Civil War Cotton Conspiracy

During civil war times, Cotton represented 70% of the United States exports bringing in nearly 200 million dollars a year. The confederate states during the war, used cotton to buy majority of their ammunition and military supplies. Cotton sold for 10 cents a pound in the south and 70 cent in the North. The North saw a problem with this because that is what was supplying the war effort for the South. A lot of conspirators believed that confederate generals were taking money from the war effort for themselves. Lincoln discovered hidden trade routes from the south to the North and that the generals were turning their backs on these illegal trades. Union Generals controlled the trade licenses for their men and were upset at what they had heard. Towards the end of the war, it started getting worse. Sherman went down into the south and took all the cotton he could get and burned the rest. Due to the prices of cotton it was clear that it was a big factor for the south and the reason it was even in the war for so long. Without cotton, would there have even been a war? Many don't think so. If you take cotton away from the South they have nothing. Slavery maybe would've never came to the US. There is a lot to ask when it comes this topic and how important cotton really is. Following the money is what really makes this so intriguing. All the money that is made by cotton and it was making even more behind the backs of the leaders on both sides. If Sherman wouldn't have burned the stuff he couldn't carry there is no telling how much more the so called "white gold" would've made. Cotton was the four front of the South picture the lop sidedness of the war if the Union would've had the luxury of cotton. AS times moved on cotton remained a top textile in the United States for times to come. The only difference the times have changed cotton isn't the only textile that makes money these days. The United States fought over cotton because it was the boom of the time. In today's society, we have a number of textiles that create revenue for our economy, but there is no telling how much is being used behind our backs. There could be millions be trafficked around the world and we wouldn't even know it. In conclusion, the number of money that we don't see daily is crazy. There could be millions right under our nose and we wouldn't know it. Cotton was the bread winner back then. What is it today? Oil? Steel? Nuclear Power? We may never know.