Transition of the Traditonal Cotton Belt

Table of Contents

I. Introduction.........................................................................4

II. Main part........................................................................5-24

II.1. The traditional Belt System...................................................5

II.2. Cotton cultivation in the Old South.......................................6-9

II.2.1. Cotton and its location demands...................................6

II.2.2. Conditions in the Old South.......................................6-7

II.2.3. Conclusion → Cotton cultivation in the Old South..........7-9

II.3. The Cotton Belt............................................................ 9-24

II.3.1. Analysis of the Cotton Belt's emergence,

Expansion and transition.........................................9-14

II.3.1.1. First cotton cultivation in the USA............9-10

II.3.1.2 Expansion of the cultivation area...........10-14

II.3.1.2.1. Plantation economy............................10

II.3.1.2.2. The Civil War................................10-11

II.3.1.2.3. Reconstruction..................................12

II.3.1.2.4. Tenant plantation economy .............13-14

II.3.1.3. Transition of the Cotton Belt.................14-19

II.3.1.3.1. The boll weevil..............................14-15

II.3.1.3.2. The Agricultural Adjustments Acts.....15-17

II.3.1.3.3. World War II.....................................17

II.3.1.3.4. Mechanization..............................17-19

II.3.1.4. "King cotton" returns to the Old South.....19-20

II.3.2. Evaluation of the transition ....................................20-24

III. Conclusion............................................................................24-25

III.1. Discussion: term "Cotton Belt" justifiable?......................................24

III.2. Summary and reflection.......................................................25

IV. Formalities.....................................................................26-32

IV.1. Appendix....................................................................26-27

IV.2. Bibliography................................................................27-28

I. Introduction

In my assignment it is my intention to figure out and explain the single stages of the Cotton Belt's transition from a monocultivated area to a diversified region. Therefore I want to work out the reasons as well as the consequences of its development.

As the Cotton Belt just makes up one example for the fragmentation of the traditional agricultural belt system in the United States, an overview of the system and its structure in general is put at the head.

In the next step the location demands of cotton and the natural conditions given in the Old South are compared to point out the causes of the Cotton Belt's emergence in exactly this region.

After this introduction to the topic, a detailed explanation of the belt's development process follows. It is based on data and illustrative material borrowed from specialist literature.

During the analysis of the material, I noticed that the consequences of the transition can hardly be divided into different subtopics as they are all related with each other and emerge from each other, so that the structure of the subsequent evaluation differs from the originally planned model.

Furthermore I noted that even literature disagrees whether the term 'Cotton Belt' is justifiable so I want to discuss this topic in my conclusion followed by a short summary and reflection of my assignment.

II. Main part

II.1. The traditional Belt System

According to Helmut Blume, the United States of America offer the potential to cultivate crops with varying growing conditions on the basis of their extension to several climate zones. This as well as the markets that had been developed with the main settlement areas, led to a regional agricultural diversification.

The fact that product exchanges could easily take place as infrastructure was developed early, favoured specialization so that agricultural regions with characteristic products and farm types came into being.

These so-called belts were named after their most important product and run - corresponding to the climate conditions - parallel to latitude in the eastern USA.

Beside the climate conditions, proximity to the market was of importance so that perishable goods were cultivated near the big agglomerations on the east coast.

As shown in map1 the Dairy Belt located in the north, the Corn Belt in the Middle West, the Wheat Belt in the north and the centre of the Plains, and fruit and vegetable cultivation in California and nearby metropolises. The Cotton Belt which will be dealt with in detail in the following sections is located in the south-east.

Map1: The traditional belt concept

II.2. Cotton cultivation in the Old South

II.2.1. Location demands of cotton

Werner Klohn and Hans-Peter Windhorst describe cotton's location demands as followed:

Cotton is relatively modest as far as soil conditions are concerned. Just the nutrient concentration