Slavery during the Antebellum Period

Slavery during the Antebellum Period

By Tatiana Dalton and Geneva Cann

Cotton Gin• A machine that quickly separates cotton fibers from 

       cotton seeds. This was previously done by hand, so it        was a very popular and successful invention.

• Invented by the American, Eli Whitney

• Made the South even more dependent on slaveryo Cotton became the most

profitable cropo Many slaves needed to produce

cotton

Slavery and the Economy of the South:• 1824, cotton cultivation in the South was tremendous and the South

depended on slavery to finance their lives. • Politicians feared that abolishing slavery would destroy the South's

economy • We usually picture a plantation as having hundreds of slaves on it,

but in fact, three-fourths of white Southerners did not even own slaves; of those who did, 88% owned twenty or fewer!

Living Conditions of Slaves

Treatment of Antebellum-era Slaves• Slaves still thought of as property

o Status maintained by violenceo Even non-slaveholding southerners promoted this

view of blacks• Worked as hard laborers, skilled artisans , and

domestic workerso Domestic work generally preferred - however,

greater scrutiny, less privacyo Women - extra task of taking care of the family,

weaving, cooking, etc.• Poor conditions on plantations

o Inadequate diet and living quarterso Climate difficulties - disease, infant mortality

Slave Culture

• Slaves on a plantation formed a communityo Marriages between slaveso After work - meetings to socialize, tell stories, make

secret planso Singing and music another form of expressiono Kept their true selves away from whites, "underground"

• Religion a source of inspirationo Christianity, Islam, African religionso Moses, "day of reckoning"

 • Parents taught children tricks of surviving in a white-

dominated world

• Hunting, gathering, herbal medicines to supplement diet

Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion

Virginia, 1831-slaves revolted, killing whites and freeing slaves

Resulted in white retaliation, killings of many blacks

Antislavery Organizations and Ante-Bellum Reform• The American Colonization Society

o Sought to send freed blacks to an African colony

o Proved to be inefficient• The American • Antislavery Society

o Founded by o William Lloyd Garrisono The Liberator

•  The Liberty Partyo  Made up of Northernerso The party's candidate for president - James

Birneyo A split between abolitionists: moral crusading

vs. political action

Abolitionists and Children

 • Abolitionists viewed

children as morally pure, and therefore viewed children as natural opponents of slavery

• Produced antislavery toys, games and alphabet books

Other Antislavery Activists

Black Abolitionists• Harriet Tubman, David

Ruggles, Sojourner Truth, an William Still organized efforts to help fugitive slaves to freedom

• Frederick Douglass: antislavery journal- The North Star

Violent Abolitionism•  Walker and Garnet:

slaves should rise up, take action against their masters

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

• Tubman, known as "Moses" coordinated with white families willing to house runawayso "Safe houses" were identified by a lit lantern hanging on a

post outside• Journey to freedom could take from 2 months to one year

Political:• Slavery in the north had disappeared by 1820• Ban of importation of slaves (1808)• High tariffs threaten southern cotton production

(South Carolina suffered economic decline in 1820s), cotton prices were lowered

• Jackson becomes president in 1828, supported the south and slavery

• The North opposed Jackson, wanted to end slavery

The Amistad

The Missouri Compromise1819-1820Missouri's bid for statehood complicated by its tolerance of slavery (Northerners opposed)Would upset sectional balance of free vs. slave statesBalance allowed Southerners to prevent unwanted legislation

Tallmadge Amendment• Proposed Conditions of

Admission:o No further introduction

of slaves into MSo Children of MS slaves

to be emancipated at 25

•    Amendment shot down by Northerners

Clay's Proposal (Combination of three bills)• Missouri a new slave state• Maine a new free state• No more slavery in

Louisiana Territory north of latitude 36

AFTER COMPROMISE: 30 YEARS OF SECTIONAL BALANCE AND LIMITED CONFLICT OVER SLAVERY

The Compromise of 1850THE ISSUES:• Territory gained in war with Mexico

• Washington, D.C.

• California - petition to become a new state

THE COMPROMISE (proposed by Henry Clay):• New territories - slavery policy to be determined

by inhabitants• D.C. - slave trade abolished, slavery still allowed• California - admitted as free state• Fugitive Slave Act

The Fugitive Slave Act Required citizens to participate in returning fugitive slaves to their masters• Case commissioners

o Paid twice the amount if fugitive was given back to his "master"

• New rules made filing a claim easier for slave owners

Antislavery Northerners allowed for the passage of this act in return for the admission of California as a free state.

Anthony Burns• Slave in Virginia

• Escaped to Boston, followed by master

• Violence at the courthouse during hearing

• Burns sent back to VA only to buy freedom

Works Cited

• google.com• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2956.html• http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trr095.html• The AMSCO AP US History Review Book• "The Enduring Vision" textbook• Living condition photographs available on Flickr• www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/hfame.html• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html