Chapter 11:

Cotton, Slavery, and the Old

South

Before we begin examining Chapter 11, in your group answer the following questions:

How did the Market / Economic Revolution change America?

How do you think Andrew Jackson would have felt about it?

The Rise of King CottonCotton = Darth Vader Metaphor

Up until the 1820s, tobacco was a major staple of the Southern agricultural economy.

Cotton was grown; however, it was still overshadowed by rice and sugar

Increase in the textile industry in New England increased the demand for cotton

The removal of the N.A. combined with westward expansion opened up new land for cotton growing

By 1860, the southern economy relied almost completely on cotton.

1820 - 500,000 bales of cotton1860 – 5,000,000 bales of cotton

“Cotton is king!”

With the expansion of King Cotton, the expansion of slavery spread with it.

Southern Agriculture

Southern Industry

Why was Southern Industry weak?

Weak financial / banking structure

Inadequate transportation system• Hardly any canals• Poor roads• Railroad system failed

to tie the region together

Too dependent on North

Canals in 1840

Brinkley discusses some arguments historians have as to why the South experienced “colonial dependency” to the North. What are those arguments and which one do you agree with?

White Society in the South

THE PLANTER CLASS

Jigsaw

“HONOR”

THE SOUTHERN LADY THE PLAIN FOLK

Directions and Objectives• Each group will have this class to prepare its lesson.• Each lesson will be 5-7 minutes long. • Be as creative and lively as you can when presenting /

teaching• Everyone is expected to participate in the

presentation• Non-presenting groups are expected to pay attention

and take notes• After all the groups have presented, everyone should

have a good understanding of the social structure and make-up of white society in the “Old South”

The Culture of Slavery

Let’s Review…

Cultural Aspirations

What is culture and what contributes to culture?

FoodReligion Language Literature

Customs &

Traditions

Slave CultureLangua

ge

Pidgin: slave language that combined African and English words.

- Just as important as language- Very rhythmic- Fields and religious services

Music Religion

- Most slaves were Christians(Baptists or Methodists)- Slaves formed their own version of Christianity- More emotional and joyful than whites

Family

- Marriages were common among slaves- Women bore children at a younger age- Families could be broken up at anytime• Extended kinship

networks- Paternal relationship with master

Slavery: The “Peculiar

Institution”

Do you remember learning about “Black Codes?”

Black Codes were laws during the Reconstruction period that limited the rights of freedmen….where did Southerners get the idea for them??????

Slave Codes

SLAVE CODESSlaves cannot:

1. Own property2. Leave their masters’ without permission3. Be out after dark4. Congregate with other slaves (other than church)5. Carry a firearm6. Strike a white

Any person with a trace of African ancestry was defined as black.

Reality of SlaverySince the master was the end all be all, treatment of slaves was circumstantial.

Some plantations experienced a different type of slavery – somewhat of a paternal relationship

The majority of slaveowners were small farmers, however, the majority of slaves lived on medium to large plantations. This was a much different experience.

Task and Gang Systems were utilized

Life Under SlaverySlavery was especially hard for women…why?

High mortality rates….was life for factory workers in the North worse?

Some slaveowners did try to prolong the lifespan of their slaves slave children were shielded from hard labor until adolescence.

Overseers were particularly harsh on slaves

Females were vulnerable to sexual abuse from masters and overseers children from these incidents were hardly ever recognized by their fathers

What was slavery like in the cities?

The Slave Trade

Take out your reading from last night1. How were the slaves prepared for sale?2. How is the owner of the slaves depicted?3. How did you feel regarding the end of the reading?

Slave Resistance

• Nat Turner’s Revolt

• Disobedience to the master

• Refusing to work hard