Question

How would the owner of a cotton plantation in the South have reacted to higher protective tariffs? Explain your response

Answer 1

An owner of cotton plantation in the Southern states would not have been pleased at all on the higher protective tariffs. The reason for that is that it put the owner of the cotton plantation in a position where he/she would have to sacrifice part of the profit. Because of the higher protective tariffs, the profit became less, on the other hand, if the cotton plantation owners decided to increase the prize of the cotton in order to have the same profit, it would meant that their cotton would lose the market to a cotton that is cheaper. The tariffs understandably angered the cotton plantation owners and that led to lot of tensions and worsening of the relations between the Southern states and the British Empire, as well as with the Northern states.