CH 16 Part 1 Notes
SLAVERY
Blue pages 348-49
“Slavery was somehow the cause of this War…Can any Nation dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal…long endure.” A. Lincoln, 1863
“The Peculiar Institution” – Slavery
“Rooted in Racism, and economic exploitation…How is it then …that the American Slave population is the
ONLY SLAVE POPULATION IN WORLD HISTORY TO GROW BY MEANS OF ITS OWN BIOLOGICAL
REPRODUCTION? <INFERENCES>
Amazingly, How does a DISTINCTIVE and DURABLE African-American culture managed to flourish under
Slavery? <INFERENCES>
Slavery was a cancer in the heart of American Democracy….Mocking the nations claim of Social and
Political enlightenment. As time progressed, 1789 – 1860, more and more voices call for ABOLITION, or
at a minimum….opposed expansion [Free-Soilers]
-Abolitionists always a small minority
-Immediate v. Gradual v. Political Abolition
- Movement splits in the 1840’s over above philosophies
****Early on the Federal Government took steps to check the Growth of Slavery…
- Northern States after the Revolution gradually emancipate (but segregate)
- Fed Gov’t bans slavery in NW in 1787, with NW ordinance
- FG bans the international slave trade in 1808 (agreed to at the CC in 1787)
- Forbade Slavery North of the 36 – 30 line in La. Purchase Terr. In Miss. Comp. 1820.
Change- ELI WHITNEY’S COTTON GIN – 1793
Domestic Slave Trade after 1808 and after War of 1812 & Indian Removal Act 1830 opens up “Gulf
States” for massive migration and massive Cotton production. HUGE INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR
SLAVES…
CONFLICT- Mexico ends Slavery & Britain ends Slavery 1830’s… Nat Turner’s Revolt, 1831…Texas Rev…
Gag Rule, 1836…Postmasters order, 1836…Mex War 1846-48, California Gold Rush 1849…. All Bring the
slavery issue to the forefront…. Esp. Mex War *****
******How Does the Mexican American War, 1846-48…impact the coming conflict?
- “Mexico will poison us.” Emerson
- “Mexico is the forbidden fruit, to eat of it will suffer our political institutions to death.” John C. Calhoun
Until the election of 1844 …. The lid had been kept on the Slavery issue… compromises in 1820 and 1833,
The Gag Rule in Congress since 1836, The Postmasters order since 1836…. Texas annexation delayed
until 1845 which leads to War with Mexico…and an end to the peace, forced for sure, but still
peace….With the Mexican War the lid was blown off the Slavery issue…. And step by step leads to CIVIL
WAR.
THE FIGHT OVER THE EXPANSION OF SLAVERY INTO THE NEW TERRITORIES LEADS DIRECTLY TO
CIVIL WAR.
What to do with the Land acquired from Mexico…. As before in Missouri, an amendment is suggested, the
WILMOT PROVISO…. Which would ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico… It passes the
House twice…but FAILS IN THE SENATE AND DOES NOT PASS… However…..The ugliness begins.
THE CIVIL WAR SETTLES SOME QUESTIONS:
1 THE FEDERAL GOV’T WAS SUPREME OVER THE STATES
2 END OF SLAVERY, 4 MILLION PEOPLE “FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, WE
ARE FREE AT LAST.”
AND LEAVES SOME UNANSWERED:
3 WAS FREEDOM, JUST FREEDOM, ENOUGH?
CH. 16 PART 1 350-59
Interesting statistics:
2 million Slaves in 1830 – 4 million Slaves by 1860> How? Breeding, smuggling ???
“Breeders” given their freedom after BIRTHING 10 BABIES OR MORE ????
A Prime field hand 1200$ in 1830 > 1800 by 1860 > Why?
Against the Law to teach Slaves to read and write > 90% illiterate > Why?
½ of World’s Supply of Cotton by 1860 from the South > impacts?
½ of all US Exports by 1860 are cotton > impacts ?
Northern Bankers > 300million$ in loans in South to planters for Slaves> impacts?
Northern Shippers > control trade in Cotton to England, France, World > impacts?
1st industrial revolution based on making cotton cloth (textiles) impacts?
75% of Britains Supply of Cotton comes from South…40 % of all British jobs..Impacts?
LORDS OF THE LOOM TIED TO LORDS OF THE LASH…
Upper South tobacco economy crumbles Cotton Kingdom-Snobocracy-Cottonocracy-Oligarchy
takes over> impacts???
Herrenvolk Democracy> Racism inherent in White Man’s World> lasts over 130 years maybe
longer????
Debate Changes in 1830-31, after Nat Turner’s Rebellion, 55 whites killed by Slaves, FEAR ….Va.
Legislature debates manumission of all Slaves… VERY CLOSE VOTE…Debate begins to center on
“POSITIVE GOOD,” OF SLAVERY…NO LONGER A “NECESSARY EVIL,” AS TJEFF WOULD SAY…
IMPACTS????
******75% OF SOUTHERNERS OWNED 0 SLAVES ***** IMPACT –INFERENCE???
NOTES:
Eli Whitney’s cotton gin-1793… some historians claim slavery would have died out (I disagree,
but…?) allows short-staple cotton to be profitable- after war of 1812 and indian removal act of
1830 “Gulf Lands” become prime cotton growing lands…. Demand for Slaves
skyrockets…International slave trade ends in 1808…. HUGE PROFITS SELLING SLAVES “DOWN
RIVER.” TO DEEP SOUTH COTTON GROWING STATES…leads to the HUGE $$$$ DOMESTIC SLAVE
TRADE AND SPLITTING OF FAMILIES> VERY SAD.
Tobacco Economy struggling many upper south farmers already turning to grain… but…had lots of
slaves a profitable investment and trading item.
After settlement of Gulf States and Cotton Boom …”Cotton becomes King” impacts US 1st industrial
revolution and British industrial revolution.
Planters – “Bought more slaves and land to grow more cotton to buy more slaves and land.”
This new economic cycle in the South was dangerous…an economy dependent on 1 crop for close to 150
years…LED TO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY [Great Britain’s dependence – depression proof ](1857
panic does not hurt cotton prices) *******When war does come the South expects Britain, due to their
dependence to come to their aid…they do not*****…thus lose the war******… TOO MANY EGGS IN ONE
BASKET.
Like Embargo Act, ECONOMIC COERCION FAILS, …Britain finds supply of cotton in Egypt and India
(Madras) and some even from the Union that had captured huge supply as they take coastal ports…
SOUTH becomes a Cottonocracy-oligarchy- Paternalistic-“Control and Serve” (Father knows best)
Some say still…  
Mountain Whites resent… no slaves…isolated…strongest supporters of “Free Soil ideology and the
Union” during the Civil War and after the only Republican stronghold in the Democratic “Solid
South.” Saw the Civil War as a “Rich Man’s War but a Poor Man’s Fight.”
Poor Whites – White Trash- Hill-Billies- Clay Eaters- Red Necks – Crackers (known by the whip)Subsistence Farmers…. tolerate Herrenvolk Democracy due to hope for Southern American
Dream (someday own slaves) and the false impression that all whites were in this “together.” Or
FEAR – What would happen to their identity if …blacks were free…or what economic competition would
Blacks be for these poor whites… some say why so many poor whites are so racist today ??? you decide
????
3RD RACE…FREE BLACKS & MULATTOES (mixed white and black) [One of the least discussed aspects of
Slavery today…the victimization of female slaves by their masters]
250,000 in both North and South…
Until the 1830’s , ends after Nat Turners Rebellion brought the Slaveowners greatest FEAR to
REALITY…being murdured in the their beds….in the South many free blacks voted and owned
land…many freed (manumission most common way slaves earned their freedom) after the
Revolution…some purchased their own freedom due to Urban Slavery allowances or various other
ways…after 1830 severe restrictions are placed on free blacks in the South…such as wearing DOG TAGS
to identify them… ALWAYS A FEAR OF BEING RETURNED TO SLAVERY AS VALUES SKYROCKET…
IN THE NORTH… The system of Segregation was difficult…could not vote, go to school, serve on juries,
etc… segregated restaraunts, streetcars, etc… THE SEGREGATED SYSTEMS WE SEE IN THE SOUTH UNTIL
THE 1960’S BEGINS IN THE NORTH…MASSACHUSETTS PASSES THE 1ST SEGREGATION LAWS IN THE
1830’S…SOME STATES BAN BLACK MIGRATION COMPLETELY AND BAN BLACKS FROM CERTAIN
OCCUPATIONS…The American Colonization Society is formed by Clay, Monroe, and others to return
Freed Slaves to Africa…Liberia (capital city named after President Monroe) FREE BLACKS COULD NOT
SURVIVE IN AMERICA….they thought…but most were AMERICAN BORN AND DO NOT WANT TO GO TO
AFRICA…
Free Blacks in the North…some newly freed begin to agitate for their freedom…
Frederick Douglass, Sojurner Truth, Harriet Jacobs, David Walker, Henry Highland Garnett, Benjamin
Banneker. Robert Sheridan… become speakers, AUTHORS –SLAVE NARRATIVES, businessmen, found
abolitionist newspapers, some even advocate a violent overthrow of the slave system…some, like David
Walker are even murdered for their beliefs….They form their own churches, AME-etc..They AGITATE FOR
FREEDOM…
DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS …BOTH SLAVE AND FREE BLACKS, AMAZINGLY FORM A UNIQUE, DURABLE,
DISTINCT AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE THAT TRANSCENDS THE TIMES…AND STILL INFLUENCES
OUR AMERICAN IDENTITY TODAY…SUSTAINING A FAMILY…how??? Slave Auctions the Greatest
psychological horror…the splitting of families…so much so that Harriet Beecher Stowe’s bestseller, “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin is based on this…and combined with the 2nd Great Awakening’s impacts…eventually
influences many of the generation of NORTHERN SOLDIERS who fight in the Civil War.