chapter 11. the icon of frederick douglass the mason-dixon line eve of civil war – slave...
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The Mason-Dixon Line
Eve of Civil War – slave population was 4 million
Between 1/3 to ½ of population in south
British abolished slavery in 1833
“White Gold” created largest slavery society in history
¾ of world’s cotton supply
Cotton was ½ of total value of exports
Slavery investment exceed factories, railroads and banks
The Old South & Cotton
“importing” still done in lower South
Selling at public slave markets or courthouses (2 million)
Determined location, work, civil liberties for all
North benefited from cotton production (trade)
“Lords of the Loom” and “Lords of the Lash”
Southern cities were financial – loan to buy slaves/land
Short railway lines
New Orleans leading exporter of slave crops (40% of pop. were immigrants
South produced only 10% manufactured goods
Slavery, Economy, & The Nation
3 of 4 white southerners did NOT own slaves
Most lived in hilly areas on poor land
Desperately poor, self-sufficient
No market for manufactured goods
no need for industry
Why support Planters’ cause to save slavery?
shared racism and kinship
shared loyalty to South in face of criticism
apart of the system – returning runaways
Southern Society
Less than 40,000 owned +20 slaves that made them “planters”
Controlled politics and public life
Owning slaves = wealth, status, influence
Held most land (15,000 acres), had highest income, and dominated govt
Slave price – about $40,000 today
Often invested in industry
“Plantation mistress” – cared for sick, ran house, directed servants
Took summer vacations
“Paternalism”: idea that master had to care for dependents, act as protector, counselor, provide care
masked and justified brutality
few tried to “improve” slaves
“A man loves his children because they are weak, helpless, and dependent. He loves his wife for similar reasons.”
Planter Class
“most safe and stable basis for free institutions in the world”
White Supremacy: belief that blacks were innately inferior to whites and unsuited for free life
Used bible passages, referred to ancient Greece & Rome
Need it to cultivate arts & sciences
Best way to have equality for whites better than wage labor in North
Slavery keeps whites independent which is necessary for citizenship
Proslavery
Claimed the DOI was a “dangerous political error”
Freedom was a privilege not an entitlement
Obedience was a “fundamental law” to human existence
George Fitzhugh
In history slavery was “normal and natural” – liberty is an experiment
Slavery – “community of interest”
Slaves are “the happiest, freest people in the world”
Writers, editors, politicians, clergy in South supported system
Slavery, Liberty, and Civilization
Few rights
Illegal to kill a slave except in self-defense
Accused slaves were given a day in court with white judges/juries
Could be sold/leased at any time
No voice in govt, could not testify, sign contracts, own property/firearms, hold unsupervised meetings, or travel.
It was illegal to teach a slave to read/write
Enforcement depended on owners
Alabama – every life choice was judged by master
Missouri – Celia’s case
declared Celia was not a woman but a “slave”
sentenced to death
postponed so the owner would not be deprived of new “property”
Slaves and the Law
Some had laws ensuring proper treatment
Could have their own “mini-farm” or stole from plantation
Paternalism and growing price made it more logical to keep slaves healthy
Strict laws on voluntary emancipation
500,000 free mostly in South – little differences
Could not…
act in public or own dogs, weapons, liquor
hit a white person even in self-defense
testify in court or serve on juries
had to carry a certificate of freedom
if they needed public aid they had to labor for it
Many states expelled free blacks
Conditions of Life & Free Blacks
Lower South – very few freemen
Mixed communities in New Orleans, Charleston
Some of mixed race became slave owners
Many became educated skilled craftsmen
Elite blacks tried to maintain separation
Many worked in upper south as farm laborers (many worked with slaves)
Many purchased their wives/children but could not free them (had to leave the state)
Upper & Lower South
Diverse jobs – butlers, waitresses, nurse, gardener, carpenters, engineers, cooks, weavers
Cut wood, tended docks, laid railways, build govt buildings
200,000 worked in industry
Skilled and unskilled in lower south – many rented slaves
75% of women 90% of men worked in fields
“Overseer” – extreme brutality, “gang labor”
Rice plantations – self-run, leisure time (malaria)
City slaves – more domestic jobs, could “hire their own time”
Harsh punishment at mercy of owner
Exploited divisions in field/house hands, incentive systems
Threat of sale
Slave Labor
Slave Culture & Family created family & religious centered communities, strong music/dance
own system of herbal medicine
law did not recognize slave marriage, but population naturally increased
named children after relatives
sale of slaves made women heads of house more common
10% of teens were sold in upper south
some allowed marriage, others only cared if children were able to work
“equality of powerlessness”
men could not protect wives/children
more traditional roles in places where they had free time
Religion & Liberty Usually Baptist or Methodist
most plantations had their own black preacher (not educated)
some had biracial congregations
free blacks in North est. their own churches
Used preaching as a form of social control over slaves
secret nigh time gathering, “praise meetings”
Slaves identified themselves with the chosen people, God would free in time
glorified folklore that had the weak outsmarting the strong
constant them of drive for freedom
Resistance day to day was most common – “silent resistance” – breaking tools, disrupting routine, abusing animals
faked illness, stole food
arson, poisoning, armed assault
Fugitives – little knowledge of land, use of North Star, 1,000 per year
Sometimes headed South to blend with free communities
Everglades – protection from Seminoles
only 25% tried to reach North
Underground RR, Harriet Tubman (Maryland) – made 20 trips back
The Amistad 1839, 53 slaves took control of the ship and tried to force it to Africa
was seized off the coast of Long Island by an American vessel
JQA, supreme court justice, declared them free as they were taken from
Africa in violation of the slave trade laws
inspired other revolts
The Creole, seized by 135 slaves in 1841
and forced to the British Bahamas
where they were given refuge
Slave Revolts 200-500 men and women outside of New Orleans
used knives, axes, guns, clubs, marched toward city destroying property
intercepted by militia, 66 killed, remaining executed
1822 Denmark Vesey – preached the bible did not support slavery
Vesey rebuked blacks who gave way to walking whites
Nat Turner’s Rebellion Preacher from Virginia, claimed a vision from God
Aug. 22, 1831, 80 joined
Marched town to town assaulting white women/children (60 killed)
Turner captured and with 17 others killed
Regret? “Was not Christ crucified?”
Panic resulted, many beaten or executed
Questioned whether slavery should be ended
1832 harsher laws, prohibited preaching, owning firearms, and reading
Huge repression of free speech of abolitionists