Wealthy Plantation Owners

Definition

Wealthy plantation owners were individuals who owned large agricultural estates, primarily in the southern region of the United States, and possessed considerable wealth and influence within society. They often relied on enslaved labor to cultivate cash crops such as tobacco, rice, indigo, and most notably, cotton.

Related terms

Enslaved Labor: Enslaved labor refers to the system in which individuals were forcibly captured from Africa or born into slavery in America and forced to work without pay for their enslavers.

Cash Crops: Cash crops are agricultural products that are grown specifically for profit rather than personal use. In the context of wealthy plantation owners, cash crops such as tobacco or cotton generated substantial income for them.

Cotton Gin: The cotton gin was a machine invented by Eli Whitney that revolutionized cotton production by quickly separating seeds from raw cotton fibers. This invention greatly increased the profitability of cotton cultivation and further solidified the power of wealthy plantation owners.