Final answer:
Georgia's trade partnership with Great Britain evolved from a varied agricultural base to a dominant focus on cotton by the Antebellum period, with the advent of the cotton gin and Europe's demand for cotton reinforcing this shift.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trade partnership between Georgia and Great Britain developed significantly from colonial times to the Antebellum period. Initially, when the colony of Georgia was established, the Trustees envisioned it as a producer of luxury goods. However, this plan was quickly abandoned due to the unsuitability of the land for such productions. As a result, colonists turned to cattle, timber, and Indian trade for subsistence and income. By the Antebellum period, cotton had emerged as the dominant commercial crop in the South, including Georgia, transforming its economy. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 revolutionized cotton production, making it easier to process and thus more profitable. Consequently, Georgia's trade shifted from a reliance on varied agriculture and goods to a focus on cotton, which became two-thirds of the world's supply by 1860.
On the eve of the American Civil War, the Southern states were the major suppliers of cotton to Britain, and Georgia was no exception. The South's economic infrastructure grew increasingly intertwined with British markets due to the high demand for cotton. This dependency led the South to consider leveraging Britain's need for cotton in their bid for recognition during the Confederacy's secession efforts.