The South wanted the right to be able to export their cotton to England, France and other places without it going to the New England textile Mills whom shipped cotton to other places and profited as the middleman.
When the Civil war started the south had no manufacturing ability to produce its own munitions. The south built many of its own munition factories in and around Richmond Virginia - Traflagar Iron Works
Oddly enough the graduates of West Point - the majority were from the south. Robert E. Lee was a Union Officer, he gave up his command to go back to his home - Washington and Lee - With the Civil War Lee’s home was seized by the Union and become what is today - Arlington Cemetery - a honor for soldiers whom served in the duty to country. The Union meant the Cemetery as an affront to Lee, but lee took it as am honor.
Will w see that Arlington cemetery , Washington and Lee University, the Virginia Military Institute become things of the pas to because they honored the Southern Cause of economic resistance to continue on in their way of life. If Slavery is really the issue - what about the families in the North that maintained slaves.
Be prepared for the racist to cry that the American Flag, washingtomn, Jefferson and many other founding fathers be stripped of being a Founding Father. In America are we prepared for Benjamin Franklin to be stripped of what good he did for America?
Tredegar Iron works.
Sorry, but you've got that all wrong.
Here is a brief history lesson:
The insatiable European demand for cotton was a result of the Industrial Revolution which created the machinery and factories to process raw cotton into clothing that was better and cheaper than hand-made product.
European and New England purchases soared from 720,000 bales in 1830, to 2.85 million bales in 1850, to nearly 5 million in 1860.
Cotton production renewed the need for slavery after the tobacco market declined in the late 18th century.
The more cotton grown, the more slaves were needed to pick the crop.
By 1860, on the eve of the American Civil War, cotton accounted for almost 60% of American exports, representing a total value of nearly $200 million a year."
$200 million in 1860 was a lot of money.
If we compare it to total GDP then versus now, it would equate to nearly $800 billion today.
The notion that Southerners were somehow forced to ship their product to only northern markets is pure fiction, as is any suggestion of "export tariffs".
In fact, the South shipped its cotton internationally, wherever it could get the best prices.