There are a lot of things that have changed the world. The Roman Empire, the Age of Sail, the printing press, etc. But cotton usually doesn't make that list. The unassuming seed of the cotton plant, covered in white, wispy fibers perfect for spinning into cloth isn't usually considered a major player on the world stage. But in actuality, the industrialization behind the production of cotton textiles made massive changes to the very fabric (pun fully intended) of the modern world. In this first of two parts, we talk about the mechanization of cotton production and the economic and social impacts that reverberated through the world.

Intro music: Zac Bell

Transition Music: Georg Phillip Telemann, 4 Concerto for 4 Violins II. Grave, Viola Viva

George Friedrich Handel, Recorder Sonata in F, HWV 369, II. Allegro, Telemann Trio

Exit Music: Jean Claude Hatungimana

Cover Art: Emily Noble Day