1. The Role of Cotton Production in the South
King Cotton:
The Role of Cotton Production in the South

2. Cotton Picking is Difficult Work:
Plants are low to the ground
Very hot
Some cotton plants have thorns

3. Cotton picking is painstaking, backbreaking work

4. Slaves

5. Slave-owners have to buy, house, feed, and clothe slaves
Is slavery profitable?
Slave-owners have to buy, house, feed, and clothe slaves
Many slaves resisted by working slower, breaking tools, or running away

6. Eli Whitney Changes the History of Slavery in the United States

7. The Cotton Gin

9. Cotton production is now more profitable
Cotton production is now more profitable. Southerners seek more slaves to grow more cotton.

12. Resisting Slavery

13. RESISTING SLAVERY 1. Slave Revolts: Gabriel Prosser, 1800 (Virginia)
Denmark Vesey, 1822 (S. Carolina)
Nat Turner, 1830 (Virginia)
Amistad, 1839

14. Why did most slave revolts fail?
Slaves are closely watched.
Slaves do not have weapons.
Hard to plan a revolt. Few slaves know how to read or write.
Hard to make sure everyone understands the plan .
Hard to keep the plan a secret.

15. Prosser’s Rebellion, 1800:
Prosser planned to take Richmond, VA and kidnap the state’s governor, James Monroe.
Try to establish a slavery free colony.
A loyal slave revealed the plan to authorities.
26 slaves were hanged.

17. Vesey bought his freedom.
Vesey’s Rebellion, 1822:
Vesey bought his freedom.
He planned a slave revolt with 9,000 slaves participating. They were to attack an arsenal and distribute the weapons.
A loyal house slave alerted the authorities. 67 blacks were arrested. 35, including Vesey, were hanged.

18. All 8 slaves were caught and hanged.
Turner’s Rebellion:
Turner and seven followers planned to kill all whites in the area. Only revolt to get started.
The slaves killed over 60 whites, but were caught by the state militia.
All 8 slaves were caught and hanged.

21. The Confessions of Nat Turner Became a Best Seller

22. The Amistad

23. Amistad Revolt:
African Slave, Cinque, leads revolt. Slaves kill all crew except captain and first mate.

24. Slaves aboard the Amistad revolt
Slaves aboard the Amistad revolt. The ship’s captain sailed in to the harbor of NYC.

25. The Amistad revolt was a rare exception... a slave revolt that worked.
The Supreme Court determined the revolters were free Africans, not slaves. Therefore, the murder of the crew was justified and the revolters were set free.

26. RESISTING SLAVERY 1. Slave Revolts 2. The Underground Railroad:
Harriet Tubman
Sojourner Truth

28. Harriet Tumban:
Returns to South 19 times.
Led over 300 slaves to the North on the Underground Railroad.

30. Becomes famous abolitionist and womens’ rights crusader
Sojourner Truth:
Freed Slave
Lecturer
Becomes famous abolitionist and womens’ rights crusader

31. Quilt with the North Star.
Shows run-away slaves that this is a friendly place.

32. Why is it hard for slaves to run away?
Slaves are closely watched.
Where are you going?
Who can you trust?
Do you have adequate resources?
Slave owners will track you down with dogs. Help from others.
Penalty for getting caught…SEVERE.

33. RESISTING SLAVERY 1. Slave Revolts 2. The Underground Railroad
3. Education:
William Lloyd Garrison
Frederick Douglass

34. The Liberator William Lloyd Garrison:
Founder of the first abolitionist newspaper,
The Liberator

35. Garrison had a difficult time starting The Liberator
Garrison had a difficult time starting The Liberator. Most northerners were apathetic about the cruelty of slavery.

36. William Lloyd Garrison “Discovers” Frederick Douglass

37. Douglass: Founded newspaper: The North Star Delivers many speeches
Meets with three Presidents

38. Douglass: Lived in Rochester, New York
Conductor on the Underground Railroad

41. Why is educating people hard?
You have to make people care. Overcome their apathy.
Takes a long time. Very slow process.
Results are not immediate. How do you know its working?
Once people care, what can they do?
Hard to convince people to take an active role.