1. ANTEBELLUM SLAVERY 1840-1860

2. Goals:  Discuss slavery as it existed within NC  Explain purpose of the slave code  Describe slave life in NC  Describe slave resistance in NC  Explain the status of free blacks in NC

3. Slavery in NC  1860- ¼ of NC’s population was slaves  ONLY 2% owned more than 50 slaves

4. NC Cont.  Most slaves were concentrated in the Piedmont and Coastal regions  Main Crops: Cotton, tobacco, rice  Naval Stores  Mountain counties had least amount of slaves

6. The Slave Trade  1808- The international slave trade officially ended in America  An estimated 50,000 Africans were illegally brought to America between 1810 and the Civil War

8. The Slave Code  Prohibited slaves from:  Running away  Showing disrespect to whites  Marrying free blacks

9. Code  David Walker’s Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World  Urged slaves to revolt against masters  1830-NC General Assembly passed law forbidding the teaching of slaves to read and write.

10. Life Under Slavery  Food rations consisted of meat, meal, molasses, potatoes, and corn  ANYTHING THE MASTER DID NOT WANT  Housing was poorly built with inferior materials

11. Life Cont.  House servants had the best working conditions  Field slaves had the worst conditions.  The overseers made sure work got done.

12. Life Cont.  Slave children were expected to work.  Mountain slaves worked with livestock, hotel/resorts, and mines.  Marriage was accepted, but not legal.

13. Life Cont.  Families were sold and separated.  Slaves took comfort in religion.  Worshiped in white controlled churches, mainly Baptist and Methodist.

14. Resistance to Slavery  Fears of a slave revolt in 1802 led to 11 slaves being executed in Bertie County.  1831-Nat Turner, a VA slave led the nations worst slave revolt, 57 whites were killed.  Armed revolts were usually NOT successful

15. Passive Resistance 1. Pretended to be sick 2. Stole from masters 3. Forged slave passes 4. Used various excuses to avoid work 5. Running away 6. Broken tools

16. Free Blacks  COULD NOT: 1. Vote after 1835 2. Entertain slaves in their houses on Sundays or at night 3. Trade with slaves

17. Notable NC Free Blacks  John Chavis- Revolutionary War Veteran, highly respected teacher  Thomas Day-Caswell County cabinet maker  John Carruther Stanley- Slave owner himself (160) in New Bern  1830 NC Census—192 free blacks owned slaves themselves