SLAVERY The Antebellum South. THE MIDDLE PASSAGE International Slave Trade: Ends 1808.

SLAVERY

The Antebellum South

THE MIDDLE PASSAGEInternational Slave Trade: Ends 1808

US Laws Regarding US Laws Regarding SlaverySlavery

US Laws Regarding US Laws Regarding SlaverySlavery

1. 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: Worse Southern Slavery: Worse Than the RestThan the Rest

Southern Slavery: Worse Southern Slavery: Worse Than the RestThan the Rest

1780s: 1st antislavery society created in Philadelphia

1808: The legal termination of the slave trade

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.

Why Not Leave?Why Not Leave?Why Not Leave?Why Not Leave?

High cost of keeping slaves fromescaping.

GOAL raise the “exit cost.”

Slave patrols.

Southern Black Codes.

Cut off a toe or a foot.

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

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

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the Antebellum SouthAntebellum South

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the Antebellum SouthAntebellum South

1.1. Primarily Primarily agrarianagrarian..

2.2. Economic power shifted Economic power shifted from the 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 Very slow development of industrializationslow development of industrialization..

5.5. Rudimentary financial system.Rudimentary financial system.

6.6. Inadequate transportation systemInadequate transportation system..

Southern Society Southern Society (1850)(1850)

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

[plantation owners][plantation owners]““Slavocracy”Slavocracy”

[plantation owners][plantation owners]

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

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

6,000,0006,000,000

Black FreemenBlack FreemenBlack FreemenBlack Freemen

Black SlavesBlack Slaves3,200,0003,200,000

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%]

Roughly 30 to 50% of White

Southern Population were landless (329)

Majority of slave holders were yeoman trying to move up in the world

Southern Southern AgricultureAgricultureSouthern Southern

AgricultureAgriculture

Slaves Picking CottonSlaves Picking Cottonon a Mississippi on a Mississippi

PlantationPlantation

Slaves Picking CottonSlaves Picking Cottonon a Mississippi on a Mississippi

PlantationPlantation

Eli Whitney- Cotton Gin• Invented in 1793• The invention of the cotton gin caused massive growth in

the production of cotton in the United States.• Cotton production expanded from 750,000 bales in 1830 to

2.85 million bales in 1850. • As a result, the South became even more dependent on

plantations and slavery, with plantation agriculture becoming the largest sector of the Southern economy.

• The number of slaves rose in concert with the increase in cotton production, increasing from around 700,000 in 1790 to around 3.2 million in 1850.

• By 1860, the southern states were providing two-thirds of the world’s supply of cotton, and up to eighty percent of the crucial British market.

Slaves Using the Cotton Slaves Using the Cotton GinGin

Slaves Using the Cotton Slaves Using the Cotton GinGin

Changes in Cotton Changes in Cotton ProductionProduction

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

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

Distribution of Slave Distribution of Slave Labor in 1850Labor in 1850

Distribution of Slave Distribution of Slave Labor in 1850Labor in 1850

The Ledger of John The Ledger of John WhiteWhite

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

Graniteville Textile Graniteville Textile Co.Co.

Graniteville Textile Graniteville Textile Co.Co.

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

Richmond, VA

Plantation Life

Plantation Life• Slave owning elites (Those that owned 50 slaves or

more) 2.5% of population• More spread out- more self reliant (Attitude still exist)• Planter elite- through school experiences, family

networks, politics, etc. formed a system they felt was based on English aristocracy

• The man had the power and would fight for “honor”• Slave overseer was the ones most often to discipline

slaves

Paternalistic Ideology (333)• The planter elite developed a paternalistic ideology to

justify their rigorous insistence on the master-slave relationship. According to this idea, each plantation was a family composed of both black and white.

• The master, as head of the plantation, was the head of the family, and the mistress (wife) was the “helpmate.” The master was expected to provide for his family, including both whites and blacks. In return, the slaves would work properly and do as they were told

Plantation Mistress

• Held a large amount of responsibility without much in the way of authority

• Mistress ran the household staff• Mistresses were responsible for arrangement

of visitors and entertaining• Husbands were usually the real authority on

the plantation• (Page 333)

Slave ResistanceSlave ResistanceSlave 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 ResistanceSlave ResistanceSlave Resistance2. Refusal to work hard.

3. Isolated acts of sabotage.

4. Escape via the Underground Railroad- system of hidden passages, routes, and safe houses.

HARRIETT TUBMAN• Greatest conductor on “Underground

Railroad”: Known as “Grandma Moses”• She earned freedom and would sneak about

to the South and led about 300 slaves to safety- $40,000 reward was on her head

http://www.pocanticohills.org/tubman/urmap.gif

Runaway Slave AdsRunaway Slave AdsRunaway Slave AdsRunaway Slave Ads

Quilt Patterns as Secret Quilt Patterns as Secret MessagesMessages

Quilt Patterns as Secret Quilt Patterns as Secret MessagesMessages

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.

Slave Rebellions Throughout Slave Rebellions Throughout the Americasthe Americas

Slave Rebellions Throughout Slave Rebellions Throughout the Americasthe Americas

Famous Slave Rebellions- Gabriel’s Rebellion- 1800

• Gabriel Prosser- Was a literate enslaved blacksmith who planned to lead a large slave rebellion large slave rebellion in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800. However, information regarding the revolt was leaked prior to its execution, thus Gabriel's plans were foiled. Gabriel and twenty-five other members of the revolt were hanged. In reaction, the Virginia and other legislatures passed restrictions on free blacks, as well as the education, movement and hiring out of the enslaved.

Denmark Vesey: 1822

• Was an African American slave brought to the United States from the Caribbean. After purchasing his freedom, he planned what would he planned what would have been one of the largest slave rebellions in the United Stateshave been one of the largest slave rebellions in the United States. Word of the plans was leaked, and at Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina, authorities arrested the plot's leaders before the uprising could begin. Vesey and others were tried, convicted and executedexecuted. Although it was almost certainly not his home, the Denmark Vesey House at Denmark Vesey House at Charleston was named a National Historic Landmark in 1976Charleston was named a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

• Many antislavery activists antislavery activists came to regard Vesey as a heroregard Vesey as a hero. During the American Civil War, abolitionist Frederick Douglass used Frederick Douglass used Vesey's name as a battle cryVesey's name as a battle cry to rally African-American regiments, especially the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

Nat Turner, 1831Nat Turner, 1831Nat Turner, 1831Nat Turner, 1831Uprising of slaves in Southampton County, VA in the summer of 1831 which led to the death of 55 white people- deadliest slave revolt in U.S. history: Helped to lead to more violence in the system of slavery

-Nat Turner was a preacher who had a vision to revolt: Started with Five rebels-Treated “humanely” by owner, despite previous attempt to run away but killed his master 1st saying- “was to me a kind master…I had no cause to complain of his treatment of me.”-Moved from plantation to plantation, eventually getting up to 60- As armed white men came after them, they fled. Eventually, 40 or so were executed fro revolt including Nat Turner (although he avoided capture for 2 mos.)

John Brown Raid- • His strategy was to steal guns and weapons from Harper’s

Ferry and armed VA slaves

• Essentially he wanted to deplete Virginia of its slaves, causing the institution to collapse in one county after another, until the movement spread into the South, essentially wreaking havoc on the economic viability of the pro-slavery states. Thus, while violence was essential to self-defense and advancement of the movement, Brown's hope was to limit and minimize bloodshed, not ignite a slave insurrection as many have charged. From the Southern point of view, of course, any effort to arm the enslaved was perceived as a definitive threat

• Caught and executed- Became an abolitionist martyr

Other Rebellions• 1739 Stono Rebellion: (South Carolina, Suppressed)

1741 New York Conspiracy: (New York City, Suppressed)1791–1804 Haitian Revolution: (Saint-Domingue, Victorious)1800 Gabriel Prosser: (Virginia, Suppressed)1805 Chatham Manor: (Virginia, Suppressed)1811 German Coast Uprising: (Territory of Orleans, Suppressed)

• 1822 Denmark Vesey: (South Carolina, Suppressed)1831 Nat Turner's rebellion: (Virginia, Suppressed)1831–1832 Baptist War: (Jamaica, Suppressed)1839 Amistad, ship rebellion: (Off the Cuban coast, Victorious- Captured by USS Washington- Supreme Court ruled them free)1841 Creole, ship rebellion: (Off the Southern U.S. coast, Victorious)1842 Slave Revolt in the Cherokee Nation: (Southern U.S., Suppressed)1859 John Brown's Raid: (Virginia, Suppressed)

The Culture of SlaveryThe Culture of SlaveryThe Culture of SlaveryThe Culture of Slavery1. Black Christianity [Baptists or Methodists]:

2nd Great Awakening * More emotional worship services. * Negro spirituals- Offered support to live in what they did

2. “Pidgin” or Gullah languages.

3. Nuclear family with extended kin links where possible: Used terms of family members that were not family

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

Southern Pro-SlaverySouthern Pro-SlaveryPropagandaPropaganda

Southern Pro-SlaverySouthern Pro-SlaveryPropagandaPropaganda

Famous Abolitionists

Those that worked for the ending of slavery

JOHN BROWN

• Helped massacre- five pro-slavery at massacre- five pro-slavery at Pottawatomie MassacrePottawatomie Massacre (Bleeding Kansas)

• Attempted to take weapons from Harpers’ Ferry Arsenal- Slave Revolt

Harriet Beecher Stowe

• “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”

LEVI COFFIN• Operated Underground Railroad station in Indiana- Fountain City

(Newport)• Helped 2,000 slaves escape• Was model for “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”• Coffin was deeply involved in the Underground Railroad in Indiana

and Ohio and his home is often called "Grand Central Station of "Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad". He was nicknamed "President of the the Underground Railroad". He was nicknamed "President of the Underground Railroad" because of the thousands of slaves that Underground Railroad" because of the thousands of slaves that are reported to have passed through his care while escaping their are reported to have passed through his care while escaping their masters. masters. Coffin's home became the convergence point of three major escape routes from Madison, New Albany, and Cincinnati.

William Lloyd Garrison

• Was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer. He is best known as the editor of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, and as one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society, he promoted "immediate emancipation" of slaves in the United States. Garrison was also a prominent voice for the women's suffrage movement.

Sojourner Truth• Self- given name: Real name was Isabella Baumfree Isabella Baumfree

or Isabella Von Wagener• Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with

her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, she became the first black woman to win such a case against a white man.

• Her best-known extemporaneous speech on racial inequalities, Ain't I a Ain't I a Woman?, Woman?, was delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio.

• During the Civil War, Truth helped recruit black troops for the Union Army; after the war, Truth tried unsuccessfully to secure land grants from the federal government for former slaves.

Fredrick Douglas

• Was born a slave• Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas- An

American Slave• One of the most influential African-

Americans- Advised A. Lincoln and gave a famous tribute to him

• 2 sons served in the 54th Massachusetts- An all black regiment