Slavery
Essential Question
• To what degree was the South developing as a
distinctively different region from the rest of
the United States during the period 1820 to
1860?
• To what degree did slavery shape life in the
South during this period?
(Consider political, economic, social and
intellectual aspects of life in the South)
Characteristics of Antebellum South
1.Primarily agrarian.
2.Economic power shifted from the
“upper South” to the “lower South.”
3.“Cotton Is King!”
* 1860 5 mil. bales a yr.
(57% of total US exports).
4.Very slow development of industrialization.
5.Rudimentary financial system.
6.Inadequate transportation system
The
Agricultural
Economy of
the
South,1860
Changes in Cotton Production
1860
1820
Value of Cotton Exports
Southern Population
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney
• Invented cotton gin in 1793
• Removed the seed, cotton
production now seen as
profitable
• 50% more efficient than
picking by hand
• Cotton becomes main cash
crop of south
• Increased the need for
slaves, unintended effect
Slavery
• Caused a cotton boom and the south became
a cotton kingdom
• Black Belt- cotton production moved into
Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama
• Necessary evil- even though slavery was
morally wrong, it was an economic necessity
Slaves using a Cotton Gin
Southern Economy
• South became a monopolistic economy, dominated by
wealthy plantation owners
• Industrial growth lagged behind the North
• Southerners resentful the North made huge profits at
their expense
• South complained of northern middlemen, bankers,
and shippers
• South resentful being so dependent on northern
manufactures and markets
• Attention was drawn away from the development of
southern cities
Cotton/Slavery
• By 1804 most Northern states abolish slavery
• Cotton is king in South
• Great demand for cotton from Britain and
North
• Plantation System established
• South produces 80% of world’s cotton
• Slavery becomes entrenched
Weaknesses of Plantation System
• Relied on a one crop economy
• Repelled large scale European
immigration
• Stimulated racism among poor
whites
• Created an aristocratic political
elite
Life under Slavery
• Small number of whites owned slaves, but
they held the power in South
• Gap widens between rich and poor, slave at
bottom
• 1808 importation of slaves is banned
• Plantation slaves worked from dusk to dawn
• Slaves are whipped, have little time for food,
no rest breaks
Slave System
• Slave pop. 4 million by 1860, 4x as many in
1800
• Importation ended in 1808
• Slaves were treated as property
• They were deprived of their African names,
culture and religion
• Africanism- survived as an African American
subculture in music, religion and folklore
• Deprived of their dignity
Treatment of Slaves
• Suffered cruel physical and psychological treatment
• Were convinced they were inferior and deserved their
lot in life
• Slaves were provided with limited diet, clothing,
housing and medical care
• Discipline by whip very common
• House servants treated better than field workers
• 75% worked as field hands
• Illegal to teach slaves to read and write- fear give slaves
idea of freedom
Treatment of Slaves
• Slave pop. Increased due to breeding
• Owners rewarded slave women for having many
children
• Sexual abuse of female slaves common
• White slave owners often fathered sizable
mulatto population, most remained slaves
• Marriages were not recognized
• Sale of slaves did not respect family ties
• Sold down the river- meant being sold to owner
in deep south
Slave Auction: Charleston, SC1856
Slave Accoutrements
Slave Master
Brands
Slave
muzzle
Anti-Slave Pamphlet
Slave Accoutrements
Slave leg
irons
Slave shoes
Slave tag, SC
Culture of slavery
• Black Christianity (Baptists)very emotional services
• Pidgin or Gullah languages
• Nuclear family with extended
kin links
• Music very importantspirituals
Slave resistance
• Slowing down the work
• Isolated acts of
sabotage
• Escaped via
Underground railroad
• Organized revolts
• Poisoned food
Runaway Slave Ads
Slave Rebellions
• 1800 - Gabriel Prosser
– Richmond, VA
– 1000 Slaves
– Plot revealed before revolt
began
– 35 executed
• 1822 - Denmark Vesey
– Free Black living in
Charleston
– Rumored 9000 followers
– Plot revealed before revolt
began
– Led to further suppression
Slave Rebellions
• 1833 – Nat Turner in Virginia
– Slave Preacher
– Killed 60 white men, women,
children
– 100+ Slaves murdered in response
– Caused widespread anxiety among
plantation owners causing stricter
black codes
Nat Turner’s Rebellion
• Led slave rebellion that
killed 60 whites
• Turner is hung
• Most successful slave
revolt
• Southern states create
black codes- to tighten
control on blacks
• Free African Americans as
well as slaves lose rights
White Society and Culture
• Why did many
southerners support
the slave system when
75% didn’t own a slave?
• How did they justify
slavery?
• Who did not support
slave system?
Defense of Slavery
•
•
•
•
•
•
Necessary evil-positive good
Legal-constitutional
History of Greece and Rome
Religious The bible
Better than wages in North- Wage Slaves
Paternalistic view- necessary to protect blacks
from mistreatment and abuse they would
receive if free
Southern White Paranoia
•
•
•
•
•
Feared more revolts
Infuriated by abolitionists propaganda
Believed institution benefited both races
Biological racial superiority to justify slavery
Gag Resolutions- southern fears of debate of
anti-slavery appeals- prevented debate on
abolition proposals
• Black Codes- banned from holding office, no
jury trial, could not carry firearms
Planter Class
• Held enormous political power- less 10% of
the population
• Often viewed as Aristocrats
• Adopted a code of chivalry
Southern Lady
• Subordinate to men- no rights except the right
of protection
• Minimal exposure to the public
“Plain Folk”
• Subsistence Farmers
– “Yeoman Farmer”
• Inferior Education
– Lower Literacy Rates
• Subordinate to
Upper Class
“Plain Folk”
• Minority
– “Hill people”
• Living in or west of
Appalachians
• Isolated from slave
culture
• Extremely poor whites
• Majority –
– Live around Plantations
– Depend on upper class
for economic support