The Peculiar Institution Slavery and the Cotton Economy

Chapter 11 - The Peculiar Institution 11.1 - The Old South As more cotton is grown slaves are more desirable Price of slaves increased → slave auctions instead of slave sales Treatment like animals or cattles (poked, prodded, examined, tests of strength) Harder to buy slaves often, not replaceable (treatment of slaves improved; nutrition, doctors...) Fredrick Douglas - 1st influential African American leader - Born into slavery, learned to read and escaped (slaves couldn’t learn to read and write) - From Maryland to the North (short distance) - most slaves couldn’t run Mason-Dixon Line: line that separates slaves states from free states Slaves weren’t allowed to read and write (communication and information) Frederick Douglass gives speeches and write books (people thought African Americans didn’t have ability for intelligence) Cotton is King Cotton begins to take over sugar globally ¾ of cotton is grown in the US - Invention 1803 - cotton is the US’ biggest export 1860 - cotton was making more money than all other exports combined Percentage of slaves that are free begins to increase Slavery and the Nation Even though the South produces cotton, the North stills benefits from slave labor South grows cotton → North processes and uses cotton The Southern Economy The South only produces 10% of manufactured goods - Crashes after the abolishment of slavery Plain Folk of the Old South Only ¼ of people in the South owned slaves Not very widespread except for on plantations The Planter Class Planters - families with more than 20 slaves Mostly along the MIssissippi River (plantations) The Proslavery Argument Argument used by slaveowners to justify the use of slaves - Biblical - Every major group has used slaves (Romans, etc.) White Guardianship - Slaveowners are parents and slaves are kids - African Americans need someone to take care of them (believed they had lower intellect) Argued that being a slaves was better than being a factory owner in the North - Irish immigrants are working in factories and living in poverty (free food, housing, etc.) Not very convincing to Northerners (trying to justify actions to themselves) 11.2 - Life under Slavery Slaves and the Law There are no states where slaves have equality under the law slaves can't get married, cant vote, can't testify against white people in court, can't leave plantions without permission (laws aren't heavily enforced) 1855 Missouri - court case - Cilia (slave woman) went to court for killing her owner after being assaulted by him - Ordered to be executed and owner’s family defended her because she was pregnant - Was executed after she gave birth Conditions of Slave Life Slaves in the US lived longer than those in the Caribbean - Better nutrition, “healthcare” Slave import was banned →value went up →more expensive →owners wanted them alive Mulatto - mixed race, slave mom and white dad - More likely to do domestic work, then in the fields Free Blacks in the Old South you could own land and legally get married (depending on the state) Hd to carry a certificate showing that you weren't a slave Older, unproductive slave mothers looked after the children Slave Labor Primary labor system 90% of men and 75% of women - Other men were blacksmiths, other women were domestic workers Gang Labor and Task Labor Gang labor - groups of 20 - 25 slaves that worked together as a group - Worked together almost everyday (from morning till night) - In cotton areas - No motivation (still have to work the same amount of time) Task System - Slaves given a list of tasks to complete each day (once finished you’re done) - Everywhere else (tobacco and rice areas) - Motivation to finish quickly - Leisure when they are done Maintaining Order Slave owners have complete power to punish slaves Most slaves were punished at some point in their life - Brutality not so common - Slave owners just sold troublesome slaves Provide incentives for slaves to keep working (ex. marriage) The Slave Family Family became the center of community Werent allowed to legally get married → married informally - Owners wanted slaves to get married (children-workers, more incentive to work) Stayed married for life (strong bonds) The Threat of Sale ⅔ of families were kept together 10% if kids were sold away from parents Slave owners want to keep people together v. sellers just want to make money Gender Roles Among Slaves Men are more likely to be separated from family - Women had to fill roles Generally slaves took care of each other Slave Religion Likely to be baptist or methodist Slave preachers spread optimism and positive verses of bibles (slaves gaining freedom) Sometimes there are traveling white preachers (submissive,etc.) 11.4 - Fugitive Slaves Resistance to Slavery Slaves resistance are rare in the US, not very successful, no weapons, lacking numbers Only two slaves rebellions suceeded Silent sabotage - thing slaves do to make their lives easier - Loosen bolts on plow (falls apart, doesn’t work) - Pretend to be sick - Steal food Large scale resistance were not very common Only slaves that run away are slaves that didn’t have families - Women less likely to run away (kids) Slavery not very harsh in New Orleans (French city) → some slaves were able to run away Harriet Tubman helped slaves escape using the North Star Only 4 slaves revolts (only 2 executed, other just planned) Denmark Vessy - last name of his owner - Bought freedom with raffle tickets - Tried to buy his wife and kids (owner refused to sell) → plans a rebellion Steal boats from Louisiana and sail to Haiti (was put off because of storms) Vessy and 35 people are hanged Nat Turner’s Rebellion Last large slave rebellion (30 yrs before civil war) Nat Turner - black preacher in Virginia - Dream from god to start a rebellion Total of 80 slaves killed about 35 slave owners All executed afterward Results in stricter laws for slaves and free blacks in Virginia Black men can’t be preachers, or own guns