Cotton, Slavery and the Cotton, Slavery and the SouthSouth

Chapter 11Chapter 11

The Cotton EconomyThe Cotton Economy

Crop ShiftsCrop Shifts TobaccoTobacco

Rapidly exhausted the landRapidly exhausted the land 1830s many farmers in Virginia, Maryland, and North 1830s many farmers in Virginia, Maryland, and North

Carolina were shifting to wheatCarolina were shifting to wheat RiceRice

S. Carolina, Georgia, FloridaS. Carolina, Georgia, Florida demanded substantial irrigationdemanded substantial irrigation nine month growing timenine month growing time

SugarSugar Gulf CoastGulf Coast labor intensivelabor intensive long growing timelong growing time Competition from CaribbeanCompetition from Caribbean

Long-Staple (Sea Island) CottonLong-Staple (Sea Island) Cotton could only grow in coastal regions of the could only grow in coastal regions of the

SoutheastSoutheast Short-Staple CottonShort-Staple Cotton

hardier and coarser strain of cottonhardier and coarser strain of cotton harder to process than long-staple cotton; harder to process than long-staple cotton; seeds seeds

difficult to removedifficult to remove

““King Cotton” EmergesKing Cotton” Emerges

Physical DemandPhysical Demand advent of the advent of the cotton gincotton gin made Short-Staple made Short-Staple

cotton much easier to producecotton much easier to produce

Social DemandSocial Demand textile industry in Britain in the 1820s and 1830stextile industry in Britain in the 1820s and 1830s textile industry in North USA in the 1840s and textile industry in North USA in the 1840s and

1850s1850s existing cotton lands could not satisfy the demand existing cotton lands could not satisfy the demand

SpreadSpread From western areas of South Carolina and Georgia From western areas of South Carolina and Georgia

to Alabama and Mississippi, then into northern to Alabama and Mississippi, then into northern Louisiana, Texas and ArkansasLouisiana, Texas and Arkansas

by 1820 South produced 500,000 bales of by 1820 South produced 500,000 bales of cotton/yr. cotton/yr.

by 1850 South produced 3,000,000 bales of by 1850 South produced 3,000,000 bales of cotton/yrcotton/yr

by 1860 South produced 5,000,000 bales of by 1860 South produced 5,000,000 bales of cotton/yrcotton/yr

at the start of the Civil War Cotton constituted at the start of the Civil War Cotton constituted nearly nearly two thirds of the total export trade of the two thirds of the total export trade of the USA and was bringing in $200 million a yearUSA and was bringing in $200 million a year

Social impactSocial impact whites whites

quickly settled new lands in the southquickly settled new lands in the south many wealthy landowners transferred assets and slaves many wealthy landowners transferred assets and slaves

to a cotton plantationto a cotton plantation most were small slaveholders or slaveless farmersmost were small slaveholders or slaveless farmers

blacksblacks between 1820 and 1860 the number of slaves in Alabama between 1820 and 1860 the number of slaves in Alabama

leaped from 41,000 to 435,000leaped from 41,000 to 435,000 Mississippi 32,000 to 436,000Mississippi 32,000 to 436,000 Virginia 425,000 to 490,000Virginia 425,000 to 490,000 410,000 slaves moved from upper south to Cotton states410,000 slaves moved from upper south to Cotton states many were sold by troubled tobacco planters many were sold by troubled tobacco planters

Southern Trade and IndustrySouthern Trade and Industry

Other business areasOther business areas Flour millingFlour milling textile manufacturingtextile manufacturing iron manufacturing iron manufacturing of southern textile manufacturesof southern textile manufactures 2% of the value of the raw cotton exported that 2% of the value of the raw cotton exported that

year year

Commercial sectorCommercial sector largely to serve the needs of the largely to serve the needs of the

plantation economyplantation economy weak banking systemweak banking system brokers “factors” brokers “factors”

marketed planters’ cropsmarketed planters’ crops bankers, credit providersbankers, credit providers

TransportationTransportation Largely inadequateLargely inadequate No taxes or investment put into public No taxes or investment put into public

transportationtransportation Canals nonexistentCanals nonexistent Roads were crude and unstableRoads were crude and unstable railroads failed to tie the region together railroads failed to tie the region together

effectivelyeffectively Principal means of transportation was Principal means of transportation was

waterwater Northern DependenceNorthern Dependence

““economic subordination”economic subordination”

Southern Society and CultureSouthern Society and Culture

Philisophical GrandationsPhilisophical Grandations southerners liked to think of themselves as southerners liked to think of themselves as

representatives to a special way of liferepresentatives to a special way of life values: chivalry, leisure and elegancevalues: chivalry, leisure and elegance

Actual GradationsActual Gradations aristocracy exercised influence beyond their numbersaristocracy exercised influence beyond their numbers wealthy class had second homes in citieswealthy class had second homes in cities wealthy whites traveled to Europewealthy whites traveled to Europe hosted social events on their plantationshosted social events on their plantations most planters lived rather modestlymost planters lived rather modestly roles of women and “chivalry roles of women and “chivalry

Social Stratification among whitesSocial Stratification among whites StatisticsStatistics

in 1850 the total white population of the south was over 6 millionin 1850 the total white population of the south was over 6 million the number of slaveholders was 347,525the number of slaveholders was 347,525 in 1860 the total white population of the south was over 8 millionin 1860 the total white population of the south was over 8 million the number of slave holders was 383,673the number of slave holders was 383,673

rarely did poor farmers move into the ranks of the planterrarely did poor farmers move into the ranks of the planter educational system did not provide opportunities to the pooreducational system did not provide opportunities to the poor mountain region = only area of concentrated rebellion to mountain region = only area of concentrated rebellion to

southern lifestylesouthern lifestyle most farmers were dependent on the systemmost farmers were dependent on the system

cousinscousins votingvoting patriarchypatriarchy

““crackers” “sand hillers” “poor white trash”crackers” “sand hillers” “poor white trash” often lived on barren land (swamps, red hills)often lived on barren land (swamps, red hills) life of squalorlife of squalor looked down upon by even black slaveslooked down upon by even black slaves

unified as members of a ruling raceunified as members of a ruling race

The “Peculiar Institution”The “Peculiar Institution”

Slave CodesSlave Codes forbade slavesforbade slaves

to hold propertyto hold property to leave their master’s to leave their master’s

premises without permissionpremises without permission to be out after darkto be out after dark to congregate with other to congregate with other

slaves except in churchslaves except in church carry firearmscarry firearms strike a white person, even in strike a white person, even in

self defenseself defense testifying in court against a testifying in court against a

white personwhite person learning to read and write learning to read and write

from whitesfrom whites

Slave Codes Cont’dSlave Codes Cont’d If a master killed a slave, the If a master killed a slave, the

act was generally not act was generally not considered a crimeconsidered a crime

A slave faced the death A slave faced the death penalty for killing or even penalty for killing or even resisting a white personresisting a white person

Anyone with a trace of black Anyone with a trace of black ancestry was considered to be ancestry was considered to be blackblack

Size MatteredSize Mattered nature of relationship nature of relationship

depended in part on the size depended in part on the size of the plantationof the plantation

white farmers on small farms white farmers on small farms generally supervised their generally supervised their slaves and sometimes worked slaves and sometimes worked alongside of themalongside of them

Size Mattered Cont’dSize Mattered Cont’d more personal relationship between farmers and more personal relationship between farmers and

slaves on small farms as opposed to large slaves on small farms as opposed to large plantationsplantations

African Americans preferred to live on larger African Americans preferred to live on larger plantationsplantations

more privacymore privacy build own culturebuild own culture

Majority of slaves lived on plantations of medium Majority of slaves lived on plantations of medium or large sizeor large size

Planters often hired “overseers” to represent them Planters often hired “overseers” to represent them and manage slavesand manage slaves

Slave LifeSlave Life Workday Workday

(in the fields) longest workdays at harvest time(in the fields) longest workdays at harvest time task system (rice culture) given one job, once done, free for rest of task system (rice culture) given one job, once done, free for rest of

dayday gang system (cotton, sugar and tobacco) divided into groups, each gang system (cotton, sugar and tobacco) divided into groups, each

directed by a driver, and compelled to work for as many hours as directed by a driver, and compelled to work for as many hours as the overseer considered a reasonable workdaythe overseer considered a reasonable workday

(in house) slaves lived/worked closely to master(in house) slaves lived/worked closely to master often slept in “big house”often slept in “big house” punished more often because more visiblepunished more often because more visible less privacyless privacy first to leave when Emancipation camefirst to leave when Emancipation came

slave women slave women sexual advances/abuses from white male masterssexual advances/abuses from white male masters vindictive treatment from plantation mistressesvindictive treatment from plantation mistresses

Slave Life Cont’dSlave Life Cont’d ““Enough” Enough”

Masters usually furnished them with an adequate dietMasters usually furnished them with an adequate diet cheap clothing and shoescheap clothing and shoes crude cabins / slave quarters crude cabins / slave quarters

HealthHealth 1808 importation stops*1808 importation stops* 1820 one African American to every four whites1820 one African American to every four whites 1840 one African American to every five whites1840 one African American to every five whites high death ratehigh death rate higher infant mortality ratehigher infant mortality rate preserving a slave’s health meant preserving their preserving a slave’s health meant preserving their

usefulness usefulness

Slave Life Cont’dSlave Life Cont’d Slavery in the CitiesSlavery in the Cities rarerare masters rented out slaves on contract to work on masters rented out slaves on contract to work on

docks, construction sites, and other unskilled jobsdocks, construction sites, and other unskilled jobs increase in free time gave slaves opportunities to increase in free time gave slaves opportunities to

mingle with free blacks and whitesmingle with free blacks and whites urban black population in south declinedurban black population in south declined

fear of insurrection fear of insurrection segregation was a means of social control intended segregation was a means of social control intended

to make up for the loosening of slavery in urban to make up for the loosening of slavery in urban areasareas

Slave Life Cont’dSlave Life Cont’d Free African AmericansFree African Americans

250,000 free African Americans in slaveholding states at 250,000 free African Americans in slaveholding states at the start of the Civil Warthe start of the Civil War

slaves had somehow made money, usually through a slaves had somehow made money, usually through a trade, independent of their master’s knowledge and trade, independent of their master’s knowledge and bought their freedom (option open to only a few slaves)bought their freedom (option open to only a few slaves)

some freed by masters with a consciencesome freed by masters with a conscience Slave TradeSlave Trade

professional business of slave tradersprofessional business of slave traders transported slaves over great distancestransported slaves over great distances short distances on foot and in chainsshort distances on foot and in chains

bid on like cattlebid on like cattle concealing “defects”concealing “defects”

Jennifer Ong

Slave Life Cont’dSlave Life Cont’d Slave Trade Cont’dSlave Trade Cont’d

able males could bring in between $500 and $1700 depending on able males could bring in between $500 and $1700 depending on fluctuating price of cottonfluctuating price of cotton

sexually attractive females could bring in much moresexually attractive females could bring in much more separated children from parentsseparated children from parents illegal importation of slaves*illegal importation of slaves*

Acceptance and RebellionAcceptance and Rebellion at two extremes, slavery could produce tow very different reactionsat two extremes, slavery could produce tow very different reactions

““Sambo” accepting charadeSambo” accepting charade Slave RebelSlave Rebel

Slave revolts were rare, but the possibility struck terror in the hearts Slave revolts were rare, but the possibility struck terror in the hearts of whites everywhereof whites everywhere 1800 Gabriel Prosser – 1,000 slaves outside Richmond1800 Gabriel Prosser – 1,000 slaves outside Richmond 1822 Denmark Vesey – 9,000 made preparations near Charleston1822 Denmark Vesey – 9,000 made preparations near Charleston 1831 Nat Turner – slave preacher*, South Hampton, Virginia, axes and 1831 Nat Turner – slave preacher*, South Hampton, Virginia, axes and

guns, house to house, killed 60guns, house to house, killed 60 John Brown’s Raid*John Brown’s Raid*

running away... small numbers make it to the North or to Canadarunning away... small numbers make it to the North or to Canada underground railroad*underground railroad* everyday behavior, refusal to work hardeveryday behavior, refusal to work hard

Gabriel Prosser

Denmark Vessey

Nat Turner

The Culture of Slavery The Culture of Slavery

Language and MusicLanguage and Music language sometimes incorporated African speech language sometimes incorporated African speech

patterns into Englishpatterns into English Banjo came from AfricaBanjo came from Africa Song used to pass the timeSong used to pass the time

in fields, songs disguised for masters, often in fields, songs disguised for masters, often misunderstood*misunderstood*

privately, songs were politically charged and spiritualprivately, songs were politically charged and spiritual

Jennifer Ong

ReligionReligion Slaves became Christian (Baptist or Methodist) due Slaves became Christian (Baptist or Methodist) due

to missionary efforts to missionary efforts Masters expected slaves to worship under the Masters expected slaves to worship under the

supervision of white ministerssupervision of white ministers blacks developed their own version of Christianity, blacks developed their own version of Christianity,

incorporating voodoo or African traditionincorporating voodoo or African tradition more emotional that white Christianity; chanting more emotional that white Christianity; chanting

and ecstatic conversationand ecstatic conversation dream of freedom “Promised land”*dream of freedom “Promised land”*

Family StructureFamily Structure marriage not legalmarriage not legal ““nuclear family” was a model and a goalnuclear family” was a model and a goal Black women had children at earlier agesBlack women had children at earlier ages Couples often lived on separate plantations and Couples often lived on separate plantations and

visited*visited* 1/3 of all black families broken apart by slave trade1/3 of all black families broken apart by slave trade average slave might see 10 relatives sold in a lifetimeaverage slave might see 10 relatives sold in a lifetime sexual advances of mastersexual advances of master

extended kinship networksextended kinship networks one of the most frequent causes of plight was a slaves one of the most frequent causes of plight was a slaves

desire to find a significant otherdesire to find a significant other

Jennifer Ong