Early Emancipation in Early Emancipation in the Norththe North

Missouri Compromise, Missouri Compromise, 18201820

Characteristics Characteristics of the of the

Antebellum Antebellum SouthSouth

1.1. Primarily agrarian.Primarily agrarian.2.2. Economic power shifted from the Economic power shifted from the

“upper South” to the “lower South.”“upper South” to the “lower South.”3.3. ““Cotton Is King!”Cotton Is King!”

* 1860 * 1860 5 mil. bales a yr. 5 mil. bales a yr. (57% of total US exports). (57% of total US exports).

4.4. Very slow development of Very slow development of industrialization.industrialization.

5.5. Rudimentary financial system.Rudimentary financial system.6.6. Inadequate transportation system.Inadequate transportation system.

Southern Society Southern Society (1850)(1850)““Slavocracy”Slavocracy”

[plantation owners][plantation owners]

The “Plain Folk”The “Plain Folk”[white yeoman farmers][white yeoman farmers]

6,000,0006,000,000

Black FreemenBlack Freemen

Black SlavesBlack Slaves3,200,0003,200,000

250,000250,000

Total US Population Total US Population 23,000,000 23,000,000[9,250,000 in the South = 40%][9,250,000 in the South = 40%]

Southern Southern PopulationPopulation

Graniteville Textile Graniteville Textile Co.Co.

Founded in 1845, it was the South’s first attempt at industrialization in Graniteville, SC

Southern AgricultureSouthern Agriculture

Slaves Picking CottonSlaves Picking Cottonon a Mississippi on a Mississippi

PlantationPlantation

Understanding the Cotton GinUnderstanding the Cotton Gin1. Cotton bolls, made up of

fiber and seeds, are fed into the cotton gin. The dark arrows show the path of the cotton through the gin.

2. As the handle is turned, the cylinder and brushes rotate.

3. Wire teeth catch the cotton bolls and pull them through narrow wire slots.

4. The seeds are too large to pass through the slots. They fall to the bottom of the gin.

5. Rotating brushes pull cleaned cotton fiber from the wire teeth and sweep it out of the gin.

What can you make from a bale of cotton?What can you make from a bale of cotton?

One bale of cotton weighs about 480 One bale of cotton weighs about 480 pounds and is about the size of your pounds and is about the size of your refrigerator. From that bale, you can refrigerator. From that bale, you can make:make:•215 Pairs of Jeans215 Pairs of Jeans•409 Men’s Sport Shirts409 Men’s Sport Shirts•690 Terry Bath Towels690 Terry Bath Towels•765 Men’s Dress Shirts765 Men’s Dress Shirts•1,217 Men’s T-shirts1,217 Men’s T-shirts•3,085 Diapers3,085 Diapers•4,321 Mid-Calf Socks4,321 Mid-Calf Socks•313,600 $100 Bills 313,600 $100 Bills

Slaves Using the Cotton Slaves Using the Cotton GinGin

Changes in Cotton Changes in Cotton ProductionProduction

18201820

18601860

Value of Cotton Exports Value of Cotton Exports As % of All US ExportsAs % of All US Exports

““Hauling the Whole Hauling the Whole Week’s Pickings”Week’s Pickings”

William Henry Brown, William Henry Brown, 18421842

Slaves Working in a Sugar-Boiling Slaves Working in a Sugar-Boiling House, 1823House, 1823

The South’s “Peculiar Institution”The South’s “Peculiar Institution”

Southern SocietySouthern Society

Plantation Plantation owners owners

AristocracyAristocracyMiddle Middle ClassClassSmall Small

farmersfarmers

Free Blacks, 2Free Blacks, 2ndnd class citizens class citizens

Slaves---no rights, considered Slaves---no rights, considered propertyproperty

No No political political or civil or civil rights.rights.

Upper Upper classclass

Owned some Owned some slaves. Achieve slaves. Achieve

American American DreamDream

Owned no Owned no slaves….Hated white slaves….Hated white

upper class…upper class…American American DreamDream Poor Poor

WhitesWhites

•Southern society was Southern society was similar to a similar to a Feudal systemFeudal system

that existed in Europe that existed in Europe during the Dark and Middle during the Dark and Middle Ages…..(Ages…..(Manorial System)Manorial System)•Caste systemCaste system and difficult and difficult

to move up the social to move up the social ladder.ladder.

•Based on white supremacy Based on white supremacy and the slave was inferior.and the slave was inferior.

Slave Auction Notice, Slave Auction Notice, 18231823

Slave Auction: Slave Auction: Charleston, Charleston, SC-1856SC-1856

Slave Master BrandsSlave Slave

AccoutrementsAccoutrementsSl

ave

muz

zle

Slave Collars – bells = no escape

punishment

Anti-Slave PamphletAnti-Slave Pamphlet

Slave tag, SC

Slave AccoutrementsSlave Accoutrements

Slave leg irons

Slave shoes

Slave-Owning Population Slave-Owning Population (1850)(1850)

Slave-Owning Families Slave-Owning Families (1850)(1850)

% of Southern White % of Southern White Families Families

Owning Slaves 1860Owning Slaves 1860

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1 2+ 5+ 10+ 20+ 50+

Non Slaveholders Slaveholders

About 1,150,000 About 1,150,000 Southern white families Southern white families owned no slaves---75%owned no slaves---75%

About 384,000 Southern About 384,000 Southern white families owned 1 white families owned 1

slave or more---25%slave or more---25%

Total of 1,534,000 Southern white families in 1860……A total population of 7,981,000….

%%

Slaves Slaves posing in posing in front of front of

their cabin their cabin on a on a

Southern Southern plantation.plantation.

TaraTara – Plantation – Plantation Reality Reality or Mythor Myth??

Hollywood’s Version?Hollywood’s Version?

A Real Georgia A Real Georgia PlantationPlantation

Scarlet and MammieScarlet and Mammie(Hollywood Again!)(Hollywood Again!)

A Real Mammie & Her A Real Mammie & Her ChargeCharge

The Southern “Belle”The Southern “Belle”

A Slave FamilyA Slave Family

The Ledger of John The Ledger of John WhiteWhite

Matilda Selby, 9, $400.00 sold to Mr. Covington, St. Louis, $425.00

Brooks Selby, 19, $750.00 Left at Home – Crazy

Fred McAfee, 22, $800.00 Sold to Pepidal,Donaldsonville, $1200.00

Howard Barnett, 25, $750.00 Ranaway. Sold out of jail, $540.00

Harriett Barnett, 17, $550.00 Sold to Davenport and Jones, Lafourche, $900.00

US Laws Regarding US Laws Regarding SlaverySlavery1. U. S. Constitution:

* 3/5s compromise [I.2] * fugitive slave clause [IV.2]

2. 1793 Fugitive Slave Act.

3. 1850 stronger Fugitive Slave Act.

Southern Slavery--> An Southern Slavery--> An Aberration?Aberration? 1780s: 1st antislavery society created in

Phila. By 1804: slavery eliminated from last

northern state. 1807: the legal termination of the slave

trade, enforced by the Royal Navy. 1820s: newly indep. Republics of Central

& So. America declared their slaves free.

1833: slavery abolished throughout the British Empire.

1844: slavery abolished in the Fr. colonies.

1861: the serfs of Russia were emancipated.

Slavery Was Less Slavery Was Less Efficient Efficient

in the U. S. than in the U. S. than ElsewhereElsewhere High cost of keeping slaves from

escaping. GOAL raise the “exit cost.”

Slave patrols.

Southern Black Codes.

Cut off a toe or a foot.

Slave ResistanceSlave Resistance1. “SAMBO” pattern of behavior used

as a charade in front of whites [the innocent, laughing black man caricature – bulging eyes, thick lips, big smile, etc.].

Slave ResistanceSlave Resistance2. Refusal to work hard.3. Isolated acts of sabotage.4. Escape via the Underground

Railroad.

Runaway Slave AdsRunaway Slave Ads

Quilt Patterns as Secret Quilt Patterns as Secret MessagesMessages

&&Songs to freedomSongs to freedom

The Monkey Wrench pattern, on the left, alerted escapees to gather up tools and prepare to flee; the Drunkard Path design, on the right, warned escapees not to follow a straight route.

Follow the Drink’n Gourd.Steal AwaySwing Low Sweet Chariot

Slave Rebellions Throughout Slave Rebellions Throughout the Americasthe Americas

Slave Rebellions Slave Rebellions in the Antebellum Southin the Antebellum South

1822Gabriel Prosser

1800

Slave Rebellions in the Slave Rebellions in the Antebellum South:Antebellum South:

Nat Turner, Nat Turner, 18311831

The Culture of SlaveryThe Culture of Slavery1. Black Christianity [Baptists or

Methodists]: * more emotional worship services. * negro spirituals.

2. “Pidgin” or Gullah languages.3. Nuclear family with extended kin links,where possible.

4. Importance of music in their lives. [esp. spirituals].

Southern Pro-SlaverySouthern Pro-SlaveryPropagandaPropaganda