Chapter 11: “Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South”

Chapter 11:“Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South” By: Jessica Allen, ChynaGillbert, Jaylah Cosby, Jalen Wilson, Kayla Hazelwood, Alex Norman, Morgan Edwards, & Justin Blount

I Can Statements….. • I Can Understand Slave Culture • I Can Identify reasons for an economic growth in the south during the 19th century • I Can Become more familiar with southern life and culture during the 19th century.

Cotton Economy • The Southern economic power of the 19th century shifted from the “upper south” tip the “lower south” due to the dominant growth of cotton.

The Rise of King Cotton The “Upper South” • relied on their tobacco crops (which eventually became notoriously unstable) • It was hard for tobacco farmers to stay in business because the tobacco left the land exhausted. • By the 1830s, tobacco farmers in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina, shifted to other crops such as wheat. Other southern states, such as Flordia, resulted in growing crops like rice.

The Rise of king Cotton cont… The “Lower South” • Cotton became popular, but could only be grown around the coastal areas of the southeast. • Short-staple cotton became the most popular because of its ability to grow in a variety of climates, but it was a lot hardier, coarser, harder to process, and the seeds were harder to remove. • The invention of the cotton gin saved the cotton industry.

Rise of King Cotton… • In the 1820’s and 1830’s New England and Britain created an enormous demand for cotton. • The current production of cotton at the time did not satisfy this demand, so ambitious men and women expanded their crops. • By the 1850’s, cotton became the linchpin of the southern economy. • Cotton production spread from South Carolina to Texas and Arkansas. • By 1850, the south was producing 3 million bales of cotton a year.

Southern Trade & Industry Main Idea The South experienced a boom in the agricultural economy in the 19th century but other forms of economic activity developed slower

Growing activity in Industry • The South; more specifically, the upper South, did experience a growth in flour milling, textile manufacturing, and iron manufacturingTheir mill, The Tredegar Iron Works (Richmond), actually compared “favorably” to Northeast mills but still the industry proved to be of less significance when compared to the agriculture industry.Surprisingly enough the total value of textile manufacturers in 1860 saw an increase that was 3x more than the value in 1840, topping in at $4.5 mil

Brokers and the Banking System • Brokers/Factors marketed planters’ crops and also served as bankers for the planters’, providing them with credit when they accumulated large debts due to a decrease in cotton sales. • The “primitive character” of the banking system lacked the crucial development needed for industrial development proven by their transportation system.* • The South had inadequate transportation compared to the North and many people began to realize the South’s subordination to the North.*

Sources of Southern Difference Main Idea/ Question Why is the region doing so little to develop a larger industrial and commercial economy of its own like the North?

Because the southern region made so much profit from its agricultural industry, particularly cotton, some saw no need to try and create a industrial economy • People were eager to make a profit and capitalize on their economy • Wealthy landowners had invested so much in their slaves and land that there was little room for other investments • Some think that the hot and humid weather of the South made industrialization less attractive which then resulted in the North viewing southerners as being lazy,lacking a strong work ethic like they had

Southern Values • Another reason associated with the failure to create a commercial economy was a set of values that discouraged growth of cities. • White southerners thought of themselves as representatives of a “special” way of life that consisted of: Chivalry Leisure Traditional Values Elegance • From this formed types of people, southern Cavaliers And northern Yankees

Southern Cavaliers • More concerned with refined and gracious ways of life • Limited southern society • Appealing to others

Northern Transportation vs. Southern Transportation North • Large sums of money were invested into their roads, canals, and railroads • Over 20,000 miles of railroad South • Canals were basically nonexistent, roads were unsuitable for heavy transport, and railroads failed to connect regions together effectively. • Most of the South was unconnected to the national railroad system. • The most used and effective means of transportation was water

James B. D. De Bow on Economic Subordination “From the rattle which the nurse tickles the ear of the child born in the South to the shroud that covers the cold form of dead, everything comes to us from the North” – Albert Pike , Arkansas Journalist • De Bow was a resident of new Orleans and a strong advocate for southern economic independence • He published a magazine in 1846 named De Bow’s Review that advocated southern commercial and agricultural expansion that sold roughly 173 copies/issue • He yearned for independence from the North and constantly warned about the dangers of colonial relationship between sections. • He estimated that the South lost $100 million annually through their vassalage to the North.

Southern Society (White Society) • Surprisingly, the group of southern whites who owned slaves was considerably small. • In 1850 the southern white population was over 6 million • There were only 347,525 slave holders in 1850 • In 1860 the population increased by 2 million • Although the population was now at 8 million, there were only 383,637 slave owners

Southern Society (White Society) Cont. • The actual number of slave owners was off because for every slaveholder (which was the man of the house), there were four other members of his family that were considered slave owners. • Even if the number of slave owners in 1860 was multiplied by four, to accommodate the uncounted family members, slave owners in the south would not even make up a fourth of the total white population.

The Planter Class (Honor) • Wealthy white southerners who owned plantations, considered themselves the “Planter Class” • Although each plantation only held on average 800 acres and less than forty to fifty slaves, the Planter Class ruled the south as if they were wealthy landowners of thousands of acres and slaves. • The planter aristocracy took lavish trips to Europe and had extravagant parties. They compared themselves to the old upper classes of England

The Planter Class (Honor) Cont. The Planter Aristocracy • Newly acquired wealth and power. • First generation to have any substantial amount of money • Before the plantation many lived a very modest live with only the bare necessities. Old English Aristocracy • Old money that had been in the families for generations

The Planter Class (Honor) Cont The Planter Aristocracy • Carefully watched business to guarantee a big profit • Competitive capitalist • Lived modestly because money was tied up in buying more slaves and land. • Had little money left over Old English Aristocracy • Business was usually leisure and genteel • Lived a lavish lifestyle

The Planter Class (Honor) Cont. • Planter class of southern whites were more defensive when it came to their rights to have slaves. • Took up a code of “chivalry” • Each man should defend his “honor” through dueling • Avoided professions in trade and commerce because they were seen as coarse • A suitable job for men was one in the military, which was the equivalent to the job of an Old English knight.

The “Southern Lady” • Were typically white women • Lives generally centered in the homes serving as companions to and hostesses for their husbands and as nurturing mothers for their children. • Cult of honor in the region meant was that mean gave “defense” to women • Male figures were dominant over women when it came to homes • To help with the economical stand point in families women engaged in…. • * spinning, weaving , and other production like agricultural tasks and they helped supervise slave work

The “Southern Lady” Continued • Lacked the amount of education that Northern women had *over 20 were completely illterate *only a few had more than a rudimentary exposure to schooling *few academies that were present in the south taught women how to be good wives • The birth rate for women were 20% higher than the nation as a whole *not many babies lived passed the age of 5 *many slave owners had relationships with the slaves • Few southern women rebelled to against their roles and against prevailing assumptions of their region

The Plain Folk • Typical white male was a yeoman farmer *some owned a few slaves while most owned none at all • Devoted themselves to their work *some grew cotton but weren’t successful in it and went into debt • In the 1850s the number of non-slave holding landowners increased much faster than the number of slaveholding because *educational system did not provide poor whites the opportunities to learn

Most plain folk did not have that much power in the south because majority of the population consisted of modest farmers largely excluded from the dominant plantation society. • Some men and women saw slavery as unattractive because they felt like it threatened their sense of their own independence. • Some whites had animosity towards the planter aristocracy of the other regions of the south while others accepted that system because they benefited from it *got access to cotton gin, markets for the crops, credit or other financial assistance in time of need • All farmers were tied into the same democratic party • Family structure all centered around the economy and everyone pitched in to help.

Pelicular Institution • White southerners referred to pelicularinstution as slavery • South in the mid 19th century was the only place with slaves besides Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico • American slavery was distinctive • Isolated blacks from white • There was a bond of master and slave • Farmer and slave dependent on each other • African Americans under slavery developed their own culture unrelated to white culture

Pelicular Institution Slave Codes • Slavery was an institution established and regulated in detail by law • Slave codes of Southern states forbade slaves to hold property, couldn’t leave master’s premises without permission, to be out after dark, congregate with other slaves unless at church, carry firearms, strike a white person (even self defense), could not testify in court against whites, no legal slave marriages or divorces • Anyone rumored that had a trace of African ancestry was presumed black • Restrictions seem to suggest slaves live under a uniformly harsh dismal regime • Whites could not teach slaves to read of write • If a master killed slave during punishment, it was not considered crime • Slaves faced death penalty for killing or resisting whites

Pelicular Institution Master and Slave • Whites could not teach slaves to read of write • Some slaves had property, learned to read and write in contrary • Although, some blacks lived in almost prison like constitutions • Some slaves stole from their masters, performed isolated acts of sabotage: losing or breaking tools, performing taxes improperly • In extreme cases: some slaves might make their selves useless by cutting off their own fingers, or committing suicide. Also despite terrible consequences, some might turn and kill their masters • Relationship between master and slaved depended in party on the size of plantation • Some white farmers supervised slaves and worked alongside, relationships could be tyrannical and cruel, or warm and affectionate

Pelicular Institution Systems • Head driver oversee slaves • Two systems of assigning slave labor • Task system-(common for rice) particular task assigned and turn in for the day, when finished • Gang system-(common for cotton, sugar, tobacco) divided slaves and a driver directed work as long as he pleases

Pelicular Institution Life • Slaves generally received at least enough necessities to enable them to live and work • Diet consist of cornmeal, salt pork, molasses and occasionally fresh meat or poultry • Slave families often divided • Many slaves cultivated their own gardens • Received cheap clothing and shoes, lived in crude cabins called “Slave quarters” which were usually clustered together in a complex near their master’s house • Slave women and master’s wife provided some medical care

Pelicular Institution Work • Light tasks went to children • Work days longest at harvest time • Women in field with mean as well as house chores- cooking, cleaning, child care • Slaves (as a group) much less healthy than whites: had fewer children survive, died at younger age, high death rate • Household slaves had easier (physical) lives, although some did both house and field • Female slaves vulnerable to sexual abuse by mast

Pelicular Institution Slave Trade • Trade one of the most horrible aspects, separating familes • Transfer of slaves occurred through the medium of professional slave traders on trains, rivers, or oceans • At the auction, bidders checked slaves like livestock, inspecting teeth, feeling arms and legs, looking at age • A sound young field hand would cost $500-1,700 in 1840s-1850s

Pelicular Institution Freedom • Conditions of slavery in the cities differed significantly from those in the country side, whites considered slavery to be incompatible with city life • Whites feared conspiracy and insurrections in cities from slaves, it was safer on an isolated plantation with little contact with free blacks and better supervision • About 250,000 free African Americans in slaveholding states by start of civil war, some managed to buy their own families’ freedom • Elizabeth Keckley bought her and her son’s freedom sewing • Some slaves set free by a master who had morals, or a master’s will after death • John Randolph freed more than 400 slaves after his death • In a few cities, New Orleans, Natchez, Charleston-free black communities managed to flourish • Most free blacks lived in poverty • Slave revolts extremely rare • Some slaves tried to run, and a small number escaped to the North or Canada • Odds against a successful escape from the deep south was impossibly high especially through slave patrols • Without freedom permit, slaves presumed to be runaways and taken captive • Slave patrols kept bloodhounds and tracked blacks in the woods

Life under slavery • Slaves ate an adequate and rough diet. The meals consisted of cornmeal, salt pork, molasses, and on special occasions fresh meat or poultry. • Slaves made gardens for their on benefit instead of relying on he master. • Lived in rude shacks called “quaters’’ combined in complexes next to the maasters house.

Life under slavery • Children worked light tasks so that they are healthier as they get older and also so they were not pushed to exhaustion. • Black women had their work cut out for them. Worked as midwives, “healers”, and mothers often as single parents.

Life under slavery • Slaves in the U.S. had pleasant living conditions compared to those of the Caribbean and South America because sugar cane requires more arduous labor. • Since slaves in the U.S. had much better living, importing wasn’t needed because the slaves were healthy enough to reproduce.

Life under slavery • In 1808 the importation of slaves was banned as the ratio of blacks to whites slowly declined. • In 1820 here was one African to four American. Then in 1840, 1 to 5. • Slave mothers had large families but were enforced to poverty and typically white people lived longer then slaves due to conditions.

Life under slavery • Slaves were often kept healthy until adolescence to kept loyal and healthy (already mentioned). • Slaves around the house often resented the work because they missed their fellow slaves and life under the master was not very safe. • Masters often tormented the household slave sexually and physically because he could keep a close eye on them.

Slavery in cities • Slavery in the cities was often not common because the jobs in cities did not require hard labor. • Slaves were often thought of as free in cities. • Populations in cities often consisted of white males and African females with a result of mullato children populating cities. • Southerns believed tha slavery was incompatible with city life.

Slavery in cities • No one claimed the city slaves. As a result the slaves had time to mingle with free blacks and were often considered as free. • Not many European immigrants in the south like the north and any buisness employer would hire free labor but the slaves were unskilled workers. • Both white and black slaves were declining in numbers as cities grew, forcing segregation

Free Blacks • 250,000 free blacks in slave-holding states at beginning of Civil War more than half in Virginia and Maryland • Some slaves could develop a useful skill to make money and buy their and their families freedom • One example: Elizabeth Keckley; took up sewing to gain her and her family’s freedom and eventually became a seamstress, personal servant, and companion to Mary Todd Lincoln.

Free Blacks • Due to Nat Turner’s slave rebellion, whites believed once slaves were free they would become violent on the whites. • Very few slaves ever achieved freedom because of their master’s consent. • Some blacks lived in prosperity, or economically growing communities but they were few and far between.

Slave Trade • Central markets in New Orleans, Natchez, Mobile, and Galveston. • They were transported from one part of the South to another via trains, rivers, or ocean steamers; shorter journeys were traveled by foot. • They were put up for auction and examined like cattle. • Some masters tried to dress up their slaves in hopes of a higher bid.

Slave Trade • Domestic slave trade- awful; many families were broken apart. • Foreign Slave trade- worse; federal law had prohibited the slaves from being imported in 1808, but slaves were still smuggled in. • William L. Yancey (Alabama): tried to reopen the foreign slave trade; only delegates from states of the upper south opposed.

Slave resistance • Most whites assumed slaves were content with their circumstances. • Actually, most slaves yearned for freedom knowing they’d never attain it. • Rather than contented acceptance, the dominant response of blacks to slavery was a complex one: a combination of adaptation and resistance. • Two different stereotypes emerged among the white society: sambo and the slave rebel

Slave Resistance • Slave rebellions were rare, but their threat terrified the whites. • Gabriel Prosser gathered 1,000 rebellious slaves outside Richmond, but two African Americans gave the plot away and the rebellion was squashed by the Virginia militia before it even began (Prosser and 35 others were executed). • In 1822, Denmark Vesey (with 9,000 of his followers) made plans to revolt, but their plan was also leaked and failed to begin. • Nat turner gathered his men and killed 60 white men, women, and children in Southampton Country, Virginia before being overpowered. • Only successful uprising, but horrible enough to impose fear

Slave Resistance • Some slaves tried to run away, but few made it to the North or Canada (some received help from the Underground Railroad). • Some slaves refused to work. • Some slaves stole from their masters and their masters’ neighbors. • Some performed isolated acts of sabotage or performing tasks improperly. • *Extreme: killed themselves, cut off their fingers, or even killed their masters.

Language • Slaves had difficulty communicating with each other, so they ended up creating a common language called pidgin. Pidgin had African words but mainly consisted of English words. • Pidgin has survived still to this day and has become more complex as the years go by.

Music • Integral part of slave culture. • Heavily reliant on rhythm and dance. • Main instrument=banjo, but most of the time was just sung without instruments. • Used to pass time in the fields and expressed their faith as well.

African- American Religion • Almost all African Americans were Christian-mainly Baptist or Methodist. • Slaves were expected to worship under supervision of white ministers. • Autonomous black churches were banned- unsupervised • African-American Christianity had practices of voodoo and other polytheistic religious traditions from Africa. • Leaders of the community would become preachers.

Chapter 11: “Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South”