1. + Unit 3 Antebellum Mississippi Chapters 4 & 5 1 c, & f

2. + Brief History of How We Became a State Became a territory in 1787- Natchez was the capital Population grew, constitution was written State officials were elected Congress approved our constitution Statehood achieved December 1817! Stated: -Slavery was okay -white 21 yr old male property owners could vote -state lawmakers had to own 100’s of acres of land

3. + Antebellum Period: 1817- 1845

4. + Economy - 1830s the Choctaw & Chickasaw were forced by the US gov’t to give up their lands in MS -Led to a large # of whites coming to the state (Flush Times) -more whites=more slaves coming -made MS more dependent on cotton!! -”King Cotton”- the only crop most MS farmers grew -high demand for cotton required a high # of slaves to plant & harvest

5. + “King Cotton” Cotton gin- 1793(Eli Whitney) In 1795, it was introduced to Natchez Who built the first cotton gin in MS?? Soon, cotton became the primary cash crop in the South! Earned the nickname “King Cotton”-it’s importance to MS

7. + Life in Antebellum Mississippi

8. + Cotton Culture - Plantations (100s of acres) - Cotton dominated the economy in MS- “King Cotton” - Social & political affairs were planned around the cotton season!

9. + Slave Culture More slaves than whites in 1860 -field slaves (largest group) -house slaves (treated better overall) -town slaves (worked & lived in town & PAID) Had to abide by slave codes -permission to leave, buy, sell, or trade -couldn’t learn to read or write -usually punished by whipping or lashing -rewards: hunting, fishing, visiting privileges, new clothes, extra rations

10. + Free Blacks 1860: 773 free blacks in MS Had to carry a document stating they were free William Johnson -barber -wealthy land owner -killed in 1861 by a neighbor

12. + Opinions on Slavery In 1818, most Mississippians felt that slavery was evil! Since the cotton industry continued to grow, citizens felt it was a “necessary evil” By 1836, most Mississippians felt our state had to have slavery & hated anyone who spoke out against it!!

13. + National Events

14. + MS Economy VI. Prosperous period- everyone is doing great, making money! “easy credit”- giving loans to pretty much anyone! “specie”-gold or silver Andrew Jackson’s policies led to depression in MS  Planters Bank- Natchez “pet bank” More $ in circulation= money is worth LESS (less valuable) Used to buy federal land Government then decided… 1. land must be paid for in “specie”, 2. banks couldn’t provide the “specie”, 3. banks failed!= Panic of 1837 Resulted in the depression of 1837-1841 :Gov’t took back land, cotton prices fell, Banks disappeared until after the Civil War

15. Native Americans in Antebellum MS Assimilation?? Native Americans were mostly against assimilation Reason: After the war of 1812, the gov’t gave up assimilation Treaties- got the Native Americans to go west of the MS River & give land to the US gov’t 1.Treaty of Ft. Adams-1801 Cherokee 2. Treaty of Mt. Dexter-1805 Choctaw/ 4 mil acres 3. Treaty of Doak’s Stand-1820 Choctaw/ 5 mil acres 4. Treaty of Dancing Rabbit-1830 Choctaw/ 10 mil acres 4. Treaty of Pontotoc Creek-1832 Chickasaw/ north MS “Trail of Tears”-path of the Native Americans to OK -because of the large number that died on the way to OK -died of disease, starvation, weather conditions