Manifest Destiny-Path to Civil War North and South Ideologies
Ideology a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
Northern Ideology FREE LABOR IDEOLOGY Hard work is the way to Heaven and the American dream –You are in control of your life –Heaven and wealth for all-not just the elite –Everything is up to you
Free Labor Ideology SELF MAKING The way to succeed in life both financially and religiously
Free Labor Ideology MORAL CODE Self Discipline Self Control Moralizes Work Revolves around will power
Free Labor Ideology Belief that anyone can get out of wage labor and be successful Belief that this would create an equal society which was considered to be vital for democracy to succeed
Free Labor Ideology Free Labor Ideology depended on two factors to be present to succeed: –Available cheap land –No aristocracy-no elite to stop people from self making
Free Labor Ideology YOUR FINANCIAL SUCCESS REFLECTED YOUR MORALITY
REALITY IN THE NORTH Wealth is getting more and more concentrated % of population owned 50% of wealth % of population owned 73% of wealth People are inheriting wealth and not self making
REALITY IN THE NORTH Industrial Revolution is moving quickly Wage labor is becoming permanent Each year cities are getting bigger and bigger Less land available
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION???
MANIFEST DESTINY The idea the United States must expand its boundaries to the Pacific Ocean. Idea that this was America’s right and duty
MANIFEST DESTINY Move West to find new land where people can self make Northerners did not want slavery in new states-saw slavery as competition to their self making
Most Northerners are not opposed to slavery for moral reasons, they are opposed to it ECONOMICALLY.
SOUTHERN IDEOLOGY
Economy Dominated by cash crops –Tobacco (VA, NC) –Rice (SC, GA) –Cotton –Sugar (LA) –SOUTH HAS VIRTUALLY A ONE DIMENSONAL ECONOMY AGRICULTURE
SOUTHERN IDEOLOGY COTTON IS KING Almost a guaranteed profit Invention of the Cotton Gin (1793) makes cotton extremely profitable By % of all U.S. exports is cotton
The Cotton Gin
Cotton is King Profitability of cotton rejuvenates slave system – million slaves – million slaves –Slaves make up 40% of the South’s entire population by 1860
SOUTHERN IDEOLOGY Southern Self Making 1.BUY LAND 2.BUY SLAVES 3.GROW COTTON
SOUTHERN SOCIETY Rich Lower Rich Upper Middle Middle Lower Middle Non-Land Owners Slave Labor
SOUTHERN IDEOLOGY Two different Souths –BLACK BELTS –WHITE BELTS
BLACK BELT VS. WHITE BELT
BLACK BELT Heaviest cash crop production All money tied up in land and slaves –1860: value of all Southern land 2.4 billion –1860: value of all slaves 3 billion
BLACK BELT SLAVES WORTH MORE THAN THE LAND THEY WORKED Most slaveholders only have small number of slaves
BLACK BELT Racial fears hold whites together –They dehumanize African Americans in order to rationalize their enslavement
BLACK BELT Fear of slave uprising –Whites are outnumbered –1831 Turner Rebellion (VA)-55 whites killed –Feeds panic –Makes all whites have interest in keeping African Americans enslaved
Positive Good Argument Became popular in the 1830s, argued that slaves wanted to be slaves. Southerners argued that slavery benefitted the slave because the slave owner provided food and protection.
Positive Good Argument Before the 1830s slaveholders saw slavery as necessary evil, after 1830s they saw slavery as positive for slaves.
Coercion the use of force or threats to make somebody do something against his or her will. This was how slaves were kept in bondage.
BLACK BELT VS. WHITE BELT
WHITE BELT Less slave concentration Economy not entirely dependent on cash crops Whites are not outnumbered LESS COMMITTED TO SLAVERY AND WILLING TO CONSIDER GETTING RID OF IT
BLACK BELT AND WHITE BELT BLACK BELT EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT WHITE BELT WILL NOT SUPPORT SLAVERY IF IT COMES TO A CONFLICT Black Belt becomes obsessed with keeping White Belt loyal: #1 political concern –Creates political crisis with North in order to test where White Belt will go
BLACK BELT AND WHITE BELT Black Belt attempts to control White Belt is crucial cause of the Civil War!