Questions and Answers
What was the main economic commodity of the South for over a century?
What was a major problem with tobacco farming?
Why did tobacco farmers need to move around?
What was another cost of tobacco production, aside from its declining yields?
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What was a consequence of tobacco farming's impact on the land?
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What was a result of the need for tobacco farmers to constantly move and expand?
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Study Notes
Rise of American Cotton and Decline of Tobacco
- Cotton production rose astronomically in the American South, replacing tobacco as the main economic commodity.
- Tobacco was the South's main economic commodity for over a century, grown and sold in nearly every southern territory and state, with Virginia being the hub of tobacco production.
Negative Effects of Tobacco Production
- Tobacco drained the soil of nutrients, treating the land poorly and rendering fields barren after just four or five cycles of growth.
- Tobacco fields had a limited lifespan, unable to support growth beyond a few years, leaving only patches of grass.
Consequences of Tobacco Production
- Farmers were forced to constantly move, purchasing new lands, developing new methods of production, and creating new fields through deforestation and westward expansion.
- Tobacco production was expensive due to the need for massive, temporary fields, large numbers of laborers, and constant movement.
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Description
The rise of American cotton production and its impact on tobacco, the South's main economic commodity. Learn about the effects of tobacco on the land and its limitations.
