The fourth episode of the documentary focuses on the rapid pace of development with which America is growing in 19 century and how this new developments have made it one of the richest nations of the world. The southern states of US provide one of the best climate for cotton; the same cotton which is having huge demand in the factories all over the world especially the British mills. By 1840, US was producing almost 60% of the world's cotton. This new magical export made the southern states very rich.
But cotton farming requires huge manpower. To fulfill this gap, slaves were brought mainly from Africa and were sold to rich landowners like cattles. This issue of slavery brought tension between the Northern and Southern states. While the northern states, looking for an egalitarian society wanted slavery to be abolished; the Southern's states were in its favour due to its major contribution in its economy. This led to rise in tensions between the both. The election of Abraham Lincoln marks an important step in the whole scenario, as he is faced with a dilemma. Any path Lincoln will take has the potential to change the future of America forever.
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| Cotton Production in 18th and 19th Century |
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