Regional+Societies+Group+8

1. Explain the significance of Eli Whitney’s cotton Gin (p. 263). 2. Explain 4 reasons why industrialization developed more slowly in the South than in the North (p. 264). 3. Describe and differentiate between 3 major classes of white southern society: wealthy planters, yeoman farmers, very poor (pp. 265-266). 4. Describe what life was like for free African Americans in the South (p. 270).

__The Cotton Gin:__ 1. Who invented the cotton gin? 2. Besides cotton production, what else grew in the South because of the cotton gin?
 * Eli Whitney, 1793
 * Slave labor was needed in masses to get the most profit out of growing cotton.

__A Slow Growing South:__ 1. List two reasons why industrialization developed more slowly down South. 2. Why were taxes a reason for slowed development of Southern industrialization?
 * Southerners would rather invest money in land and slaves rather than in new factories
 * Politically influential planters did not support taxes that might have promoted manufacturing.
 * Factory workers were in short supply (most immigrants were discouraged by the use of slave labor)
 * The bulk of the southern population (slaves and poor whites) could not afford manufactured goods
 * Taxes would go toward manufacturing and machinery, but collection was not favored by Southern politicians.

__Classes of Southern Society:__ 1. Which of the three social classes owned the most slaves? 2. Which of the three social classes made up the majority of the Southern white society?
 * Wealthy farmers owned the most slaves, but were kept busy by managing their lands.
 * The yeoman farmers were the most common class. They lived in small log cabins and grew their own food.

__Free African Americans:__ 1. Why did African Americans need to carry identification cards? 2. How could a slave become free?
 * Free African Americans were required to carry ID to prove they were not runaway slaves. Runaway slaves would be returned to their owners.
 * If a slave receieved a small salary, he could purchase his freedom and the freedom of his family.