King Cotton

Why did the invention of the cotton gin increase the demand for slave labor?

• It took more slaves to operate the cotton gin than it took to pick the seeds from cotton by hand.
• It allowed slave owners to focus on other crops such as tobacco.
• It decreased the price of slave labor, and poor farmers began to purchase slaves.
• It increased cotton production, so slaves were needed to plant and harvest it.

How did the invention of the cotton gin influence slavery in South Carolina?

• It ended slavery because cotton could now be produced by machine. 
• It increased cotton production so more slaves were brought to the state. 
• It decreased cotton production so more slaves were brought to the state. 
• It made cotton production more effcient and reduced the need for slaves. 

What conclusion can be drawn from this reading? 

• Slaves had freedom to visit other plantations.
• Slaves were treated well and had easy jobs. 
• Plantation owners trusted slaves to make their own decisions. 
• Plantation owners controlled all parts of the slaves' lives. 

Which invention caused the trend in this graph? 

• cotton gin 
• railroads 
• sewing machines 
• steamboats 

How did the expansion of slavery in South Carolina impact many white families? 

• It weakened the social status of many white families. 
• It increased the wealth of many white families. 
• It weakened the political power of many white families. 
• It increased the debt of many white families. 

Why was slavery used more in the South than in the North? 

• The economy of the South depended on unskilled factory labor. 
• The government of the South was less democratic. 
• The population of the South was smaller. 
• The geography of the South led to the creation of large plantations. 

How did the increased production of cotton impact the environment of South Carolina? 

• repeated use of the same cotton fields decreased the nutrients in the soil. 
• The spread of cotton into rural areas destroyed natural forests. 
• Many native animals died because they tried to eat the poisonous cotton. 
• The different types of cotton helped increase the population of honey bees. 

During the antebellum period, South Carolina's economy grew and the state became even more dependent on slave labor. 
In this sentence, the term antebellum refers to what time period? 

• The time period before the American Revolution. 
• The time period after the American Revolution. 
• The time period before the Civil War.
• The time period after the Civil War. 

Why did many independent farmers of the Upcountry region of South Carolina become slave owners? 

• Inventions such as the cotton gin made it easier to grow cotton. 
• A high demand for peaches and apples led to more orchards. 
• Flooding led to perfect conditions for cultivating rice. 
• Farming sugar cane became profitable as demand increased. 

Why was South Carolina's economy dependent on slave labor? 

• Farming cash crops like cotton and rice required a large labor force. 
• The building of homes and factories increased the need for skilled laborers. 
• People with specialized skills were needed to operate ships. 
• Men were needed to serve in the state's militia.