[marktwain]

Slavery was producing 72% of the total revenue for the Federal government in 1860. It had been producing the bulk of the tax revenue since the 1820s. Pretty much everything connected to government during this era was paid for by the slaves.

Are you counting tariffs to be revenue produced by slaves?

Most of the federal revenue was from tariffs.

The federal government was very small at the time, a tiny percent of the gross national product.

[DiogenesLamp]

Are you counting tariffs to be revenue produced by slaves?

Yup. Cotton made up most of it, (over 50%) but with tobacco, hemp, indigo, sugar and so forth made up 72% of all us trade with Europe.

The federal government was very small at the time, a tiny percent of the gross national product.

GDP was around 4 billion. Federal revenue from the Southern states was 65 million.

That 4 billion included gold from California and Silver from Nevada.