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Page 1: Slavery in Antebellum America The 3 Souths.
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Slavery in Antebellum America

The 3 Souths

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Border South: DE, MD, KY & MO

22% of families owned on average 5 slaves

1% of South’s ultra-wealthy 6% of large (20+ slaves)

plantations found in region.

Slaves made up 17% of the population; 21% of African American population free.

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Border South: DE, MD, KY & MO

Little cotton cultivation; tobacco, grain & industrial products.

Unionists prevailed after Lincoln’s election & throughout Civil War.

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Middle South: VA, NC, TN & AR

36% of families owned on average 8 slaves

14% of South’s ultra-wealthy

32% of large (20+ slaves) plantations found primarily in eastern VA & western TN.

Slaves made up 30% of the population.

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Middle South: VA, NC, TN & AR Different sections, some resembling

Deep South, others Border South.

Some industry: Tredegar Iron Works used slave labor.

Unionists prevailed after Lincoln’s election, but Secessionists prevailed after Fort Sumter & early hostilities.

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Deep South: SC, FL, GA, AL, MS, LA & TX 43% of families owned on average

12 slaves

85% of the South’s ultra-wealthy

62% of large (20+ slaves) plantations

Slaves made up 47% of the population.

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Deep South: SC, FL, GA, AL, MS, LA & TX

Most slaves concentrated in the “Black Belt,” especially along river valleys

95% of the South’s cotton & almost all of its sugar, rice & indigo grown in Deep South.

Secessionists prevailed immediately after Lincoln’s election.

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HistoriographyHistoriography

The “Peculiar Institution” in Antebellum America

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Main Debates on History of “Peculiar Institution”

Which came first slavery or racism? Was slavery economically viable? Was it an economic system of labor

exploitation or a social system for racial control?

What were the tools of oppression? Centrality of violence?

What were the tools of resistance? Revolts & escapes?

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Positive Paternalism Earliest interpretation, developed by

U.B. Phillips & Southern historians analyzing multi-racial communities of the SouthArgued that slaves & masters loved &

respected each other.Slavery served as essential civilizing

institution.Clearly racist aspects have been

excised but romantic notion of the Southern “Lost Cause” persists.

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Factories in the Fields Economic interpretation

proposed by Marxist historians, such as Kenneth Stampp.Saw mode of production as the

motor of history; Slaves were workers & nothing

more; defined by lives in the fields.Minimized racial purpose of slavery

& presented hopeful vision of post-slavery America once economic system changed.

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American Concentration Camps Historians led by Stanley Elkins

utilized understanding of human nature based on recent history of the Holocaust.Saw absolute nature of slavery & its

impact on slaves— infantilization, creation of “Sambo” archetype.

Saw little room for autonomy in slave existence.

Presented pessimistic vision of post-slavery America.

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Oppressive Cage of Paternalism

Paternalism existed as a tool of oppression & survival.

No real love & respect between slaves & masters, except in a few individual, isolated instances.

Institutional support of system—religion, slave culture, etc.—designed to reinforce these relationships.

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Oppressive Cage of Paternalism

Complexity of social & cultural forms in slave life defined by Type of production (Gang or Task system)

Regions (Tidewater, Black Belt)Different Worlds (Sunup-Sundown & Sundown-Sunup)

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Oppression Centrality of Violence

– Need not be everyday or extreme;– Threat of violence or token violence;– Women often the target of sexual violence.– Absolute authority of the master is

unquestionable.

Threat of Sale & Separation– Economic reality & necessity;– Threat & use of sale as a tool of control.– Perhaps more absolute than violence.

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Oppression: The Very Nature of Slavery

“It’s bad to belong to folks that own you soul an’ body. I could tell you ‘bout it all day, but even then you couldn’t guess the awfulness of it.”

“There was no such thing as being good to slaves. Many people were better than others, but a slave belonged to his master & there was no way to get out of it.”

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Resistance Planned Rebellion

– Gabriel Prosser & Nat Turner in Virginia;

– Denmark Vesey in Charleston, SC.– Very Rare

Individual Violence--Frederick Douglass– Perhaps more prevalent– Hard to quantify

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Resistance “Weapons of the Weak”:

–Sabotage & work slowdowns;–Putdowns & snide remarks.

“Grand Theft” & the “General Strike”--Escape

Cultural Autonomy--The ultimate resistance?

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