the average American planter, the average American slaveholder,

就知道几乎每个种植园主每个奴隶主
small ones and big ones, were raging capitalists.

无论资产多少都是精明的资本家
They understood markets, they understood profits.

他们懂得市场懂得如何盈利
They were men of rational choice,

他们十分理智
and the way to wealth in the American South

知道奴隶制是南方通向财富的捷径
the way to wealth, even before the cotton gin

这捷径甚至在发明轧棉机之前就已被挖掘
but especially after Eli Whitney's cotton gin;

当然在伊莱·惠特尼发明轧棉机后更显著
and by the way folks,

顺便提一句
everybody knows Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin

我们每个人都知道是惠特尼发明的轧棉机
and it was originally this little box, smaller than this lectern.

它原本只是个小盒子比这个讲台还小
If you don't know that

如果你不知道
somebody should've taught

那你们肯定是忘了