The Old South Peoples, Apologists, and Critics,
The South as American Counterpoint Shrouded in Myth: “Gone with the Wind” versus “Simon Legree” Distinctive Features: heat, humidity, staple crop agriculture, native born populations, race Colonial Economics
Attempts at Manufacturing Daniel Pratt—Prattville, Alabama Joseph Reid Anderson—Tredegar Ironworks William Weaver and Daniel C. E. Brady— Buffalo Forge
Daniel Pratt
Tredegar Works
Slaves at Buffalo Forge
White “Society” in the Old South Only a few were planters Only a few were managerial or professionals—mostly Ministers and Lawyers Large Yeoman class Poor whites
Slaveholders in ,820 have only 1 slave 105,683 have 2 to 4 slaves 80,765 have 5 to 9 54,595 have 10 to 19 29,733 have 20 to 49 6,196 have 50 to 99 1,479 have 100 to have have have 500 more 347,575 slaveholders in 1850
White Women and the “Myth of the Sisterhood” Plantation mistresses complained about the hard work of slavery Many were frustrated by the “double standard” Few openly or covertly criticized slavery Why?—Women had a stake in the system and were socialized into the racial fears of the white men.
Honor in the South Face to face honor Poorer men had stake in herrenvolk democracy “Masters of Small Worlds” “Holy Honor”
African American Society Most slaves worked on large plantations Plantation Culture— from dark to dawn Free blacks—a few of whom owned slaves Slave women were 2x slaves Celia’s story—only Robert Newsome was protected by law against rape—he could sue another man for trespassing on his property
Slave Rebellions Gabriel’s rebellion in 1800 Charles Deslondes (St. John the Baptist Parish Rebellion) in 1811 Denmark Vesey Rebellion in 1822 Nat Turner in 1831 "I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own weapons."
Advent of Immediatism Colonization and expatriation from 1816 to 1831 William Lloyd Garrison’s Liberator American Anti-Slavery Society Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth— underground railroad and other direct action
Southern Proslavery Thornton W. Stringfellow—Biblical Defenses of slavery George Fitzhugh—Cannibals All, or Slaves without Masters Henry Hughes—Treatise on Sociology
So What—they ain’t nuthin’ but inbred bubbas Honor based society Fear of slave rebellion Concept of “whitening” Accustomed to proslavery national government—don’t like the gag rule controversy or the abolitionist mail campaign in 1835 Belief that slavery had to expand or die
Alexander Stephens’ “Cornerstone Speech” Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery -- subordination to the superior race -- is his natural and normal condition. [Applause.] This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.