Sugar began to replace cotton as the local cash crop and by 1840 the state was home to over 1,500 sugar mills and by 1860 over 300,000 slaves worked in various aspects of sugar production. Slave labor was needed not only in the fields, but also supported agricultural activities in other skilled roles like carpentry and metalworking. Louisiana accounted for around 90% of all national sugar production in the antebellum era.
sugar began to replace cotton as the local cash crop and by 1840 the state was home to over 1500 sugar mills and by 1860 over 300000 slaves worked in various aspects of sugar production slave labor was needed not only in the fields but also supported agricultural activities in other skilled roles like carpentry and metalworking louisiana accounted for around 90% of all national sugar production in the antebellum era