Essential QuestionEssential Question:–What was life like in the

antebellum South?

RQ Ch 10B (328-340)RQ Ch 10B (328-340)

The Southern The Southern Antebellum Economy:Antebellum Economy:

King Cotton & Slavery

Ante means “before”

Bellum means “the war”

The Rise of “King Cotton”“King Cotton” was the dynamic

force driving the American economy from 1790-1840:–The South provided ¾ of

world’s cotton–Southern cotton stimulated the

growth of Northern textile industry, shipping, & marketing

–Slave population grew 300%

Southern cotton fueled both the English & American Industrial Revolutions

The Value of Cotton Exports as a Percentage of All U.S. Exports

The Rise of “King Cotton”The introduction of short-staple

cotton strengthened the economy–Cotton could now be grown

anywhere in the South –The cotton gincotton gin (1793) made

seed extraction easy –The potential for profits led to a

cotton boom & the expansion of slavery in the South

White Southerners perceived their economic interests to be tied to slavery

“Southern way of life”

Slaves Using the Cotton Gin

Southern Agriculture Cotton expansion led to “Alabama Fever” from 1816 to 1820

Southern expansion boomed again from 1832 to 1838 into Mississippi, Louisiana, & Arkansas

…and again in the mid-1850s into Texas

Slave Concentration, 1820Slave Concentration, 1820Slave Concentration by 1860

The “Black Belt”

The “Black Belt”

The Internal Slave TradeThe Upper South grew tobacco &

was less dependent on cotton & slave labor

As slave prices rose, Upper South developed an internalinternal slave trade to provide “surplus” slaves to the Lower South

Virginia, Maryland, & Kentucky began to take on characteristics of the industrializing North & became divided in their support of slavery

Slavery in a Changing WorldAntebellum regional differences:

–By 1820, all Northern states abolished slavery

–The South lagged behind the North in cities, industry, & railroads

–Southern population grew slower than in the North & West

By 1860, only 15% of U.S. factories were in the South

By 1860, only 35% of railroads were in

the South

The South lagged by choicechoice because these were risky investments, but cotton was safe

Southern politicians feared being permanently outvoted in Congress

Antebellum Southern Society:

WhitesWhites

The Divided Society of the Old South

American slavery was deeply rooted in the Southern economy; but slavery divided the South:

–By “caste”—black or white

–By “class”—ownership of slaves

–By region—slavery was more deeply entrenched along the “Black Belt” from GA to TX

“Slave-ocracy”(plantation owners)

The “Plain Folk”(small slave-owners & yeoman farmers)

6,000,000

Black Freemen

Black Slaves

250,000

U.S. population in 1850 was 23,000,0009,500,000 lived in the South (40%)

3,200,000

Southern Society in 1850

Southern White Class Structure, 1860

White Society in SouthOnly a small percentage of whites

owned large plantations:–Less than 1% of the white

population owned 50+ slaves–Most whites were yeomen

farmers who supported slavery because they hired slaves or felt reassured that there was a lower class than them

Small SlaveholdersOnly about 25% of the Southern

white population owned slaves –88% of slave owners had fewer

than 20 slaves (most 1-2 slaves) –But slave conditions were worse

because slaves shared their master's poverty

–Most slaves would have preferred the economic stability & kinship of the plantation

If these were the

living conditions for slaves

on a plantation, what were conditions

like on small

farms?

Yeomen FarmersAbout 75% of Southern whites

were small, yeoman farmers who did not own slaves:–Most yeomen resented the

aristocratic planters but hoped to become wealthy planters

–Many saw slavery as a way of keeping blacks “in their place”

–Many saw abolition as a threat to their Southern way of life

Antebellum Southern Society:

SlavesSlaves

The World of Southern BlacksWhile very few whites were

plantation owners, most slaves lived on plantations:–90% of slaves lived on farms in

which owner had 20+ slaves–15% of slaves served as “house

slaves” (domestic servants)–10% of slaves worked in

industry, lumbering, construction

2.4% of slaves worked on large plantations with 200+ slaves

Distribution of Slave Labor, 1850

55%

15%10%

10%

10%

Cotton

Domestic Work

Rice or Sugar

Tobacco

Mining, Industry, or Construction

50% of all slaves lived in the

50% of all slaves lived in the

Black Belt (“Cotton Belt”)

Black Belt (“Cotton Belt”)

Slaves Picking Cottonon a Mississippi Plantation

Slaves Picking Cottonon a Mississippi Plantation“Hauling the Whole Week’s

Pickings”William Henry Brown, 1842

“Hauling the Whole Week’s Pickings”

William Henry Brown, 1842

Slaves Workingin a Sugar-Boiling House, 1823

Slaves Workingin a Sugar-Boiling House, 1823

Some slaves could hire out their overtime hours for pay (“Underground Economy”)

Slave Families & CommunityNormal family life was difficult:

–Families were vulnerable to breakup by their masters

–On large plantations, slaves were able to retain their African cultures & were mostly part of two-parent families

–But on smaller farms, extended families provided support or “adoption” of unrelated slaves

A Slave Family

African American ReligionBlack Christianity was the center

of African-American cultureRichard Allen created African African

Methodist Episcopal (AME) Methodist Episcopal (AME) ChurchChurch but was largely composed of free & urban African-Americans

On plantations, whites supervised religious messages, but the “real” slave religion was practiced at night in secret; preached about the inevitable day of liberation

Supervised Plantation Religion

Free Blacks in the Old SouthSouthern free blacks were

severely restricted:– Had to register with the state &

carry “freedom” papers – Were excluded from certain jobs– Subjected to re-enslavement &

fraudulent “recapture”By 1860 some states proposed

laws to force free blacks to leave the state or be enslaved

Defending Slavery?

Defending Slavery Southern planters feared revolts &

the growth of abolitionism & used a new defense slavery:– It was sanctioned in the Bible –Constitution did not prohibit it –Slavery was a “natural” way of

life for “inferior” Africans–Slavery was more humane than

Northern industrial exploitation

Pro-Slavery PropagandaPro-Slavery Propaganda

Defending Slavery Proslavery Southerners protected

South against anti-slavery ideas:–Feared abolitionist propaganda

would inspire slave rebellions or inspire the yeoman to support abolition

– Increased restrictions on blacks by making it illegal to teach slaves to read & write

–Banned church services & meetings without supervision

Slavery in the NorthSlavery in the North:Early Emancipation MovementsBefore the American Revolution, slaves were present in each of the

13 American colonies

In 1787, the Articles of Confederation

outlawed slavery in the northwest

By 1804, nine states emancipated slaves or adopted gradual emancipation plans

In 1808, the USA & Britain in outlawed the

African slave trade

In 1817, a group of ministers & politicians formed the American Colonization Society

to resettle free blacks in West Africa

Slave muzzle

Anti-Slave Arguments

Leg Irons

Slave ID Tag

Resistance & RebellionThe most common form of slave

rebellion was passive resistance:–Work slowdowns & sabotage –Poisoning of masters

Running away was common among slaves; Runaway slaves were aided by the Underground Underground RailroadRailroad

Quilt Patterns Showed Secret Messages

The Monkey Wrench pattern told slaves to gather up tools

and prepare to flee

The Drunkard Path design warned escapees not to follow a straight route

Resistance and RebellionBetween 1800-1831, 3 major

slave revolts occurred:– Gabriel ProsserGabriel Prosser (1800) planned

a violent march on Richmond– Denmark VeseyDenmark Vesey (1822) created

an extensive plot to arm & free slaves in SC (no white deaths)

– Nat TurnerNat Turner (1831) led a band of slaves from farm to farm & killed 60 whites

At the last minute, the plan failed, Prosser was captured, & no whites died

A change discovery revealed the plot & no whites died

Slave Rebellions in the South:Nat Turner, 1831

Slave Rebellions in the South:Nat Turner, 1831

ConclusionsConclusions: Worlds in Conflict

ConclusionsThe post-1793 cotton boom

transformed the American economy & Southern society:–Cotton facilitated westward

expansion & the entrenchment of African slavery in the South

– In the 1830s, the South became increasingly defensive about perceived Northern attempts to end slavery

Discussion Questions

How did American agriculture change from the colonial era to the Era of Good Feelings?

Which early 19th century change will have the greater impact on American history: Eli Whitney’s cotton gin OR Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase? Explain