1. Politics, Slavery, and Antebellum Society
Chapter 4
Politics, Slavery, and Antebellum Society

2. Chapter 4 Section 1 Politics
Objectives
The learner will be able to understand the changes in the Constitution of 1832

3. Politics Politics play an important role in history
Elections determine which candidates are voted into offices or jobs
Politics also make people take sides
Causing divisions in society
Also raises the issues that most concern people
What are the two biggest political parties in Mississippi?

4. Capital of Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
“Jackson Mississippi City of Soul” is the city slogan
Population of 539,057
Most populous city in Mississippi
Who was Mississippi named after?
Andrew Jackson

5. State Capital
Location of the capital was the 1st issue to reveal divisions in society in Antebellum Mississippi
Antebellum means “before the war” in the U.S. especially in the South it means before the Civil War
1798 Natchez was the capital, because it was already a substantial frontier settlement.
1802 political rivalry led to the relocation of the territorial capital to Washington, located 6 miles east of Natchez
No capital building was built in either city

6. State Capital
In 1817, Mississippi state constitutional convention held the 1st session of legislature in Natchez
Most Mississippians lived in the Natchez District
Small farmers and townspeople throughout the state wanted a state capital closer to them
Believed Washington was too small
Also wanted to move the capital away from the influence of merchants and planters of Natchez

7. State Capital
In 1821 Mississippi’s legislature formed a committee to locate a capital in the center of the state
The committee chose LeFleur’s Bluff on the Pearl River
Louis Lefleur traded with the Choctaw here
Town was named Jackson, previously called LeFleur’s Bluff
Honoring the hero of the battle of New Orleans
Andrew Jackson 7th president
Streets were quickly laid out in grid pattern
Houses and public buildings were built
First state legislature met in Jackson for the 1st time in Dec. 1822

8. State Capital Jackson remained a small town for decades
In 1840 a capital building was built for the legislature and a mansion for the governor
Governor still lives in the mansion
The Old Capital was replaced by the New Capital at the beginning of the 20th century and is now a museum .
Old Capital is now a museum

9. The Constitution of 1832
America had many political changes during the early 19th century
Property ownership requirement to vote was eliminated
Meant that all adult white men could vote and hold office
Time period was referred to “Era of the Common Man”
Wealth and education no longer guaranteed access to positions of authority
Wealthy and educated held office because they were elected by the poor and uneducated
Most visible evidence was Andrew Jackson. Pg 79

10. Constitution of 1832
Some Important changes in the constitution of 1832
Judges were elected by the people for specific terms instead of being appointed for life
State offices also became elective.
Representation in both houses of legislature was determined by population
One provision banned slaves coming into MS, “If to be sold”
Passed a law to enforce it, but was never applied
Slavery was important to the South but, slavery also became a troubling issue
Some question the morality of owning people
Others feared possibility of slave revolts
Society would be divided between wealthy slave owners and the poor

11. Local Governments
State government was important but county government met most of the needs of the citizens
After 1832 a board of police was elected to govern each county.
Board levied taxes for county operations, and imposed special taxes to construct courthouses and jails also supported the poor
Appointed supervisors to build and maintain roads and bridges, operated public schools open to all white children.
Approved people to operate hotels, run ferries, or sell alcohol
Page 80 (1-3) It’s your turn

12. Chapter 4 Section 2 Objectives
The learner will be able to identify the treaties for the acquisition of Native American land

13. Section 2 Acquisition of Native American Land
The growth of Mississippi was made possible by the removal of Native Americans
Showed the greed of Americans and their uncaring attitude towards the natives
Tension rose between white settlers and natives because more and more settlers were moving west.
By 1840, most Native Americans had ceded “given up” their land to the government and left the state.

14. Assimilation Government first wanted a policy called assimilation
Theory that if Native Americans relied on farming rather than hunting, they would need less land and could then co-exist with the settlers
Natives weren’t given time to change nor did they want to change
After the War of 1812 U.S. government gave up assimilation because
They thought the natives might side with either the British or the Spanish in their disputes with the United States.
The native tribes were beginning to unite.
Land speculators, settlers, and squatters wanted all natives moved west of the Mississippi River, so more land was available

15. Federal Treaties
To get the Indians to move west what did the government do?
Government negotiated a series of treaties
Which eventually required the Choctaw and Chickasaw to leave Mississippi
In 1783, their were only the Chickasaw, and Choctaw left in Mississippi, the Choctaw was the largest tribe in Mississippi.
Mississippi territory was established in 1798 when Spain gave up its hold over the Natchez District

16. Treaty of Fort Adams
In 1801, 1st treaty in a series of treaties where the Choctaw ceded their land
U.S. received almost 3 million acres of land and the right to build a road(Natchez Trace) through Choctaw territory
The Choctaw received several thousand dollars worth of merchandise and the promise that non-Native Americans would be removed from their land
Promise WAS NOT KEPT

17. Treaty of Mount Dexter In 1805
U.S. received over 4 million acres of land in south Mississippi
In exchange the U.S. would cancel the debts Native Americans owed people who traded with them, and give annual pensions to various Native American leaders.
Even after the Choctaw helped the U.S. against the British and the Creeks, the pressure to acquire their land continued
Page 82

18. Treaty of Doak’s Stand Gave the United State’s 5 million acres
This included the area where Jackson is located
Choctaw was promised the land west of the Mississippi
Rejected the land because it was not suitable for hunting and had already been settled by whites
Pushmataha and other Choctaw chiefs, travel to Washington to renegotiate the treaty
Pushmataha died there and received a military funeral

19. Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
After Andrew Jackson became president
Federal government insisted the Native Americans be subject to state laws and state courts
Was signed in 1830
The Choctaw ceded the rest of their land(over 10 million acres) and agreed to move to what is now Oklahoma
Treaty was negotiated by Greenwood LeFlore
Choctaw numbered in the 18,000s, several hundred whites, and about 500 black slaves
Provision in the treaty allowed Native Americans to register with the government to obtain land
So difficult most families couldn’t get land (less than 70 families were able to do so.)
Page 84

20. Treaty of Pontotoc Creek
Chickasaw numbers were less than 5,000 Indians, and a thousand black slaves
Signed the treaty in 1832
The Chickasaw ceded their lands in North Mississippi to the federal government and moved West

21. Trail of Tears Native American walk to Oklahoma
Called trail of tears because the number of people who died along the way.
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease and starvation on the route to their destinations. Many died, including 60,000 of the 130,000

22. Trail of Tears In 1831 the Choctaw were the first to be removed
2nd were the Seminole in 1832
3rd were the Creek in 1834,
4th were the Chickasaw in 1837
The Choctaw are found in Mississippi, the Seminole in Florida, the Creek in Alabama, and the Cherokee in North Carolina.
By 1837, 46,000 Native Americans from these southeastern states had been removed from their homelands thereby opening 25 million acres of land
Page 85 (1-4) It’s your turn

23. Section 3 Slavery in Mississippi
Native Americans and African Americans were slaves
Natives Americans were forced off their lands and confined to reservations
African Americans were brought to America as slaves
Their descendants labored for generations before becoming free
Tribes in Africa would sell their enemies to the Europeans into slavery

24. The Black Code
Early 18th century French brought African slaves to Louisiana
Soon there was enough slaves to require legislation
Governor Bienville issued a set of laws called the Black Code
For Slaves -Marriage, ownership of property , travel and gathering in groups were severely restricted
Any attempts to escape were punished cruelly

25. The Black Code The Black Code did provide some protection to slaves
Husbands and wives couldn’t be separated or children under the age of 14 from their parents
Owners could not mistreat their slaves or free slaves when they were old or sick leaving them helpless
Slaves could not be forced to work on Sundays or religious holidays
A freed slave received all the privileges of any free citizen

26. The Black Code
Fort Rosalie was a French settlement and prospered because of slave labor
Slaves cleared the land and raised tobacco and indigo
Some slaves helped the Natchez Indians destroy the fort in 1729
Nobody knows what happened to the slaves
The French used black troops
After the French lost the Natchez District to the English, the African American population grew slowly
Pg 87

27. The Black Code
At the out break of the American revolution 1 out of 5 settlers was black in Mississippi
More arrived in Mississippi, during the Revolution from South Carolina as British Loyalists fled
After the Revolution, The black population under Spanish rule increased, slaves soon made up 40% of the people living in the district

28. Cotton Production and Slave Labor
Agriculture and lumber products continued to be the main occupations for slaves
Food products, tobacco, indigo, and cotton provided cash income for farmers
Who invented the Cotton gin and when?
Eli Whitney in 1793
What did the Cotton gin do?
Made it easier to separate cotton seeds from the cotton fibers

29. Cotton Gin in Mississippi
Designs of the cotton gin were brought to Mississippi and put together by slaves
They designed and built the first cotton gin
Cotton became the primary cash crop in the South
King Cotton is an accurate description of its importance to Mississippi

30. Cotton Production in Mississippi
Why was Mississippi well suited to the production of cotton
The land was fertile
Growing season was long
Many navigable streams made it economical to ship cotton
Where was most cotton grown at in Mississippi?
Large plantations
Slave were concentrated in MS where most cotton was being produced

31. Working and Living conditions for Slaves
Did all types of work; most tasks involved the production of cotton
Land had to be cleared, and soil broken down and prepared for planting, needed to keep up with the planting(weeds, thin cotton plants), and picked
Cooked and cleaned, tended livestock, made clothes, and cared for small children
Skilled Slaves worked as blacksmiths carpenters, and brick masons
Could be hired out to other plantations or townspeople, could earn money to buy their freedom

32. Working and Living conditions for Slaves
Slaves were always supervised
Overseer was hired if the owner did not live on the farm
Slave drivers often supervised work of a group of slaves
Work began at sunrise and work went until sunset
Work days were longer during harvest time
Women spun thread or weave cloth at night
Sunday was normally a day of rest
Some plantations the work week ended Saturday at noon
Christmas was a holiday that lasted for several days

33. Working and Living conditions for Slaves
Owners enforced discipline and work rules many ways
Slaves could be whipped
Incentives were offered for good work
Extra clothing, pocket knives, time off work, party or money
Ate meals together
Pork, corn were most important part of diet
Fruits, vegetables, game, and fish
Small amount of food
Basic diet wasn’t necessarily nutritious enough to maintain good health

34. Working and Living conditions for Slaves
Medical care was provided by owners
Usually a doctor was called in for major cases
Medical knowledge wasn’t very advanced
Treatment could do more harm than good
Housing depended on the age of the plantation
On a new plantation slaves houses were very simple
Log cabins, no windows or floors, only furniture were bunks and chairs

35. Working and Living conditions for Slaves
On older plantations houses were in better conditions
Houses had brick chimneys, windows, wooden floors,
Cabins could be made of brick
Cabins were used for mainly sleeping where men, women, and children slept together without privacy
Owners learned that it was better to allow families to share a cabin

36. Slave Community
According to the law of Mississippi, slaves were considered property without rights, and specific restrictions
The Black Code the French put in place no longer existed
Families could be broken up at any time(parents or children)
Needed written permission to leave plantation
Were not supposed to learn to read or write
Any gathering had to have a white observer
Slaves could not testify in court

37. Slave Community
With these restrictions, slaves struggled to create a secure and stable community
Most lived on farms and plantations with more slaves which allowed them to create a small society
Slave marriages had no legal basis, but strong bonds held husbands and wives and parents and children together
They all looked out for each other, and did learn to read and write
Slaves adopted and adapted Christianity
Slave owners saw religion as a way to control slaves

38. Slave Resistance Slaves resisted their owners
Sometimes resistance was open
Owners died at slaves hands
Families were poisoned at dinner
Slaves ran away
In 1831, Nat Turner a slave preacher, led a revolt which resulted in the death of at least sixty whites and 100 blacks
Owners feared slave revolts, so much that even a rumor resulted in beatings and executions

39. Slave Resistance
In Madison County, 1835, both slaves and owners were killed because there were fears about a revolt
Ways slaves got back at their owners
Valuable machinery broke down
Barns, cotton gins, and bales of cotton were burned
Work passed slowed

40. Free African Americans
Not all blacks in Mississippi were slaves
Most lived in towns like Natchez, and Vicksburg, and worked many different types jobs
Most famous free black was William Johnson of Natchez, a barber, who owned town lots, a farm and slaves
Restrictions of free blacks
Slaves couldn’t be freed unless owners provided funds for the freed slaves to leave the state
Slaves had to leave state unless they were granted permission to stay by the board of police

41. Antebellum Mississippi Society Section 4
The removal of the Choctaw and Chickasaw from Mississippi in the 1830s sparked a land boom and a population explosion
30 new counties were formed
In 4 years speculators and settlers bought seven million acres of land
Mississippi’s population grew more rapidly than the nation’s population

42. Mississippi’s Economy
In antebellum Mississippi Prosperity was everywhere
Land was cheap
And price of cotton was high
Banks extended easy credit and issued paper money far in excess of the specie (gold and Silver) in their vaults.
Boom ended abruptly, followed by the most severe economic depression faced by the U.S. up to that time
Andrew Jackson carried the state because he was so popular
President Jackson’s policies were what brought economic disaster to Mississippi

43. Mississippi’s Economy
Jackson battled to destroy the second Bank of the United States ( ) which handled financial transactions for the federal government and issued paper money
Jackson had all the federal government’s funds withdrawn and transferred to certain state banks called “pet banks”
Planter’s Bank of Natchez established in 1830 was one of these pet banks
These state banks increased the amount of paper money in circulation which stimulated the economy

44. Mississippi’s Economy
These bank notes were not face value because the banks didn’t have enough specie to back them up
Settlers and speculators used the bank notes to buy federal land
The Specie Circular of 1836 required that government land be paid for with specie rather than paper money
Distribution Act required the surplus in the federal treasury paid to states in specie
When the “pet banks” could not provide the gold and silver, the banks collapsed

45. Mississippi’s Economy
By 1837 the Planters Bank could no longer redeem its paper money with specie
The Panic of 1837 led to depression of
Depression hit Mississippi hard
Federal government foreclosed on land bought on credit
Cotton prices tumbled
Banks disappeared and didn’t re-open until after the Civil War
Bonds guaranteed by the state were no longer valid and remain unpaid to this day
Property owners lost land because they couldn’t pay their taxes

46. Transportation
Travel and communication were slow and difficult within the state
Roads were dirt, and mud
A pulled wagon could only travel 20 miles a day on good condition
The health of Mississippi’s economy depended on transportation
Steam boats carried cotton and other goods on the Mississippi River
And smaller rivers the Yazoo, Big Black, Pearl, and Tombigbee

47. Transportation
Poor roads made travel difficult, eventually railroads solved the land transportation problems
Was not easy to build railroads in Mississippi, because bridges had to be built over creeks and streams
Raising money was difficult, and especially after the Panic of 1837
2 Stages of Railroad production
First railroad built was to bring cotton to a river port
Rails were laid in short tracks from small town to small town

48. Transportation
Smaller town recognized the economic importance of bringing cotton to their towns
So small towns tried to built railroads to Jackson
Vicksburg and Jackson rail line was the most successful in the state
Began operation in 1838
Second stage occurred when small railroads were combined with the main lines joining the major cities of the nation
New Orleans ( where most of MS cotton was shipped) and Mobile both secured lines with the north making then important cotton towns

49. Education
Public education developed slowly in Mississippi, because most counties couldn’t afford to spend money
After 1836 the state authorized counties to fund schools
By ,000 white children were attending school
School terms were short rarely lasting more than 3 months
Only the basics were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic
High education was the responsibility of private and religious organizations

50. Education and Religion
Southerners are known to be religious people
Many Christians denominations established churches in Mississippi
The largest were the Methodist and Baptists
Presbyterians, and Catholics were also well established