The South

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The South the Slavery Controversy1793-1860

• The American Pageant
• Chapter 17

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Cotton is King!

• 1793 Invention of cotton gin revitalized
  southern economy, slavery.
• Cotton was 1/2 of all US exports after 1840,
  South produced 1/2 of world supply, British
  manu-facturing dependent on it.

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The Planter Aristocracy

• 1850, South 1,733 wealthy families owned more
  than 100 slaves, provided political/social
  leadership.
• These families produced 1st rank statesmen, felt
  obligation to serve public.

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The Planter Aristocracy (2)

• Southern aristocrats idealized feudal society,
  e.g. author Scott.
• Southern women commanded household of mostly
  female slaves, but gender bonds did not lead them
  to become abolitionists.

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Slaves of the Slave System

• Economic problems in South
• Over-cultivation of cotton ruined soil, small
  farmers forced to sell land to wealthy.
• Plantation system unstable debt, huge investment
  in slaves might be hurt, run away, die.

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Slaves of the Slave System (2)

• King Cotton danger of one-crop economy, felt
  they were in economic slavery to North.
• Europeans not familiar with cotton, did not
  immigrate to South, provided North with labor
  force, South very Anglo-Saxon.

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The White Majority

• Most slaveowners in South were small farmers,
  owning 1-10 slaves.
• 3/4 of whites in South did not own slaves
  mostly subsistence farmers who resented Southern
  aristocracy.

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The White Majority (2)

• Poorest whites known as poor white trash,
  hillbillies, etc. Defended slavery for sake of
  American dream of owning some, racial
  superiority.
• Mountain whites (Appalach-ians) lived apart from
  southern society, supported Union in war.

9
Free Blacks

• 1860 About 250,000 southern free blacks, who
  traced their freedom to ideals of Revolution,
  mulatto origin, or their purchase of freedom.
• Hated by slavery proponents, not allowed to work
  in certain jobs or testify against whites.

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Free Blacks (2)

• Also hated in North couldnt vote, go to school,
  hated by Irish due to competition for jobs.
• Treatment sometimes worse in North southerners
  liked individuals, hated race northerners
  professed like for race, disliked individual
  blacks.

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Plantation Slavery

• 1860 4 million slaves in South, 4x amount of
  1800.
• Congress had outlawed importation in 1808, but
  some smuggled. However, most growth due to
  natural fertility.
• Slaves viewed as investments, spared dangerous
  work.

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Plantation Slavery (2)

• Cotton boom brought more slaves to Deep South,
  i.e. SC, FL, MS, AL, LA.
• Slave women often promised freedom if produce 10
  babies.
• Slave auctions separated families, theme of Uncle
  Toms Cabin.

13
Life Under the Lash

• Conditions of slaves varied greatly, but some
  commonality
• No civil or political rights
• Floggings common, but usually not savage
  beatings.
• By 1860 most in black belt of Deep South,
  southern frontier.

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Life Under the Lash (2)

• Most lived on large plantations with slave
  community.
• In some counties along lower Miss. river, slaves
  were 75 of population.
• Resulted in distinctive slave culture, unlike
  smaller plantations of upper South.

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Life Under the Lash (3)

• Most slaves raised in 2-parent household.
• Religion mixed Christian African elements,
  stressed captivity of Israelites in Egypt.
• Responsorial preaching came from African
  ring-shout dance.

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Burdens of Bondage

• Slaves barred from education, 90 of adults
  illiterate.
• Responded to oppression by slowing work,
  stealing, sabotage, poisoning masters food.
• Rebellions (Vesey-1822, Turner-1831) failed.

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Burdens of Bondage (2)

• Siege mentality of southern whites surrounded
  by black slaves bolstered theories of race
  superiority.
• Practice degraded whites as well (Booker T.
  Washington - without getting down there with
  them)

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Early Abolitionism

• 1st abolitionists were Quakers during time of
  Revolution.
• B/c dislike of blacks, some suggested sending
  them back to Africa.
• 1817 Founding of American Colonization Society
• 1822 Republic of Liberia.

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Early Abolitionism (2)

• 15,000 sent, but by 1860, most slaves too
  Americanized, stayed.
• 2nd Great Awakening inspired abolitionists in
  1830s.
• Weld product of Finney/ Burned-Over District,
  led Lane Rebels, wrote American Slavery As It
  Is.

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Radical Abolitionism

• Garrison influenced by 2nd Awakening, published
  The Liberator, started 30-year war of words
  (Boston).
• Walker black who advocated bloody end to slavery
• Sojourner Truth freed black rights of slaves,
  women (NY).

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Radical Abolitionism (2)

• Frederick Douglass greatest black abolitionist,
  lectured widely, wrote autobiography.
• Garrison stubbornly principled Douglass
  politically practical backed Liberty, Free
  Soil, Republican parties.

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South Lashes Back

• 1831-32 After defeat of emancipation proposals
  in VA Leg., South moved to silence abolitionists.
• Slave states tightened slave codes, prohibited
  emancipation of any kind.

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South Lashes Back (2)

• 1831 Turner rebellion spread fears, planters
  slept with guns.
• Georgia offered 5,000 for arrest/conviction of
  Garrison for incitement of murder.
• Nullification crisis also incited southern fears.

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South Lashes Back (3)

• Proslavery whites defend slavery as positive
  supported by Bible, Aristotle, Africans rescued
  from jungle to be civilized, Christianized.
• Argued master-slave relationship was like family.

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South Lashes Back (4)

• Argued that their happy servants were better off
  than northern wage slaves.
• Southern reaction endangered free speech
  Congress passed gag resolution in 1836
  antislavery petitions must be tabled without
  debate.

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South Lashes Back (5)

• South resented abolitionist literature in mail,
  protested.
• 1835 Fed. government ordered southern
  postmasters to destroy abolitionist lit. in
  response.
• Southern state officials could arrest postmasters
  that did not comply.

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Abol. Impact in North

• Extreme abolitionism unpopular in North,
  Websters argument for union persuasive.
• North had heavy economic stake in South By late
  1850s, Southern planters owed North 300 million,
  North relied on southern cotton.

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Abol. Impact in North (2)

• Many radical abolitionists in North attacked by
  mobs, Garrison dragged through streets, even
  Lincoln avoided.
• But by 1850s efforts at least led to
  free-soilers those who opposed extending
  slavery in West.

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