COTTON, SLAVERY, AND THE OLD SOUTH CHAPTER 11 COTTON, SLAVERY, AND THE OLD SOUTH

THE COTTON ECONOMY Why was cotton so popular? Tobacco exhausted land, fluctuated in price (upper South) Sugar and rice cultivation was difficult (lower South/Gulf) Industrial Revolution created a new, large, demand

THE COTTON ECONOMY Spread of cotton Southern Industry: short-staple cotton 1850, cotton most dominant crop of the South Deep South saw most production (AL, MS, LA) Southern Industry: Mostly agriculture Some commerce developed, but it served the “plantation economy” spread to (TX, AR)

THE COTTON ECONOMY Southern Industry: Mostly agriculture Some commerce developed, but it served the “plantation economy” growth of textile mills (GB and NE)

THE COTTON ECONOMY CONT. South not industrializing some industry in upper South agriculture...profitable (“King Cotton”) Capital was tied up in farming (“factors”) market crops, lend money, etc... inadequate infrastructure (RR’s, canals, etc.)

THE COTTON ECONOMY CONT. James B. De Bow: Warned of the dependence on the North Favored econ. independence for South

THE COTTON ECONOMY CONT. South not industrializing traditional southern values more refined, elegant than those nasty urban cities

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH problems with the success: land butchery flip this land overspeculation greatest capital expense...slaves (disease, running away, self-injury, etc...) foreign markets North profited greatly little influx of European immigrants

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH Roughly 1 out of 4 whites owned slaves An even smaller portion owned plantations Planter Aristocracy (“Cottonocracy”) 40+ slaves and 800+ acres Those that did had tremendous power and influence New Money hard work got me here...worth defending see this more in the “lower south”

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH You question my honor sir???? Sir Walter Scott idealized a feudal South Southern men, code of chivalry ethical and ideal, also public displays of challenging one’s dignity

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH George Fitzhugh: Southern writer, defended slavery and subordination of women

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH Women had few opportunities at education Those that did, focused on being “good wives” little role in public activities (little access) little education higher birth rate/mortality rate

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH CONT. The Plain Folk: yoeman farmer Mostly subsistence farming, some cash-crop Few educational opportunities in the rural south

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH CONT. “Hill People”/”Backcountry” (“Hillbillies): Lived in the Appalachian Mountain region Opposed the planter elite Resisted secession leading to the Civil War loyal to country, not sections

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH CONT. Nonslave-holding whites relied heavily on planters needed credit, sell goods, relatives participated in politics...kind of hope of improving their lot if heirarchy of slavery falls, so will patriarchy

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH CONT. “clay-eaters” ("crackers," "poor white trash") south’s poorest members no profitable land did not challenge southern society still were white, ruling class, so you’re saying there’s a chance

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” In the mid-19th century, slavery was illegal in the Western world, except for US, Brazil, Cuba, and Puerto Rico “Peculiar”- distinctive from other forms

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” Slave Codes: Regulated behavior of slaves: Could not own: property be out after dark strike a white person receive an education less severe than other places not uniformly enforced

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” majority of slave owners were small farmers majority of slaves were on medium to large plantations less intimate Overseers: In charge of slaves in fields, often harsh and brutal towards slaves

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Slave Life: Living conditions were harsh Women often worked in fields with men, then did housework most lived on plantations with 10 or more slaves worked in "gangs" under an overseer dusk until dawn labor chores completed at night worked Mon-Sat (could earn extra on Sundays) Xmas could be a 3-day celebration, could sometimes eat their fill

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. House Slaves: Closer proximity to owners often led to more punishments Often isolated from other slaves Female house slaves were subject to harsh treatment from owners and white women Slaves in Cities: Fewer than in rural areas sold to country (segregation)

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Free Blacks in the South (250,000 in 1860) some earned freedom from earnings some emancipated by the masters many owned property (New Orleans) William T. Johnson "the barber of Natchez"...owned slaves

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Free is relative ("third-race")... could be highjacked not able to work in all industries could not testify against whites in court Not truly free in the North either (250,000) some banned from public education most states denied them the right to vote? immigrants hated them b/c they vied for menial jobs

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. The Slave Trade International slave trade was outlawed in 1808 Domestic slave trade continued too lucrative (smuggling)...2 billion dollar investment by 1860 Humiliating experience Separated families

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Amistad 1839 slave revolt aboard a ship in Cuba John Quincy Adams argued that the slaves should be freed Former slaves were returned to Africa

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Resisting slavery: Resistance took many forms: Passive – working slowly, faking illness Running away Breaking tools

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT. Although slave revolts did happen, they were rare Gabriel Prosser (1800): Rebellion stopped before it occurred, Prosser and 35 others were hanged Denmark Vesey (1822): Planned a rebellion, but word leaked out Nat Turner (1831): Armed revolt, killing 60 people in Virginia Led to restricting African Americans’ rights

SLAVERY: THE “PECULIAR INSTITUTION” CONT.

THE CULTURE OF SLAVERY A unique language that combined English and African language developed (“pidgin”) Music played a large role in daily life: Way to communicate Helped pass time in fields

THE CULTURE OF SLAVERY Religion: Slave family life: Virtually all slaves were Christian African American religion was often emotional Slave family life: Slaves could not legally marry (“‘til death do us part”) 1/3 of all families were broken up due to slave trade A frequent cause of running away was to be reunited with family

THE CULTURE OF SLAVERY Slaves had a complex relationship with masters dependence for material means, “security, and protection” paternalism (labor exchanged for slave’s well-being) =white control