1. The South and the Slavery Controversy 1792-1860 AMH2010 Chapter 16

2. Themes Plantation System Impact of slavery on the South Abolition Ideals Origins of American Racism

3. King Cotton 1793– Cotton Gin - expansion of slavery and cotton production. New England shippers made huge profits from transporting cotton. Cotton accounted for half the value of all American exports. - export earnings help fuel the nations expansion. The U.S. accounted for half the world’s cotton supply. The North, South, and England all depended on King Cotton.

4. Planter Aristocracy Large plantation owners ruled the South. - cottonocracy Only 1700 families owned 100 or more slaves. Aristocratic rule was undemocratic - widened the gap between rich and poor. - No support for public schools

5. Plantation Household The wife ran the household staff - mostly female slave ( better than field work) - over speculation: money for slaves and land - field hand $1500 The dominance of King Cotton discouraged agricultural diversification. King Cotton also discouraged immigration - 4.4% of the South was foreign born. 18.7% North.

6. White Majority 75% of families owned no slaves. Below slave owning population was the subsistence farmer - one level above slaves - many sick through malnutrition and parasites. However, they tended to support slavery - hoped to own slaves some day - fierce racial pride - freeing slaves= competition

8. Hillbillies Mountain people Scorned by slaves as “poor white trash” Had no economic stake in the preservation of slavery. 17 th century customs and language. Independent small farmers, no slaves. Lawless and pro-Union in the Civil War.

9. Free Blacks in the South/North 250,000 free blacks in the South that could be traced back to the Revolutionary days. Mainly mulatto, product of white planter/ black mistress. Third race of people - competed for jobs with immigrants - wartime race riots - denied civil and political rights Northern whites loved the race but not the individual. Strong anti-black sentiment in the North.

10. Plantation Slavery 1860 – 4 million black slaves. - 1808– congress ended the slave trade. - value of slaves shot up. - Slave population increased through reproduction. - Kidnapping of Northern free blacks. Planters gave the dangerous work to immigrants like the Irish - slaves were too valuable to risk.

11. Life as a Slave White southerners romanticized about the life of slaves singing, dancing, and playing the banjo, joyful “darkies.” The conditions of slaves varied from region to region. Majority of slaves lived on larger plantations of 20 or more. In the Deep South, in some areas along the Mississippi, slaves accounted for 75% of the population. Slaves did marry, though not legally. Slaves did have families with two parents, stability. Heavily Christianized, merged Christianity with African culture.

12. Slave Rebellions Slaves pined for freedom. Denied education because it promoted thinking and ideas. Slave rebellions were sporadic and harshly put down. 1831– Nat Turner in Virginia - stricter slave codes and fear throughout the South. Amistad– slaves seized command ship - imprisoned for two years - defended in court by John Quincy Adams - allowed to go back to Africa

14. Abolitionist 1831– William Lloyd Garrison, anti-slavery newspaper, The Liberator, “I Will Be Heard!” Garrison’s newspaper triggered a 30 year war of words. American Anti-Slavery Society, 1833. Sojourner Truth, freed black abolitionist. Frederick Douglass, runaway slave from Maryland. Wrote: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Lucid well written, had an impact on Abraham Lincoln.

16. Southern Justifications The Peculiar Institution - rationalize problems away - compared slavery with employment in N. factories. - supported by the Bible and wisdom of Aristotle. - good for Africans, lifted them from barbarism. Gag Resolution: pushed through the House, all appeals against slavery were to be tabled without debate, 1836. Post offices in the South were to burn abolitionist propaganda.