1. The Peculiar Institution
Focus Questions:
How was the south distinct from the rest of the nation and what were the characteristics of the different regions in the south?
How has slavery been perceived in pop culture?
How did slavery shape the social and economic relations in the Old South?
Identify the industrial areas of the south.
Explain the characteristics of the different social classes in the south.
Analyze and explain slave life, society and culture in the south.
Discuss the Abolitionist movement in the south and some of the major characters of the Abolitionist movement.
The purpose of the focus questions is to help students find larger themes and structures to bring the historical evidence, events, and examples together for a connected thematic purpose.
As we go through each portion of this lecture, you may want to keep in mind how the information relates to this larger thematic question. Here are some suggestions: write the focus question in the left or right margin on your notes and as we go through, either mark areas of your notes for you to come back to later and think about the connection OR as you review your notes later (to fill in anything else you remember from the lecture or your thoughts during the lecture or additional information from the readings), write small phrases from the lecture and readings that connect that information to each focus question AND/OR are examples that work together to answer the focus question.

2. The Old South Southern distinctiveness Border States Upper South
Lower (Deep) South

3. Slavery in pop culture

4. Map 1
“King Cotton”/ “White Gold”

5. Manufacturing/Industry
Tredegar Iron Works
Major Industrial centers in the South

6. White society in the South: Plantation owners

7. Middle Class Whites
Small farmers
Overseers

8. Poor whites: “Plain Folk”

9. Slavery: “the peculiar institution”

10. Slave life in the south
Slave Families

11. Slave resistance
Peaceful Resistance
Nat Turner’s Rebellion, 1831

12. Abolitionism
Harriet Beecher Stowe
William Lloyd Garrison

13. Black abolitionists
Frederick Douglas
Harriet Tubman

14. Defense of Slavery in the South