Transcript Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South
Objectives
1. How cotton became “king” and the role it played in shaping the “Southern way of Life.” 2. The continuing historical debate over the South, its “peculiar institution,” and the effects of enslavement on the blacks
Trade made the South a major force in international commerce and created substantial wealth Southern society, culture, politics all changed in response to these important demographics and economic changes “The South grew, but it did not develop.”
Cotton Economy
Demand for cotton was growing rapidly 1820 – 500,000 bales of cotton 1850 – 3 million bales 1860 – 5 million bales Nearly 2/3 of the total export trade of the US South produced 85% of world’s cotton crop
Southern Trade and Industry
Inadequate transportation systems Crude roads Little or no real railroads
Southern Differences
No commercial or industrial economy Traditional values of chivalry, leisure, and elegance “Cavaliers” – people happily free from Yankee values Refined and gracious way of life rather than with rapid growth and development
WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH
Only a small minority of southern whites owned slaves Planter Class – apex of society. Determining the political, economic, and even social life Like to compare their planter class to the old upper class of England Code of Chivalry
The “Southern Lady”
Affluent white women occupied roles similar to those of middle-class North Served as companions and hostesses Nurturing mothers Spinning, weaving, agricultural tasks Supervise the slave work force Less access to education Subordinate in southern culture
Half of children born in 1860 did not reach age five Some male slave-owners had sexual relationships with slaves. White women would take out their feelings on these slaves.
“Women, like children, have but one right, and that is the right to protection. The right to protection involves the obligation to obey.”
The Plain Folk
Typical white southerner was not a great planner and slaveholder – but a modest yeoman farmer ¾ of all white families owned no slaves Men were unquestioned masters of tehir homes
Degraded Class
Crackers, Sand hillers, poor white trash Resorted to eat clay at times Formed true underclass and were worse than that of African-American slaves Poor whites still considered themselves member of the ruling class
THE “PECULAR INSTITUTION”
South in the mid 19 th Century was the only Western world (except Brazil, Cuba, and Puerto Rico) that had slaves Slaves developed a society and culture of their own Bond between Master and Slave was both ways
Varieties of Slavery
Could not hold property Could not leave without permission Not out after dark No firearms Could not strike a white person Could not learn to read or write No legal marriage
Could be killed while being punished and nothing happened to the owner Anyone rumored to posses any trace of slave blood was presumed to be black unless they could prove otherwise Most masters possessed very few slaves.
Master – slave relationship like parent to child
Most preferred to live on large plantations – more privacy and chance to build a cultural and social world Plantation had two methods: – Task System – once finished your task the slave would have the rest of the day off – Gang System – worked in gangs and worked all day long
Life Under Slavery
Adequate diet, could grow gardens Clothing and shoes Cabins Doctors Children started with light tasks
Women – cooking, cleaning, and child bearing Life for slave may have been better than those of many northern factory workers Hired labor would be used for dangerous work – Irish could be hired for $1.00 a day – Slaves cost $300 – 1000 to replace
Slavery In The City
Urban slaves gained opportunities to mingle with free blacks and with whites Some Free Blacks owned slaves In some states, owners could not free (Manumit) their slaves Abolitionists worked to abolish slavery
The Slave Trade
Domestic slave trade was essential to the growth and prosperity of the whole system There were stereotype: Sambo, shuffling, grinning
Ways of Revolt
Slave revolts did happen: 1831 and Nat Turner Running away Most important ways of revolt – Refusal to work – Breaking tools – Cutting off their own fingers – Killing themselves
Culture
Retained a language of their own Music – banjo (from Africa) Religion was more emotional than whites