Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the main economic commodity of the South for over a century?
What was the main economic commodity of the South for over a century?
What was a major problem with tobacco farming?
What was a major problem with tobacco farming?
Why did tobacco farmers need to move around?
Why did tobacco farmers need to move around?
What was another cost of tobacco production, aside from its declining yields?
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?
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?
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.
