Unit XIII: The Ante-Bellum Unit XIII: The Ante-Bellum SouthSouth

The social order of the south can The social order of the south can best be described as an oligarchy in best be described as an oligarchy in which the planter aristocracy which the planter aristocracy controlled the governments. They controlled the governments. They made up only 3% of the population made up only 3% of the population roughly 1,700 families who owned roughly 1,700 families who owned more than one hundred slaves each. more than one hundred slaves each. They controlled the vast majority of They controlled the vast majority of the wealth. They sent their children the wealth. They sent their children to the finest schools, usually up to the finest schools, usually up north or in England. north or in England.

There was no tax supported There was no tax supported education system precisely for this education system precisely for this reason. reason.

The aristocracy also seemed to The aristocracy also seemed to believe they were chivalrous knights believe they were chivalrous knights of a feudal society. For the women of a feudal society. For the women they command large household they command large household staffs that catered to their every staffs that catered to their every need. need.

The middle class slave-owning The middle class slave-owning families totaled about 345,000 families totaled about 345,000 and most of them owned less and most of them owned less than ten slaves. They were than ten slaves. They were comparable to northern small comparable to northern small farm-owners. They worked the farm-owners. They worked the fields alongside their slaves. fields alongside their slaves.

The small farmer who owned no The small farmer who owned no slaves made up 75% of the slaves made up 75% of the population, roughly 6.1 million. They population, roughly 6.1 million. They were subsistence farmers who grew were subsistence farmers who grew food not cotton. Surprisingly they food not cotton. Surprisingly they were some the staunchest defenders were some the staunchest defenders of slavery, hoping to on day rising in of slavery, hoping to on day rising in the social order. the social order.

They also had no interest in seeing They also had no interest in seeing slaves freed whom they saw as being slaves freed whom they saw as being racially inferior. racially inferior.

There was also a small class of There was also a small class of "mountain" whites living in the "mountain" whites living in the Appalachians who hated the Appalachians who hated the slaves and the aristocracy. They slaves and the aristocracy. They would support the Union during would support the Union during the Civil War. the Civil War.

A small number of freed blacks A small number of freed blacks existed in the south settling in the existed in the south settling in the northern areas of the south or in northern areas of the south or in New Orleans. They were restricted New Orleans. They were restricted from working in certain jobs and from working in certain jobs and always feared being kidnapped always feared being kidnapped back into slavery. They were back into slavery. They were detested by slave owners who detested by slave owners who wanted slaves to have no hopes of wanted slaves to have no hopes of freedom. freedom.

Freed blacks also lived in the Freed blacks also lived in the north where they were frequently north where they were frequently barred from entering the state barred from entering the state and gaining rights. and gaining rights.

At the bottom of the social order At the bottom of the social order in the south were the four million in the south were the four million slaves. Unlike in other New World slaves. Unlike in other New World societies slaves were an societies slaves were an investment and profitable. They investment and profitable. They were spared work, which may kill were spared work, which may kill them. The slave society though them. The slave society though did not allow for the economic did not allow for the economic improvement of the south. improvement of the south.

The invention of the cotton gin in The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 allowed the south to produce 1793 allowed the south to produce vast amounts of cotton. The vast amounts of cotton. The increased cotton harvest also increased cotton harvest also helped the north to industrialize its helped the north to industrialize its textile production. This industry textile production. This industry would later be used to crush the would later be used to crush the south. By 1860 35% of Southern south. By 1860 35% of Southern capital consisted of slaves, which capital consisted of slaves, which accounted for over $2 billion in accounted for over $2 billion in gold. gold.

The lives of the slaves varied from The lives of the slaves varied from region to region but certain things region to region but certain things were standard. Work was always were standard. Work was always long and hard, slaves suffered long and hard, slaves suffered oppression, and were under the oppression, and were under the constant eye of the overseer. They constant eye of the overseer. They had no rights of course except for had no rights of course except for protection from unusually cruel protection from unusually cruel punishment. Slaves were kept in punishment. Slaves were kept in line by floggings which were used line by floggings which were used as sparingly as possible because as sparingly as possible because the slaves were an investment. the slaves were an investment.

Remarkably slaves families for the Remarkably slaves families for the most part stayed together and most part stayed together and families retained their heritage. They families retained their heritage. They created over time a mixture of created over time a mixture of Christian and African religious Christian and African religious practices. practices.

Slaves were kept illiterate and Slaves were kept illiterate and uneducated. As slaves they found uneducated. As slaves they found ways to cause disruptions in their ways to cause disruptions in their work. They worked at the slowest work. They worked at the slowest pace possible and frequently broke pace possible and frequently broke their tools. their tools.

The four million slaves of the south The four million slaves of the south were responsible for creating a vast were responsible for creating a vast land of cotton in which "King Cotton" land of cotton in which "King Cotton" ruled. As the country grew the cotton ruled. As the country grew the cotton kingdom grew as well, with high kingdom grew as well, with high profits from the sell of cotton profits from the sell of cotton planters bought more land and more planters bought more land and more slaves. slaves.

The north profited as well by The north profited as well by shipping large loads of cotton to shipping large loads of cotton to England.England.

Cotton made up half of American Cotton made up half of American exports after 1840 and the south exports after 1840 and the south produced half of the world's cotton, produced half of the world's cotton, most of which was sold to the textile most of which was sold to the textile factories of England. factories of England.

The south felt this would make the The south felt this would make the British a willing ally if civil war were British a willing ally if civil war were ever to occur. Southerners defended ever to occur. Southerners defended slavery as an economic necessity. slavery as an economic necessity. Slaves were the only feasible way to Slaves were the only feasible way to harvest the vast amounts of cotton harvest the vast amounts of cotton for a profit. for a profit.

Plantation owners argued that Plantation owners argued that their slaves were treated more their slaves were treated more humanely than the wage humanely than the wage laborers of the north who laborers of the north who worked in disease infested worked in disease infested factories. They also argued that factories. They also argued that unlike northern workers there unlike northern workers there was never a fear of was never a fear of unemployment or becoming unemployment or becoming homeless.homeless.

Plantation owners argued that Plantation owners argued that they were civilizing and they were civilizing and Christianizing the African slaves.Christianizing the African slaves.

Many of the slave owners argued Many of the slave owners argued they could not free the slaves they could not free the slaves because of the fear of rebellions because of the fear of rebellions and retribution. and retribution.

Slave rebellions did occur and Slave rebellions did occur and were dealt with swiftly and with were dealt with swiftly and with the death of the leaders who the death of the leaders who were publicly hung. In 1800 were publicly hung. In 1800 Gabriel Prosser led an armed Gabriel Prosser led an armed rebellion in Richmond, Virginia. rebellion in Richmond, Virginia. The rebellion was ended before The rebellion was ended before it could begin and the leaders it could begin and the leaders killed. Another revolt took place killed. Another revolt took place in Charleston in 1822. in Charleston in 1822.

The revolt was led by a freed The revolt was led by a freed slave named Denmark Vessey; slave named Denmark Vessey; he and thirty others were hung. he and thirty others were hung.

The bloodiest rebellion of the The bloodiest rebellion of the slaves was led by a preacher Nat slaves was led by a preacher Nat Turner in 1831, also in Virginia. Turner in 1831, also in Virginia. He and his followers brutally He and his followers brutally slaughtered about 60 people slaughtered about 60 people before being caught. before being caught.

Proslavery and antislavery Proslavery and antislavery arguments have been put forth arguments have been put forth since the mid-1600s as the since the mid-1600s as the enslavement of Africans took enslavement of Africans took hold in the colonies. Early hold in the colonies. Early arguments and the majority of all arguments and the majority of all arguments centered on the arguments centered on the biblical justifications of slavery or biblical justifications of slavery or the lack thereof. Proslavery the lack thereof. Proslavery advocates typically argued Old advocates typically argued Old Testament verses which justify Testament verses which justify slavery. slavery.

Whereas antislavery arguments Whereas antislavery arguments came to rely on the New came to rely on the New Testament. Testament.

In the 1800s though the nature In the 1800s though the nature of slavery arguments came to of slavery arguments came to rely on the economic necessity of rely on the economic necessity of slavery to profit on cotton slavery to profit on cotton plantations. plantations.

They also produced proslavery They also produced proslavery literature in response to the failed literature in response to the failed rebellion of Denmark Vessey. rebellion of Denmark Vessey. Southerners believed that the Southerners believed that the rebellion failed because of the rebellion failed because of the divine intervention of God. They divine intervention of God. They argued that abolitionists were argued that abolitionists were trying to deprive the slaves of their trying to deprive the slaves of their family atmosphere established by family atmosphere established by their masters (paternalism).their masters (paternalism).

A common argument was that A common argument was that slaves were better off in slavery slaves were better off in slavery than the Northern or European than the Northern or European factory worker and that blacks factory worker and that blacks were genetically inferior and were genetically inferior and incapable of sustained freedom. incapable of sustained freedom.

As abolitionist literature like that As abolitionist literature like that of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Uncle Tom's CabinTom's Cabin, which examined the , which examined the destruction of slave families by destruction of slave families by slave auctions and David Walker slave auctions and David Walker who called for the bloody end to who called for the bloody end to slavery and the work of slavery and the work of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a former slave, who lectured former slave, who lectured throughout the north on the evils throughout the north on the evils of slavery. of slavery.

Southern arguments led by John Southern arguments led by John Calhoun began to argue that Calhoun began to argue that slavery was a positive good and not slavery was a positive good and not a necessary evil. This argument was a necessary evil. This argument was taken further by men such a George taken further by men such a George Fitzhugh who argued that slavery Fitzhugh who argued that slavery should be spread across the country should be spread across the country because of its superiority to the because of its superiority to the factory system and James H. factory system and James H. Hammond, who argued that it was Hammond, who argued that it was slavery which saved the country slavery which saved the country from a financial panic in 1857 that from a financial panic in 1857 that only affected the North. only affected the North.

Neither of these arguments though Neither of these arguments though would explain Harriet Tubman, a would explain Harriet Tubman, a former slave, who was one of the former slave, who was one of the conductors of the Underground conductors of the Underground Railroad. The railroad was a system Railroad. The railroad was a system of trails and houses, which escaped of trails and houses, which escaped slaves, could use to make their way slaves, could use to make their way to freedom. to freedom.

Southerners responded to the Southerners responded to the growing abolitionists by forcing growing abolitionists by forcing through Congress the "Gag rule," through Congress the "Gag rule," which ended all debates on which ended all debates on abolitionists petitions sent to abolitionists petitions sent to Congress. In 1835 the federal Congress. In 1835 the federal government ordered all abolitionist government ordered all abolitionist material in southern post offices material in southern post offices destroyed. destroyed.