed cotton to become the dominant Southern crop, and had more profits than other previous crops like rice, sugar, and tobacco. Due to cotton’s huge profitability it caused planters to buy more slave and more land to take advantages of this highly potential crop. In 1800, 18 million pounds of cotton were export, which was 7 percent of total exports. This however would change as in 1830, 300 million pounds of cotton were exported which was 41% of the total exports. This number would increase again by 1860 as in reach 1.7 billion pounds of cotton exported; 57% of total exports. Cotton was the underlying crop in the south as 80% of the world’s cotton came from the South in 1860; as they went to factories in England. (Yetman, 101)

Southern society and politics was controlled by the few rich slave owners; the leisured class whose men were obsessed with personal honor and pretended toward the European aristocracy. The middle class of small slave owners allied with large planters, and there existed the yeomen were planters whom were white people actually doing the physical labor. However, all were unified by their whiteness, and were neither black nor slave. Slavery in the upper south was far less important economically, but the very essence politically and socially. (Franklin, 60)

Netherless, the South had its one unique name for the use of slavery, and that was the peculiar institution. Their peculiar institution revolutionized how society was run, and showed the capabilities of never-ending labor force. It introduced ideas of “Rights of Man”, and it was really a time of Enlightenment. It showed the general treatment of the poor and the weak. The South unified in its defense of slavery “the peculiar institution.” During the 19th century, Southerners increased viewing slavery as a positive good. They felt that their peculiar institution was good in that if gave Africans opportunity and civilized them to being a collect individual. Slavery shaped white politics and their identity, as they did more than contribute their labor, they brought forth their cultures and ideas. Most white southerners did not own slaves, and elite owned most slaves. Thro

Some topics in this essay:
Man” Enlightenment, Eli Whitney’s, South Basically, African American, , Underground Railroad, Appalachian Mountains, Theodore Weld, Lloyd Garrison, Deep South, peculiar institution, slave owners, pounds cotton, total exports, poor whites, pounds cotton exported, owned slaves, free blacks, cotton exported, labor force,