4th grade Chapter 6 Notes King Cotton  Dr. Rush Nutt created a new type of cotton that was easier to pick.  The invention of the cotton gin also helped to increase the cotton production.  The cotton gin quickly removed the seeds from the cotton fiber.  Cotton was the South’s most valuable cash crop.  Slaves did most of the work that made cotton king.  The slaves picked each cotton field three times. Slaves put the picked cotton through a cotton gin. Then the cleaned fibers were pressed into bales weighting up to 500 pounds. The slaves used large wagons to haul these cotton bales to the nearest river landing. Then, the bales of cotton were loaded onto boats.  Most of Mississippi’s cotton was shipped to New Orleans and then to factories in the northeastern united States of Great Britain.  Much of Mississippi’s cotton was grown on large plantations worked by slaves.  A plantations usually included a dairy house, smokehouse, stables, a blacksmith shop, and a sawmill.  Slaves lived on small cabins on a different part of the plantation.  The wealthy planters lived in large, beautiful houses.  Most farms in Mississippi were small farms.  Theses farmers lived in small log cabins or frame houses.  Most small farms grew vegetables and some cotton to sell.  Most small farmers did not own slaves. Life Under Slaver  Enslaved people in Mississippi had little hope of freedom and no rights under the law.  It was against the law for a slave to learn to read and write.  Some slaves worked as blacksmiths, carpenters, gardeners, weavers, cooks, maids, nurses, and butlers.  Field slaves usually lived in small log cabins that had one or two rooms, dirt floors, and handmade beds and chairs. A Lasting Culture  Despite the hard work and lack of freedom, enslaved African Americans in Mississippi created a rich heritage. They blended the traditions of their African ancestors with those of their American surroundings.  They created pottery, baskets, and quilts using African designs.  They spiced food with African flavors.  Music was a very important port of African American culture. Response to Slavery  Even though they risked harsh punishment, many African Americans rebelled against slavery.  Slaves stole supplies or damaged crops and tools.  Some slaves secretly learned to read and write.  Some slaves tried to escape. Some succeeded. Free African Americans  A slave owner in Mississippi could free his slaves.  Elizabeth Greenfield was an enslaved Mississippian who found freedom in the North. She became a singer known as the “Black Swan”. North and South Disagree  Manufacturing is the making of goods by machinery.  As cotton became king in the South, manufacturing became an important part of the North’s economy.  Factories made many different products, including cloth,, paper, shoes, and steel.  The North and South had many differences. They disagreed on the issue of slavery.  The North wanted slavery to be abolished or an end to slavery.  The South believed that each state should be able to decide about slavery and other issues.  States’ rights mean that states should be able to make their own laws about everything that had not been granted to Congress in the United States Constitution.