During the first half of the nineteenth century, slavery was at the heart of the American economic expansion.  Planters in the south looked westwards for new land and the internal slave trade from the upper south supplied them with more slaves.  By the time of civil war, majority of exports from the U.S. were cotton all grown through slavery.

Politically, there was a dispute due to the expansion of slavery to the western territories. With the success of the southerners through slavery, other territories also wanted to engage in slavery. The dispute was about the degree to which the southerners can use their power to ensure protection of slavery. The southerners wanted to benefit from slavery alone. In addition, the expansion of slavery into other territories would raise the price of slaves.  There arose abolitionists in the north who were against the slavery (Genovese, 2014). Their sentiments made the politicians in the north to view the actions of the southerners as less tolerable. The north and the south were dividend since the south felt they needed to protect the slavery institution.

Socially, slaves gave the whites the opportunity to invest in cheap labor which could bring them riches and status in the society. The key to white democracy in the south was slavery.  With the rise of king cotton, slavery increased especially in the south. The southerners were taking advantage of the cheap labor Genovese, 2014).

Though slavery was had many flaws, it contributed largely to the economy. Many African Americans came to America as slaves but later became part of the country. Slavery made America what it is today, a free state that learns from mistakes.

Reference

Genovese, E. D. (2014). The political economy of slavery: Studies in the economy and society of the slave South. Wesleyan University Press

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