Economic Sectionalism

United States Manufacturing by Region, 1820-1860 (USD) 1820 1835 1860

North Atlantic States 69,831 900,107 1,213,897,518 Old Northwest States 33,335 188,651 346,675,290Southern States 27,779 166,803 248,090,580Western States 8,777 50,204 71, 229,989

In what ways do the manufacturing comparisons define sectional interests? How did Agriculture connect The North and the West?How did the Industrialization of the North also connect them with the West?

Most of these immigrants settled in the North and West. How would this contribute to the problem of sectionalism?

Immigration-Irish/German1820-8,0001850-428,000

Why was there such an increase? • inexpensive ocean

transportation• famines and revolutions• saw the US as land of

opportunity

Nativism is an ugly response to immigration

Anti-Foreign Party’s

1849 Secret Order of the Star-Spangled Banner created in NYC

1854 American Party—”Know Nothings”

Anti-Foreign Party’s

1849 Secret Order of the Star-Spangled Banner created in NYC

1854 American Party—”Know Nothings”

Nativists.

Protestants

Anti-Catholics.

Anti-immigrants.

Nativists.

Protestants

Anti-Catholics.

Anti-immigrants.

Southern Perception of Cotton

In 1858 Senator James Henry Hammond of South Carolina replied to Senator William H. Seward of New York:

“Without the firing of a gun, without drawing a sword, should they [Northerners] make war on [Southerners], we could bring the whole world to our feet. What would happen if no cotton was furnished for three years?. . . England would topple headlong and carry the whole civilized world with her. No, you dare not make war on cotton! No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is king.”

The SouthKing Cotton…Cotton KingdomWhy is slavery important? 1800—less than 1 million slaves, 1850—3 million slavesEli Whitney: 1790-1860 production increases 1000 foldSlavery: Most valuable in the Deep South

Contrary to popular belief, Slavery was profitable• South had 30% of the nation’s (free) population• South had 60% of the “wealthiest men.” • The 1860 per capita income in the South--$3,978 (100,185) in the North--$2,040 ( 51,377)• Southern exports in the 1840’s was $192 million• This was 4x the revenue of the US government

• England imported 80% of the southern crop• The South supplied 2/3rds of the world’s “White Gold” • 1.5 million US jobs were in the textile industry

“The North and South were tied together by the cotton thread.”

Explain why this is a factual statement.

List the industries that were dependent upon Cotton?

By 1860:The West sold $30 million worth of food supplies to

Southern cotton producers every year.The Northeastern textile industry produced $100

million worth of cloth every year.The North sold more than $150 million worth of

manufactured goods every year.Northern ships transported cotton worldwide.

If the North and South were interconnected economically, why did the Civil War occur?

Slave-Owning Population (1850)

Slave-Owning Population (1850)

Slave-Owning Families (1850)

Southern Society (1850)

Southern Society (1850)“Slavocracy”

[plantation owners]

The “Plain Folk”[white yeoman farmers]

6,000,000

Black Freemen

Black Slaves3,200,000

250,000

Total US Population --> 23,000,000

[9,250,000 in the South = 40%]

Southern society Aristocracy: 100 slaves/1000 acres--only

1700 families Yeoman Farmers: Less than 20

slaves/200-300 acres—88% of all slave owners

Poor whites: Hill country (Hillbillies), 75% of total population and Pro-Slavery

Mountain people: Ozarks/Appalachians – anti-slavery

Free Blacks: 250,000 - Cities

Southern Population (1860)Southern Population (1860)

Southern Society was agrarian, rural based ex: among US cities only New Orleans was in top 15Southern ThoughtFeudal society—government was an oligarchyMen were trained in the ideals of tradition, honor and how to behave as a proper gentleman

Code of Chivalry followed and enforced—duels r okay!

Personal HonorCharles Sumner (R-MA) gave a 3-hour speech

criticizing the Kansas-Nebraska Act and its authors Stephan Douglas (D-IL) and Andrew Butler (D-SC)

Andrew Butler’s nephew Preston Brooks (D-SC) attacks Sumner with a cane in the US Senate

Northerners condemned his actions but Southerners defended his behavior

Butler was asked why he did not challenge Sumner to a duel?

“necessary evil” to “positive good”• pre 1830—slavery not desired, necessary for political/economic well-being of society

• post 1831—slavery beneficial for the Africans• paternalism toward slaves• What movement in America causes this shift?

Positive Good

Reality?

Slaves posing in

front of their cabin on a Southern

plantation.

Positive Good

Reality?

Slaves posing in

front of their cabin on a Southern

plantation.

• benevolent guardians of a “naturally inferior race”

• educate them on religion: Southern Methodists and Baptists

The slaves adapted these religions

Their more emotional services reflectedtheir native traditions

What were the Southern defenses of Slavery?Slavery was ordained by God and in the bible“Slaves, obey your masters.”

Greek and Roman cultures each featured slavery

Essential to the southern economyPreferable to the “wage slavery” of the North

Beneficial to the blacks who had traded the barbarism of Africa for the blessings of security and Christianity (“positive good”)