Slavery in the US and Southern Vs Northern Economy

Origins of American Slavery Begins with the first European explorers in the 1500’s The slave trade increased from West Africa by FR, PRTG, SPN, and GB for labor on their colonies. By American independence (1776) slavery was established in the American South By 1807 slave trade from Africa was made illegal by the British and US http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery

Discuss What was something from the video that you were not aware of or learned more about?

The Cotton Gin Invented by Eli Whitney in connections to the industrial revolution and the demand for Cotton textiles slave owners put more slave to work in the field. South became a one crop industry on slavery as their means of labor.

The Cotton Economy Large plantations of Cotton Provided Cotton to Europe and Northern textiles White elite families owned hundreds of slaves Poor whites often were foremen and managed the slave labor

Northern vs Southern Economy Industrial Growth Manufacturing Overcrowding Mass Transportation Used immigrants as cheap labor By 1821 Northern states had abolished slavery South Cash crop Cotton Plantation Slave labor Relied on North and trade with England Imported manufactured goods Land = Wealth only fraction of whites owned land

White Board What was one advantage both the North had over the South and the one the South had over the North?

Conditions of Slaves Slaves were property with no rights Slaves could be beaten or killed with no punishment Families could be separated and sold Only day off was Sunday Lashing for not meeting quotas High levels of sexual abuse by masters to slave women

Violent Resistance Over 250 rebellions and uprisings in colonial and US history Nat Turners Revolt 1831 8 blacks led by Nat Turner started by killing their master and his family in Virginia Went from 8 blacks to 70 in only 3 days Killed around 58 white people Led to great fear of slave uprising Uprisings were violently ended and all involved were executed

John Brown Abolitionist Participated in underground Railroad Was an organization which helped escaped slaves. Led attack on Pro Slavary groups

Discuss Assess why punishments for slaves made public and so violent?

Peaceful resistance Underground Railroad- Dred Scott sues for freedom Series of safe homes leading runaway slaves to safety Dred Scott sues for freedom He believed the was free due to the fact that his master moved to Free territory. lived in territories that were free.(Missouri) Supreme Court Decision 1857 Blacks are not citizens and could not legally sue Slaves were property and could be moved as property to different areas Day to day resistance Breaking property Acting sick Sabotaging work

Abolitionist Others took economic approach First to challenge slavery Some suggestion of Sending Blacks back to Africa Others wanted incorporation into American Society Some cited Bible and Declaration of Independence believed U.S. was as much home to black people as it was to white people Others took economic approach unfair advantage of slave labor

Pro Slavery Argument States should have the right to choose not Fed Government Ending Slavery would destroy the Southern Economy Slavery was the only way to run a plantation system Freeing slaves would mean a loss of valuable property Blacks were not citizens and could not be equal to whites Ending of slavery was a threat to the freedom of white Americans. Slaves would take their jobs Abolitionist meetings were broken up, their presses destroyed and congress often refused to receive their petitions

Discuss Discuss the flaws in the Pro Slavery argument points.

Fredrick Douglass Abolitionist “ Who would be free themselves must strike the blow… I urge you to fly to arms and smite to death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave. This is your golden opportunity.” Wanted slavery to be eliminated immediately Asked to tour and give lectures for anti-slavery First great black speaker Editor of The North Star major Abolitionist Newspaper Urged for use of African American soldiers in the Civil War http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery/videos/frederick-douglas

William Lloyd Garrison Abolitionist “ I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation… I am an earnest—I will not equivocate—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch– AND I WILL BE HEARD” “The Liberator” read for more than three decades 1831-1865 Slavery be eliminated immediately

Harriet Beecher Stowe who published the bestselling antislavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (1852). Brought the violence of slavery in the south to the masses Helped push the Abolitionist movement

White board and discuss Does the history of slavery in the US still affect Americans? Discuss and support your answer.

Political and Economic issue of Slavery and Blacks in America Slavery was political issue when territorial problems arose More land West- Slave or Free? Growing fears of labor competition for white workers and farmers because of the growing number of free blacks prompted several northern states to adopt Black Codes Though many northern wanted an end of slavery they did not view Blacks as equals Slave states and Free states wanted more slave states to expand power in congress