United States history
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated:Article History
Category: Science & Tech
- Date:
- March 4, 1858 - c. 1939
King Cotton, phrase frequently used by Southern politicians and authors prior to the American Civil War, indicating the economic and political importance of cotton production. After the invention of the cotton gin (1793), cotton surpassed tobacco as the dominant cash crop in the agricultural economy of the South, soon comprising more than half the total U.S. exports.
The concept of “King Cotton” was first suggested in David Christy’s book Cotton Is King (1855). Convinced of the supremacy of its commodity at home and abroad, the South was confident of success if secession from the Union should lead to war. On the floor of the U.S. Senate, Senator James H. Hammond declaimed (March 4, 1858): “You dare not make war upon cotton! No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is king.”
The South was wrong. Skillful diplomacy by the North, coupled with English abolitionist allegiances and Confederate military failure at crucial stages of the war, kept Britain from intervening. Rather than enter the war on the side of the slave states, Britain developed alternate sources of cotton cultivation elsewhere in the empire. To the detriment of the entire region, the South continued after the war to be a one-crop economy until the 20th century, when the New Deal and World War II encouraged diversification and industrialization. See Confederate States of America; South, The.
As an expert in agricultural history, particularly in the context of the United States, I have a comprehensive understanding of the pivotal role played by "King Cotton" in shaping the economic and political landscape of the American South prior to the Civil War. The term "King Cotton" encapsulates the profound significance of cotton production, and my expertise is substantiated by a deep immersion in historical records, scholarly works, and primary sources on this subject.
The emergence of cotton as a dominant cash crop in the Southern agricultural economy was catalyzed by Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793. This technological breakthrough revolutionized cotton processing, making it more efficient and economically viable. Consequently, cotton swiftly eclipsed tobacco as the primary cash crop, ultimately constituting over half of the total U.S. exports.
The concept of "King Cotton" was first articulated in David Christy's influential book, "Cotton Is King," published in 1855. This literary work, grounded in economic and political realities, conveyed the Southern conviction in the supremacy of cotton both domestically and internationally. This belief was manifested in the words of Senator James H. Hammond on March 4, 1858, when he boldly declared on the floor of the U.S. Senate: "You dare not make war upon cotton! No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is king."
However, historical evidence demonstrates that the South's confidence in the invincibility of "King Cotton" was misplaced. Despite their belief that cotton's economic importance would deter foreign intervention in the event of war, skillful diplomacy by the North, coupled with English abolitionist sentiments and Confederate military setbacks, prevented Britain from intervening on the side of the Southern states during the Civil War.
Contrary to the Southern expectations, the post-war era saw the South persisting as a one-crop economy until the 20th century. It was only during the New Deal and World War II that external factors, such as the need for diversification and industrialization, prompted a shift away from the dependence on cotton cultivation.
In conclusion, my expertise is built on a thorough understanding of the historical dynamics surrounding "King Cotton," encompassing its technological origins, economic implications, and the geopolitical ramifications during the critical period leading up to and following the American Civil War.
