Chapter 11Chapter 11

Cotton, Slavery, and the Old Cotton, Slavery, and the Old SouthSouth

ObjectivesObjectives

1. How cotton became “king” and the 1. How cotton became “king” and the role it played in shaping the role it played in shaping the “Southern way of Life.”“Southern way of Life.”

2. The continuing historical debate 2. The continuing historical debate over the South, its “peculiar over the South, its “peculiar institution,” and the effects of institution,” and the effects of enslavement on the blacksenslavement on the blacks

Trade made the South a major force Trade made the South a major force in international commerce and in international commerce and created substantial wealthcreated substantial wealth

Southern society, culture, politics all Southern society, culture, politics all changed in response to these changed in response to these important demographics and important demographics and economic changeseconomic changes

““The South grew, but it did not The South grew, but it did not develop.”develop.”

Cotton EconomyCotton Economy

Demand for cotton was growing rapidlyDemand for cotton was growing rapidly 1820 – 500,000 bales of cotton1820 – 500,000 bales of cotton 1850 – 3 million bales1850 – 3 million bales 1860 – 5 million bales1860 – 5 million bales Nearly 2/3 of the total export trade of Nearly 2/3 of the total export trade of

the USthe US South produced 85% of world’s cotton South produced 85% of world’s cotton

cropcrop

Southern Trade and Southern Trade and IndustryIndustry

Inadequate transportation systemsInadequate transportation systems Crude roadsCrude roads Little or no real railroadsLittle or no real railroads

Southern DifferencesSouthern Differences

No commercial or industrial economyNo commercial or industrial economy Traditional values of chivalry, leisure, Traditional values of chivalry, leisure,

and eleganceand elegance ““Cavaliers” – people happily free Cavaliers” – people happily free

from Yankee valuesfrom Yankee values Refined and gracious way of life Refined and gracious way of life

rather than with rapid growth and rather than with rapid growth and developmentdevelopment

WHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTHWHITE SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH

Only a small minority of southern Only a small minority of southern whites owned slaveswhites owned slaves

Planter ClassPlanter Class – apex of society. – apex of society. Determining the political, economic, Determining the political, economic, and even social lifeand even social life

Like to compare their planter class to Like to compare their planter class to the old upper class of Englandthe old upper class of England

Code of ChivalryCode of Chivalry

The “Southern Lady”The “Southern Lady”

Affluent white women occupied roles Affluent white women occupied roles similar to those of middle-class Northsimilar to those of middle-class North

Served as companions and hostessesServed as companions and hostesses Nurturing mothersNurturing mothers Spinning, weaving, agricultural tasksSpinning, weaving, agricultural tasks Supervise the slave work forceSupervise the slave work force Less access to educationLess access to education Subordinate in southern cultureSubordinate in southern culture

Half of children born in 1860 did not Half of children born in 1860 did not reach age fivereach age five

Some male slave-owners had sexual Some male slave-owners had sexual relationships with slaves. White relationships with slaves. White women would take out their feelings women would take out their feelings on these slaves.on these slaves.

““Women, like children, Women, like children, have but one right, and have but one right, and that is the right to that is the right to protection. The right to protection. The right to protection involves the protection involves the obligation to obey.”obligation to obey.”

The Plain FolkThe Plain Folk

Typical white southerner was not a Typical white southerner was not a great planner and slaveholder – but a great planner and slaveholder – but a modest yeoman farmermodest yeoman farmer

¾ of all white families owned no ¾ of all white families owned no slavesslaves

Men were unquestioned masters of Men were unquestioned masters of tehir homestehir homes

Degraded ClassDegraded Class

Crackers, Sand hillers, poor white Crackers, Sand hillers, poor white trashtrash

Resorted to eat clay at timesResorted to eat clay at times Formed true underclass and were Formed true underclass and were

worse than that of African-American worse than that of African-American slavesslaves

Poor whites still considered Poor whites still considered themselves member of the ruling classthemselves member of the ruling class

THE “PECULAR THE “PECULAR INSTITUTION”INSTITUTION”

South in the mid 19South in the mid 19thth Century was Century was the only Western world (except the only Western world (except Brazil, Cuba, and Puerto Rico) that Brazil, Cuba, and Puerto Rico) that had slaveshad slaves

Slaves developed a society and Slaves developed a society and culture of their ownculture of their own

Bond between Master and Slave was Bond between Master and Slave was both waysboth ways

Varieties of SlaveryVarieties of Slavery

Could not hold propertyCould not hold property Could not leave without permissionCould not leave without permission Not out after darkNot out after dark No firearmsNo firearms Could not strike a white personCould not strike a white person Could not learn to read or writeCould not learn to read or write No legal marriageNo legal marriage

Could be killed while being punished Could be killed while being punished and nothing happened to the ownerand nothing happened to the owner

Anyone rumored to posses any trace of Anyone rumored to posses any trace of slave blood was presumed to be black slave blood was presumed to be black unless they could prove otherwiseunless they could prove otherwise

Most masters possessed very few Most masters possessed very few slaves.slaves.

Master – slave relationship like parent Master – slave relationship like parent to childto child

Most preferred to live on large Most preferred to live on large plantations – more privacy and chance plantations – more privacy and chance to build a cultural and social worldto build a cultural and social world

Plantation had two methods:Plantation had two methods:– Task System – once finished your Task System – once finished your

task the slave would have the rest of task the slave would have the rest of the day offthe day off

– Gang System – worked in gangs and Gang System – worked in gangs and worked all day longworked all day long

Life Under SlaveryLife Under Slavery

Adequate diet, could grow gardensAdequate diet, could grow gardens Clothing and shoesClothing and shoes CabinsCabins DoctorsDoctors Children started with light tasksChildren started with light tasks

Women – cooking, cleaning, and child Women – cooking, cleaning, and child bearingbearing

Life for slave may have been better Life for slave may have been better than those of many northern factory than those of many northern factory workersworkers

Hired labor would be used for Hired labor would be used for dangerous workdangerous work– Irish could be hired for $1.00 a dayIrish could be hired for $1.00 a day– Slaves cost $300 – 1000 to replaceSlaves cost $300 – 1000 to replace

Slavery In The CitySlavery In The City

Urban slaves gained opportunities to Urban slaves gained opportunities to mingle with free blacks and with mingle with free blacks and with whiteswhites

Some Free Blacks owned slavesSome Free Blacks owned slaves In some states, owners could not free In some states, owners could not free

(Manumit) their slaves(Manumit) their slaves Abolitionists worked to abolish Abolitionists worked to abolish

slaveryslavery

The Slave TradeThe Slave Trade

Domestic slave trade was essential Domestic slave trade was essential to the growth and prosperity of the to the growth and prosperity of the whole systemwhole system

There were stereotype: Sambo, There were stereotype: Sambo, shuffling, grinningshuffling, grinning

Ways of RevoltWays of Revolt

Slave revolts did happen: 1831 and Slave revolts did happen: 1831 and Nat TurnerNat Turner

Running awayRunning away Most important ways of revoltMost important ways of revolt

– Refusal to workRefusal to work– Breaking toolsBreaking tools– Cutting off their own fingersCutting off their own fingers– Killing themselvesKilling themselves

CultureCulture

Retained a language of their ownRetained a language of their own Music – banjo (from Africa)Music – banjo (from Africa) Religion was more emotional than Religion was more emotional than

whiteswhites