How Cotton Was a Catalyst of the American Civil War Assignment, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The American civil war took place between years 1861 and 1865 in the United States of America. It was a war aimed at preserving the Union which was the U.S. There was difference in ideas as to the role which the federal government should play. Some believed that the federal government was supposed to maintain power.[1] This believe was popular among the federalists. The non federalists on the other hand believed that states should maintain more power and have the right to determine its own laws and thus should be allowed to act independent of federal government’s mandate. At this time when the rights of states where being passed, there was a lot of disagreements on major issues of taxation, slavery among others.

Cotton trade was a major economic activity at this time and many reforms and laws would affect cotton production. Before the introduction of the cotton gin which removes the seeds from the cotton, cotton planting was a very labour intensive crop that required a large number of workers to harvest cotton which is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant.[2] The seeds are fairly sticky and normally very difficult to separate from the cotton fiber. After the invention of the cotton gin, production process doubled and this made cotton farming a very lucrative business venture. [3]It is because of this reason that many southern states in America began growing cotton and within no time, cotton production became a top export commodity accounting for almost half of all the exports.

By 1900 almost all parts of the southern economy relied on cotton production and African American slaves were the main source of slavery. They were being forced to provide free or cheap labour to cotton production process. By around this time slaves were over 4 million and they were mainly on large plantations and each plantation had slaves. [4]The main cotton growing areas were included; Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.

Reasons as to Why Cotton Was a Catalyst of America’s Civil War

There are many reasons as to why cotton trade influenced civil war in America. The main reasons as to why the trade ignited war include;

• Potential Profitability of Cotton Trading

The Federal and Confederate governments passed laws combined with the Union navy’s that influenced effectiveness to create large changes in terms of cotton trading for northern and southern produce. [5]In the North, the raw cotton purchasing power over northern provisions increased sharply during the war, while concurrently raw cotton’s purchasing power decreased in the south over similar provisions. This made farmers who were able to take their cotton cheaply to the south make very attractive profits. In addition edicts theoretically meant that a trader who violated the laws could lose his load and his freedom. [6]However a trader who got official permission to trade and perhaps military assistance in getting himself and his goods across the military frontier faced greatly reduced transportation costs. Such traders stood a great chance in earning more profits, especially if the trade was constricted. The scarce trade permits became valuable property rights, and the selection of an allocation mechanism was crucial in avoiding bribery and cronyism

• Role of the Federal Government

The federal government also played a major role in fuelling the civil war through its implementation of a naval blockage that was aimed at preventing the southern traders from earning through export of their staple products and was also preventing them from freely importing the needed goods for manufacture and provisions.[7] This made both the Northern cotton farmers think that they would loose trading of cotton to European markets if their cotton textile manufacturers were deprived of raw cotton. This inspired the Southerners to start exporting. Northern textile manufacturers saw the need to come up with a strategy if they wanted to remain in business. The southern farmers were benefiting more by trading with the Europeans than with their fellow northerners. [8]The blockade by the federal government induced increase in transportation costs raised the average real price of cotton in New York and in Great Britain, but such increased real prices did not help cotton growers much. Eventually in order to minimize southern gains from trade, the administration devised a system where Treasury officials would pay less compared to what the market price for cotton was.

• Discrimination in Issuing of Trade Permits

Initially, the trade permit system was designed to forestall anyone or any group from monopolizing cotton trade. The initial intention was to allow trade only to loyal citizens. Loyalty of an applicant to the permit had to be investigated whether the applicant truly owned cotton. The system however was dependant upon the integrity and diligence of Treasury agents that were issuing the permits. Prominent administration officials, politicians, and business men among other wealthy individuals made sure they had their associates appointed as Treasury agents and, in return for these efforts the agents would enjoy political favors. [9]Abraham Lincoln who was the then president and some of his close associates started using their influence to get permits and soon they were controlling cotton in many states. This unfair issuing of permits fuelled civil war especially when it came to be publicly known.

• Slavery and Non Slavery States Proponents

Cotton production was characterized labour intensity and cotton production being the most popular farming activity, need for cheap or free labour was necessary.[10] This made slavery a necessary evil. However, there were some states that prohibited this practice and others who were for it. There were slave and free states that dealt with the northern and southern interests. A fugitive slave law was discussed among other reforms. It resulted in two separate territories that had different interests. Issues came up when proslavery states began to pressure free states to support their actions and join slavery. This resulted into violence. Slaves being the main source of labour to cotton production fuelled a war against the states that supported the trade and those that did not.

Conclusion

The tightening Federal naval blockade created potential for spectacular profits for those who could obtain and transport cotton cheaply. A total ban on trade would have only magnified the potential profits and would have likely created a situation of illicit smuggling.  Lincoln wanted to use cotton, and perhaps he believed that even greed could be used to further the national interest. His actions lead to a civil war that was characterized by destruction of cotton plantations, railroads and other forms of infrastructure that could cripple cotton production in areas that were against the Union.[11] Freeing of slaves characterized the end of the civil war in America. Cotton production came to be slowly overtaken by corn production.

Bibliography?

American Economic Association. 1897. Publications of the American Economic Association.    Nashville: American Economic Association.

Angela Lakwete. 2005. Inventing the Cotton Gin. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Pres.

Bruce Catton, James M. McPherson. 2007. The Civil War?. England: Mariner books.

Business & Economics. 1948. Empire cotton growing review. London: Empire Cotton Growing Corp

Charles Austin Beard. 1914. American government and politics. New York, Macmillan.

David George Surdam. 2001. Northern naval superiority and the economics of the American Civil War. Columbia Univ. of South Carolina Press.

Donald J. Meyers. 2005. The slavery quarrel and the American Civil War History. New York: Algora Pub, 55.

Edwin C. Fishel. 1998. The Secret War for the Union. United States: Houghton Mifflin trade.

Peter J. Parish. 1981. American Civil War. NY: Meier and Holmes Publishers.

Robert Gregory Williams. 1986. Export agriculture and the crisis in Central America?. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Russell Frank Weigley. 1977. The American way of war. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Thomas E. Griess. 2002. The American Civil War. New York: Square One Publishing?.

[1] Bruce Catton, James M. McPherson. 2007. The Civil War?. England: Mariner books, 1.

[2] Angela Lakwete. 2005. Inventing the Cotton Gin. , Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Pres, 186.

[3] Robert Gregory Williams. 1986. Export agriculture and the crisis in Central America?. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 14.

[4] Business & Economics. 1948. Empire cotton growing review. London: Empire Cotton Growing Corp, 42.

[5] Edwin C. Fishel. 1998. The Secret War for the Union. United States: Houghton Mifflin trade, 562.

[6] Peter J. Parish. 1981. The American Civil War. New York: Holmes & Meier Publishers, 296.

[7] Charles Austin Beard. 1914. American government and politics. New York, Macmillan, 359.

[8] Russell Frank Weigley. 1977. The American way of war. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 195.

[9] David George Surdam. 2001. Northern naval superiority and the economics of the American Civil War. Columbia Univ. of South Carolina Press, 200.

[10] Donald J. Meyers. 2005. The slavery quarrel and the American Civil War History. New York: Algora Pub, 55.

[11] American Economic Association. 1897. Publications of the American Economic Association. Nashville: American Economic Association, 301.