The Rise of Cotton Mills in the South

"The Rise of Cotton Mills in the South" by Broadus Mitchell is a historical exploration of the South's shift towards cotton manufacturing in the years after the Civil War. The book untangles the economic and societal changes that made the rise of cotton mills possible, focusing on the late 19th century. It shows how cotton production and the start of manufacturing were linked after slavery ended. Early on, it shows the South before factories, when people made things at home and craftspeople were common. The story introduces people like William Gregg, who was a big supporter of factories, and it suggests that this support went against the interests of people keen on farming. This sets the stage to look at how society and the economy came together to help cotton mills grow, sharing different opinions about the South's ability to become an industrial center.