Cotton once again reigned as king, and cotton exports had again become critical to the larger American economy, but cotton’s kingdom remained a poor one. Some small farmers did well, operating shrewdly in the new environment. The Southern economy grew, and by the 1880s it was growing at the same rate as the North’s. But by every measure, the average Southerner was poorer, was less educated, and had fewer opportunities than the average Northerner.
