MASTERS AND SLAVESMASTERS AND SLAVES

America: Past and PresentAmerica: Past and Present

Chapter 13Chapter 13

Slavery and the Southern Slavery and the Southern EconomyEconomy

Lower SouthLower South– Economy dependent on cotton Economy dependent on cotton – Slave labor centralSlave labor central– Blacks constitute nearly half the populationBlacks constitute nearly half the population

Upper SouthUpper South– Mixed economyMixed economy– Whites outnumber blacks three to oneWhites outnumber blacks three to one– Slave labor less importantSlave labor less important

Economic Adjustment in the Economic Adjustment in the Upper SouthUpper South

Mixed farming in Virginia and MarylandMixed farming in Virginia and Maryland Need less labor, more capitalNeed less labor, more capital Upper South sells slaves to lower SouthUpper South sells slaves to lower South Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky take on Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky take on

characteristics of industrializing Northcharacteristics of industrializing North Sectional loyalty of upper South uncertainSectional loyalty of upper South uncertain

The Rise of the Cotton KingdomThe Rise of the Cotton Kingdom

"Short-staple" cotton drives cotton boom"Short-staple" cotton drives cotton boom Cotton gin makes seed extraction easy Cotton gin makes seed extraction easy Year-round requirements suited to slave laborYear-round requirements suited to slave labor Cotton in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Cotton in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama,

Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, east TexasMississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas Large planters dominate cotton productionLarge planters dominate cotton production 1850--South produces 75% of world's cotton, 1850--South produces 75% of world's cotton,

cotton the most important U.S. businesscotton the most important U.S. business

Slavery and IndustrializationSlavery and Industrialization

Southerners resent dependence on Northern Southerners resent dependence on Northern industry, commerceindustry, commerce

Southerners project industrial schemes Southerners project industrial schemes – some propose using free white labor some propose using free white labor – others propose the use of slavesothers propose the use of slaves

Slaves work in southern factoriesSlaves work in southern factories High cotton profits discourage shift to industryHigh cotton profits discourage shift to industry

The "Profitability" IssueThe "Profitability" Issue

Slavery not profitable for South as a wholeSlavery not profitable for South as a whole White small farmers have lower living White small farmers have lower living

standards than most Northern farmersstandards than most Northern farmers Profits from cotton not well-distributedProfits from cotton not well-distributed Slave system results in waste of human Slave system results in waste of human

resources, Southern underdevelopmentresources, Southern underdevelopment

The Slaveholding SocietyThe Slaveholding Society

Wealth divides white Southerners by class Wealth divides white Southerners by class Race divides all Southerners by casteRace divides all Southerners by caste

The Planters' WorldThe Planters' World

Big planters set tone, values of Southern life Big planters set tone, values of Southern life Planter wealth based onPlanter wealth based on

– commercecommerce– land speculationland speculation– slave-tradingslave-trading– cotton plantingcotton planting

Plantations managed as businessesPlantations managed as businesses Romantic ideals imitated only by richestRomantic ideals imitated only by richest

Planters and SlavesPlanters and Slaves

Planters pride themselves on paternalism Planters pride themselves on paternalism Better living standard for Southern slaves Better living standard for Southern slaves

than others in Western Hemispherethan others in Western Hemisphere Relatively decent treatment due in part to Relatively decent treatment due in part to

their increasing economic value after 1808their increasing economic value after 1808 Planters actually deal little with slavesPlanters actually deal little with slaves Slaves managed by overseers Slaves managed by overseers Violent coercion accepted by all plantersViolent coercion accepted by all planters

The World of the Plain FolkThe World of the Plain Folk

Slave conditions worst with fewer than 20Slave conditions worst with fewer than 20– Slaves share the master's povertySlaves share the master's poverty– Slaves at the complete mercy of the master Slaves at the complete mercy of the master

Most white Southerners non-slaveholdersMost white Southerners non-slaveholders Southern small farmers lack access to Southern small farmers lack access to

commercial outletscommercial outlets

Yeomen, Planters, and RaceYeomen, Planters, and Race

Small farmers resent large planters Small farmers resent large planters Some aspire to planter statusSome aspire to planter status Average whites fear and hate blacksAverage whites fear and hate blacks Slavery viewed as a system for keeping Slavery viewed as a system for keeping

blacks "in their place"blacks "in their place"

A Closed Mind and a Closed A Closed Mind and a Closed SocietySociety

Planters fear growth of abolitionismPlanters fear growth of abolitionism Planters encourage closing of ranksPlanters encourage closing of ranks Slavery defended as a positive goodSlavery defended as a positive good

– Africans depicted as inferior Africans depicted as inferior – Slavery defended with BibleSlavery defended with Bible– Slavery a humane asylum to improve Africans Slavery a humane asylum to improve Africans – Slavery superior to Northern wage laborSlavery superior to Northern wage labor

Contrary points of view suppressedContrary points of view suppressed

The Black Experience Under The Black Experience Under SlaverySlavery

Constant resistance of Southern ideology, Constant resistance of Southern ideology, repressionrepression

Constant aspiration to freedomConstant aspiration to freedom

Forms of Slave Resistance: Forms of Slave Resistance: RebellionRebellion

1800--Gabriel Prosser1800--Gabriel Prosser 1822--Denmark Vesey1822--Denmark Vesey 1831--Nat Turner1831--Nat Turner

Other Forms of Slave ResistanceOther Forms of Slave Resistance

Work-relatedWork-related– feign illnessfeign illness

– work slowdownswork slowdowns

– destroy toolsdestroy tools

– poison masterspoison masters Run awayRun away Stories, songs asserting equalityStories, songs asserting equality ReligionReligion

The Struggles of Free BlacksThe Struggles of Free Blacks

Southern free blacks severely restrictedSouthern free blacks severely restricted– Sense of solidarity with slavesSense of solidarity with slaves– Generally unable to help Generally unable to help

Northern free blacks discriminated against Northern free blacks discriminated against Northern African-Americans organizeNorthern African-Americans organize

– Help slaves escape the South Help slaves escape the South – Black abolitionists demand racial equality Black abolitionists demand racial equality – Form abolitionist societies and newspapersForm abolitionist societies and newspapers

African-American ReligionAfrican-American Religion

Black Christianity the cornerstone of an Black Christianity the cornerstone of an emerging African-American cultureemerging African-American culture

Whites fear religion’s subversive potential, Whites fear religion’s subversive potential, try to supervise churches and preachingtry to supervise churches and preaching

Slave religion kept secret from whites Slave religion kept secret from whites – Reaffirmed the inherent joy of life Reaffirmed the inherent joy of life – Preaches the inevitable day of liberationPreaches the inevitable day of liberation

The Slave FamilyThe Slave Family

Normal family life difficult for slavesNormal family life difficult for slaves– Fathers cannot always protect children Fathers cannot always protect children – Families vulnerable to breakup by mastersFamilies vulnerable to breakup by masters

Most reared in strong, two-parent familiesMost reared in strong, two-parent families Extended families provide nurture, support Extended families provide nurture, support

amid horror of slaveryamid horror of slavery Slave culture a family cultureSlave culture a family culture

A Divided SocietyA Divided Society

Separate Southern worldsSeparate Southern worlds– PlantersPlanters– SlavesSlaves– Less affluent whitesLess affluent whites– Free blacksFree blacks

Held together by plantation economy, web Held together by plantation economy, web of customary relationshipsof customary relationships