How Did Slavery Affect The Economy

Slavery formed the United States into the super power it is today. For much of history America continuously relied on agriculture as basis to its economy and as a source for trade. Specifically, the United States became a world competitor thanks to the cash crops produced in the south. Although the prosperity of a country can be a accredited to different sources of economic basis, the United States in particular prospered in the 17th and the 19th century due to the mass importation of African slaves, the continuous reliance on human labor further marked a division in the cultures and economies in the Southern and Northern states. The culture of the United States had been formed on Christian teachings such as democracy, handwork and equality. …show more content…
The north had become more urbanized and industrial which helped birth rates go up, the textile industry to flourish, and better transportation to be made. Though the south produced mainly agricultural goods in a rural environment it was slave institutions that should be credited with helping the North prosper. If it had not been due to the need for agricultural technology in the southern states, different engines such as the "cotton gin" would not have been developed. The developments of such agricultural technology were the corner stone of further technological innovations such a steam boats and sewing machines. Slavery was the institution that provided the hands who gathered the cotton which became textiles in the north. Although the economy and technology were impacted by slavery, slavery also affected the social order of the states. As slave labor supported different members of society a new standard of aristocracy developed much like what serfdom made possible during the Medieval period in Europe. This was evident in the southern ideals of aristocracy and the cavalier life style as well as northern forms of leisure such as plays and sporting

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