Cotton, Slavery, and Cotton, Slavery, and the Old Souththe Old South

The South, like the North, experienced dramatic growth in the middle yrs. of the 19th cent. Trade in sugar, rice, tobacco, & cotton made the South a major force in international commerce & created substantial wealth w/in the region

The South experienced a much less fundamental transformation in these yrs. than did the North; “The South grew, but it didn’t develop.”

The Cotton EconomyThe Cotton Economy

Shift of economic power from the Shift of economic power from the “upper South” to the “lower South.” “upper South” to the “lower South.” Growing dominance of cotton in the Growing dominance of cotton in the southern economysouthern economy

The Rise of King CottonThe Rise of King Cotton

Upper South – tobacco – VA, MD, & Upper South – tobacco – VA, MD, & NC; many were switching to wheatNC; many were switching to wheat

Southern regions of the coastal South – SC, Southern regions of the coastal South – SC, GA, & parts of FL – cultivation of riceGA, & parts of FL – cultivation of rice

Gulf Coast – sugarGulf Coast – sugar

Short-staple cotton; demands for cotton increased rapidly w/the growth of the textile industry in Britain & in the 1820s & 1830s in New England

“Cotton is king!”; production dominated the “lower South” or the “Deep South”

Southern Trade and IndustrySouthern Trade and Industry Other forms of economic activity Other forms of economic activity

developed slowly in the South; industry developed slowly in the South; industry remained an insignificant force in remained an insignificant force in comparison w/the agricultural economycomparison w/the agricultural economy

• South had a very rudimentary financial system

South’s inadequate transportation system; South’s inadequate transportation system; the principal means of transportation was the principal means of transportation was waterwater

Becoming more & more dependent on the Becoming more & more dependent on the manufacturers, merchants, & professionals of manufacturers, merchants, & professionals of the Norththe North

James B. D. DeBow – DeBow’s Review – a magazine advocating southern commercial & agricultural expansion & economic independence from the North (1846 – 1880)

Sources of Southern DifferenceSources of Southern Difference

Why did it remain so different from Why did it remain so different from the North?the North?

Great profitability of the region’s agricultural system; wealthy southerners had little left for other investments

A set of values distinctive to the South that A set of values distinctive to the South that discouraged the growth of cities & industry – discouraged the growth of cities & industry – traditional values of chivalry, leisure, & traditional values of chivalry, leisure, & eleganceelegance

““Cavaliers” – people happily free from the Cavaliers” – people happily free from the base, acquisitive instincts of northerners; base, acquisitive instincts of northerners; reality of southern society was rather differentreality of southern society was rather different

The Planter ClassThe Planter Class

Only a small minority of southern Only a small minority of southern whites owned slaves; planter whites owned slaves; planter aristocracy exercised power & aristocracy exercised power & influence far in excess of their influence far in excess of their numbersnumbers

Planters were, in many respects, just Planters were, in many respects, just as much competitive capitalists as as much competitive capitalists as the industrialists of the Norththe industrialists of the North

Elaborate code of chivalry – defending their Elaborate code of chivalry – defending their honor, often through duels; those that didn’t honor, often through duels; those that didn’t become planters often gravitated toward the become planters often gravitated toward the militarymilitary

The “Southern Lady”The “Southern Lady” Generally centered in the home; less Generally centered in the home; less

frequently than Northerners did they frequently than Northerners did they engage in public activities or income-engage in public activities or income-producing employmentproducing employment

Cult of honor – “defense” of women; Cult of honor – “defense” of women; reality – men were even more dominant & reality – men were even more dominant & women even more subordinate in southern women even more subordinate in southern culture than they were in the Northculture than they were in the North

Vast majority lived on farms, isolated from Vast majority lived on farms, isolated from peoplepeople

Had less access to education than their Northern counterparts

Birth rate remained nearly 20% higher than the nation as a whole; slave labor system’s impact on white women

Many women defended the special virtues of the southern way of life

The Plain FolkThe Plain Folk The typical white southerner was The typical white southerner was

not a great planter & slaveholder not a great planter & slaveholder but a modest yeoman farmerbut a modest yeoman farmer

Southern educational system Southern educational system provided poor whites w/few provided poor whites w/few opportunities to learnopportunities to learn

The subordination of the plain folk The subordination of the plain folk to the planter class – Why did the to the planter class – Why did the plain folk not oppose the plain folk not oppose the aristocratic social system in which aristocratic social system in which they shared so little?they shared so little?

Southern highlanders, “hill country,” “backcountry” areas cut off from the more commercial world of the plantation system. Such whites frequently expressed animosity toward the planter aristocracy

Far greater in # were the nonslaveholding whites who lived in the midst of the plantation system

Other white southerners who shared almost not at all in the plantation economy & yet continued to accept its premises

The perception of race & being part of a “ruling class”

The “Peculiar Institution”The “Peculiar Institution”

Slavery isolated Slavery isolated the South from the the South from the rest of Am. Societyrest of Am. Society

African Americans African Americans under slavery under slavery began to develop began to develop a society & culture a society & culture of their ownof their own

Did You Know?The banjo was introduced to America by the African Slave Culture in the mid-1600’s and remained exclusive to the black culture for more than 200 years

Slavery was regulated in detail by law – slave Slavery was regulated in detail by law – slave codes – forbade slaves to hold property, to be codes – forbade slaves to hold property, to be out after dark, to carry firearms, to congregate out after dark, to carry firearms, to congregate w/other slaves except at church. Contained no w/other slaves except at church. Contained no provisions to legalize marriageprovisions to legalize marriage

Enforcement of these Enforcement of these laws was spotty & unevenlaws was spotty & uneven

Many slaves preferred to work on large plantations rather than small; more autonomy

Task system vs. gang system of labor

Task system-(less common) slaves were assigned a task in the morning and when the task was done they were free for the rest of the day (common in farms where rice was grown)Gang system- more common, slaves divided into groups, each directed by a driver, and compelled to work as many hours as the overseer considered a reasonable workday

Life Under SlaveryLife Under Slavery Slaves generally received an adequate if rough diet Slaves generally received an adequate if rough diet

(many cultivated their own gardens)(many cultivated their own gardens) Homes crude cabinsHomes crude cabins Clothes: cheap clothing and shoesClothes: cheap clothing and shoes Families often dividedFamilies often divided Blacks higher death rate than whitesBlacks higher death rate than whites W/in slave family, women had special burdens but also W/in slave family, women had special burdens but also

a special authority(cooking, cleaning, child rearing a special authority(cooking, cleaning, child rearing along with fieldwork or housework)along with fieldwork or housework)

Slaves were, as a group, much less healthy than whitesSlaves were, as a group, much less healthy than whites

Household servants had a somewhat easier lifeHousehold servants had a somewhat easier life

Think Pair Share?Think Pair Share?

After the international slave trade After the international slave trade was banned (making it illegal to was banned (making it illegal to bring more slaves into America), bring more slaves into America), conditions for American slaves conditions for American slaves became somewhat better. Why?became somewhat better. Why?

Slave owners now wanted to protect the slaves they owned because they needed them to reproduce and survive to work as long as possible since the purchasing of slaves from Africa became illegal. Sometimes for dangerous tasks like clearing malarial swamps, masters would hire poor Irishmen to do these dangerous tasks because they could be hired for a dollar a day. If an Irishmen died another could be hired at again at a very cheap price. If a slave died doing one of these dangerous jobs it would cost around $1000 or more to buy another slave to fill the void.

House SlavesHouse Slaves

Worked in closer proximity to the Worked in closer proximity to the mastermaster This left them more vulnerable for This left them more vulnerable for

beatings because they were more likely beatings because they were more likely to be seen making a mistake or doing to be seen making a mistake or doing something wrongsomething wrong

Female house slaves were more Female house slaves were more vulnerable to sexual abuse from the vulnerable to sexual abuse from the mastersmasters

Female slaves often were treated badly Female slaves often were treated badly by the master’s wifeby the master’s wife

The master’s wife would not be able to The master’s wife would not be able to punish or show their anger towards punish or show their anger towards their husband so they often took it out their husband so they often took it out on the women who were violated by the on the women who were violated by the mastermaster These female slaves were often punished These female slaves were often punished

with random beatings, extra work, and with random beatings, extra work, and various forms of psychological abusevarious forms of psychological abuse

Slavery in the CitiesSlavery in the Cities

Masters often hired out slaves for such tasks Masters often hired out slaves for such tasks as mining, lumbering, docks, & construction as mining, lumbering, docks, & construction sitessites

Segregation was a means of social controlSegregation was a means of social control

Free blacks – usually in urban areas; a few Free blacks – usually in urban areas; a few cities where free black communities cities where free black communities managed to flourish relatively unbothered by managed to flourish relatively unbothered by whites – New Orleans, Natchez, & Charlestonwhites – New Orleans, Natchez, & Charleston

Slave ResistanceSlave Resistance

The dominant response of blacks to The dominant response of blacks to slavery was a complex one: a slavery was a complex one: a combination of adaptation & combination of adaptation & resistanceresistance

Two different reactions – “Sambo” & Two different reactions – “Sambo” & slave rebelslave rebel

Actual slave revolts were extremely rareActual slave revolts were extremely rare

1800 – Gabriel Prosser; 1822 – Denmark 1800 – Gabriel Prosser; 1822 – Denmark Vessey; 1831 – Nat Turner, led a band of Vessey; 1831 – Nat Turner, led a band of blacks armed w/guns & axes from house to blacks armed w/guns & axes from house to house in Southampton County, VA. house in Southampton County, VA.

Killed 60 people before being overpowered by st. & federal troops. St. laws governing slavery became even more rigid.

Resistance to slavery usually took less dramatic forms

The Culture of SlaveryThe Culture of Slavery

Developing own, separate cultureDeveloping own, separate culture

Slave religion – blacks throughout the Slave religion – blacks throughout the South developed their own version of South developed their own version of ChristianityChristianity

Religion was more emotional; emphasized Religion was more emotional; emphasized the dream of freedom & deliverancethe dream of freedom & deliverance

The Slave FamilyThe Slave Family

The other crucial institution of black The other crucial institution of black culture in the Southculture in the South

Extended kinship networks were strong & Extended kinship networks were strong & importantimportant

Paternalism became a vital instrument of Paternalism became a vital instrument of white controlwhite control