Chapter 11 "Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South"

Describe Turner's rebellion

In 1831, Nat Turner a slave preacher led a band of blacks with guns and axes to go from house to house in VA, killing 60 white people, before being overpowered by state and federal troops. This rebellion was the only large scale slave insurrection in the 19th century South, and it kept fear of slave rebellions/conspiracies in the section for as long as slavery lasted. https://youtu.be/00Ob6Gyz_Iw

Describe the decline in urban slavery

Many white southerners felt that slavery was incompatible with urban life, so as southern cities grew, the number of slaves in them decreased. Urban slaveholders who feared insurrection and conspiracies also sold many of their male "property" to the countryside. So, black women outnumbered black men, and a number of mixed race children were born. As urban slavery declined, the forced segregation of urban blacks (free and slave) was used as means of social control, to make up for the loose discipline of slavery in urban areas.

Describe whites and slave holding stats

Only a small minority of southern whites owned slaves. And often times the slaveholder was the head of the household, in a 5 member family.

Describe the close relationships the majority nonslaveholding whites held with the planter aristocracy.

Small farmers depended on the local plantation aristocracy for access to cotton gins, markets for their modest crops and livestock, and credit/financial assistance. In many areas there were also kinships ties that linked upper and lower class whites. ex: The poorer resident might the cousin of the richest These mutual ties helped to mute class tensions

Describe the "Cavalier Image"?

Southerners thought of themselves as representatives of a way of life based on traditional values of chivalry, leisure, and elegance . They argued that they were "cavaliers" and free from the base, acquisitive instinct of yankees/northerners. So they were more concerned with a gracious and refined way of life than the rapid growth and development.

Describe the "Cotton Kingdom"

Cotton production dominated the lower south as well. (newer states) And the settlement of the region resembled the rush of gold seekers to a new strike. Many people entering into this "kingdom" were enticed by the prospect of earning large profits from growing cotton. Wealthy planters from older states transferred their assets and slaves to new cotton plantations here. And others were small slaveholders or slaveless farmers who hoped to move into the planter class.

Describe the cotton economy (pg.295)

Cotton production first spread into the Western areas of SC and GA and from there farther westward. The industry experienced periodic fluctuations often due to overproduction, and periodic booms gave way to abrupt busts. Yet, the South produced hundred of thousands bales a year, and the annual value of the crop exceeded the rice crop by 198 million. -Southern politicians "Cotton is King!"

What effect did short-staple cotton have on the South and the North?

Demand for cotton grew rapidly, which led to a growth in the textile industry in the North. So many ambitious men and women moved into uncultivated lands, that natives had been removed from, and began to establish cotton growing regions.

Describe the domestic slave trade and markets

Domestic slaves markets were central in areas like New Orleans, Charleston, and Mobile, and field hands could get 500 to 1,700 dollars in the trade. On shorter journeys slaves would have to travel on foot on dusty highways, and on longer journeys they would go via river or ocean streams. The domestic slave trade was one of the most essential and dehumanizing parts of the slave system, and it separated family from each other. Even those who avoided getting broken up, could still be broken up by new owners in the division of an estate after a master's death. Planters attempted to ease their consciences by holding traders in contempt.

Describe the South's inadequate transportation systems (pg.297)

Just like its financial system its transportation systems were also poor. In the South there was no such investments into canals, railroads, and roads, as seen in the North. Canals were almost nonexistent. Most roads were crude and unstable. And railroads, although they expanded substantially, failed to tie the region together effectively. Although their were some towns connected via railroad and independent lines, most of the lines were short and local. As a result, the principal transportation route was by water. And planters shipped their crops to markets by river/sea.

Describe the subordinate status of women in the South socially, and how it differed from and was similar to the status of Northern women

Like in the North, the lives of Southern women was centered around the home, their husbands, and child rearing. The cult of honor in the South, also meant that white men paid more importance to the defense of women. -In practice this meant that women would be expected to obey in return Since many southern women lived on farms, they were isolated from the public world.

Describe the components of the slave family

Like religion the family suffered from certain legal restrictions - legal marriage But the "nuclear family"- parents & children, still emerged as the dominant family model amongst blacks

Describe the efforts of American slave owners in protecting the health of their existing slaves

Most masters had to protect the health, and therefore the usefulness of their slaves. One example of this was the practice of keeping slave children away from work until they were early adolescents. -Believed this would make young slaves more loyal, and ensure better adult health Masters also enlisted hired labor to do the most unhealthy and dangerous tasks. So that if an Irish worker for example died of disease or in an accident, a master could hire another one, and not have to replace a 1,000 dollar or more slave. (Irishmen often were hired to clear malarial swamps) But sometimes cruel masters disregarded the financial expense and used the dangerous tasks given by overseers to discipline their slaves.

Describe the relationships masters had with their slaves

Most masters possessed very few slaves and so they supervised their workers directly and worked alongside them. On such farms, they developed paternal relationships between each other, that were based on the relative powerlessness of the slaves.

Describe the basis of African American religion

Most slaves were Christian, either converting voluntarily or being coerced by their masters and the Protestant missionaries around them. Masters expected their slaves to worship under the supervision of white ministers, since most black churches were banned by law. So slaves became members of the same denominations as their masters, usually Methodist or Baptist. -Missionary efforts increased in the 1840s and 50s in the South

Describe the importance of music in slave society

Music was as important as language, and it allowed them to pass the time in the fields. Since they sung songs in the presence of whites they used nonoffensive words to them, but in the relative privacy of their religious services, they used emotionally rich and politically challenging music.

Within the South itself, what paradoxical results did the institution of slavery have?

It isolated blacks from whites, drawing a sharp race line in which African Americans built their own culture and society separate from whites. But, it also created a unique tie between blacks and masters, in which they maintained separate spheres, but were still dependent on each other.

Explain why the South developed a nonfarm commercial sector (although it wasnt strong)

It was largely to serve the needs of the plantation economy and the brokers or factors that marketed a planter's crops. These merchants tended to live in towns like New Orleans and Charleston, where they worked to find buyers for cotton and other crops, and purchased goods for the planters they served. - essentially advertising and assisting them

What was De Bow's Review and what did it reflect?

James B. De Bow was a resident of New Orleans that advocated for Southern economic independence. He wrote his magazine discussing southern commercial and agricultural expansion. From 1826-1880 In his reviews he warned about the colonial relationship between the 2 sections, and how the South "lost" money to the North annually. -- However, even his own review was evidence of Southern dependency on the North, b/c it was printed in NY since there was no adequate New Orleans printer facilities. It's advertisements were from northern manufacturing firms. And its circulation was always modest in comparison to northern publics. Ex: Harper's Maganize-1,500 copies in SC De Bow's review-173 copies in Charlestown

Describe the task and gang systems used on plantations

Planters used one of two methods to assign slave labor. One was the task system where slaves were assigned a particular task in the morning, and then free for the rest of the day. - Less common, used on rice plantations And the second gang system, was where slaves were divided into groups and directed by a driver, where they were compelled to work for as many hours as the overseer saw fit. - More common, used in cotton, sugar, and tobacco plantations

Describe the foreign slave trade

The foreign slave trade was badly conducted and so many people died along the way. And even though federal law prohibited the importation of slaves in 1808, slaves were still smuggled in when the U.S' supply was inadequate. At an annual southern commercial convention planters began to discuss the opening of the trade, and voted to repeal the laws against slave imports, but their proposal was never acted on.

What did white southerners refer to slavery as?

They referred to slavery as the peculiar institution, but not because they felt it was odd, but because it was very distinct. -The South was the only area in the Western world except for Brazil, Cuba, and Puerto Rico, where slavery still existed

Describe the conditions free blacks faced in the South

A few free blacks, who were typically those on the fringe of slaveholding regions, attained wealth and prominence. -Some even 'owned' their relatives as slaves to ensure their ultimate emancipation In a few cities (New Orleans, Charleston, Natchez) free black communities were able to flourish with some economic stability. But a majority of free blacks lived in poverty, with laws and customs closing occupations to them, forbidding them from assembling, but still having to pay taxes and find housing. -Conditions were worse than northern free blacks, but they still preferred them to slavery

What forms of religion did blacks practice besides Christianity?

A separate slave religion was not supposed to exist. But most blacks developed their own version of Christianity, incorporating voodoo and other polytheistic religious traditions of Africa. -Bending religion to special bondage circumstances Natural leaders also emerged within the slave community and rose to the rank of preacher

Describe plantation conditions for American slaves compared to northern industrial workers and Caribbean sugar slaves (pg.304)

According to some scholars the material conditions of slaves were better than those of northern factory workers and peasants in 19th century Europe. And the conditions were less severe than of slaves in the Caribbean and South America, which required arduous labor in sugar production, and a risk of fatal tropical diseases. Since Caribbean and South American planters were also able to use the African slave trade, they had less of an incentive to protect and take care of the health of their existing laborers. -Could just buy new ones

Describe slave mortality rates

After 1808 when the international slave trade became illegal in the U.S the black population decreased. This was also the result of its high death rate. Although slave mothers had large families, few children survived to adulthood, and those that did died at a younger age than the average white.

Describe slave revolts

Although slave revolts were rare they sparked terror into the hearts of white southerners. Prosser Rebellion-In 1800, Gabriel Prosser gathered 1,000 slaves but 2 Africans gave the plot away and a VA militia stopped the uprising before it could begin, Prosser and 35 others were executed In 1822, the Charleston free black Denmark Vesey and his followers (9,000) made preparations for a revolt, but word got out and a suppression followed.

Describe the special position of women on plantations

Although the plantation doctor enlisted by the master provided some medical care, most was given by slave women who worked as "healers" and midwives. Slave women worked particularly hard and labored in the field, cooked, cleaned, and took care of children. And because slave families were often divided over far away plantations, black women often found themselves acting as single parents, giving them a special burden and authority.

Describe slave shipboard revolts (pg.308)

Amistad- In 1839, a group of 53 slaves took charge of a ship taking them to Cuba, and tried to sail back to Africa. But the crew sailed the ship to the U.S, where at the request of abolitionists and former president Quincy Adams, the slaves were returned to their homeland instead of continuing onto Cuba. (Supreme Court case) Creole- In 1841, a group of slaves took control of a ship headed from VA to New Orleans and they steered it to the Bahamas where slavery was illegal, and they were given sanctuary.

Describe Planter Aristocracy

B/c of the planter aristocracy, many people thought/think of the South as a society dominated by wealthy planters and big plantations although that was not the case. - Aristocrat planters stood at the apex of society and determined the social, political, and economic life of their region. They were sugar, cotton, rice, and even tobacco tycoons, and had annual incomes, elegant homes and many black slaves. Oftentimes they also maintained homes in the towns and cities and traveled often to Europe. -An antidote to isolation, also host many social events

Describe the extended kinship networks that formed on plantations

Because marriages were often broken up by the slave trade, extended kinship networks formed to adapt to this. These kinship networks included uncles, aunts, grandparents, and distant cousins, to make up for the breakup of the nuclear family. A family might even create fictional ties and become adopted by a family in a new community. But, because the impulse to maintain contact with a spouse or children was still strong, many ran away from plantations to find children or spouses that were sent elsewhere.

Describe slave church practices

Black religion was typically more emotional than its white counterparts, and it reflected the influence of African customs. Slave prayer meetings involved chanting, exclamations from the congregation, and conversion experiences. -More joyful and affirming than white religion And black religion emphasized deliverance in the present world. "call us home" "take us to the promised land" -Whites chose to interpret this as life after death hopes Christian images and biblical directions were central to the motivation of those who planned open resistance to slavery. (Prosser, Turner) - In cities and towns blacks had their own churches that free blacks attended, but in the countryside, slaves attended their master's churches which was sometimes on the plantation itself. -Slaves also had to sit in the back of churches in a larger farm community, and held secret services at night.

Describe pidgin and its importance in black/slave culture

Blacks adapted by developing their own separate culture that allowed them to retain a sense of racial pride. When many of the first slaves arrived they spoke different African tongues, and had trouble understanding each other and the whites. So, they learned a common simplistic language (pidgin) that drew on English and African words. Early features of pidgin continued to survive even as later generations grew up never knowing African tongues.

Describe slave marriages

Families did not always operate according to white customs, and black women began having kids at younger ages than white women. Slave communities also did not condemn premarital pregnancy as whites did, and black couples would often live together before marrying. Couples would often marry in a ceremony involving formal vows after having a child. Marriages also often occurred between slaves on neighboring plantations, and sometimes husbands and wives were able to visit each other with permission, but most visits were secret.

How did southerners seek to defend their "honor"

They often dueled with one another. Southern white males placed a high value on forms of courtesy and respect, in part to distance themselves from the cruelty of slavery, and so violations of their "honor" led to violence.

Describe the life of a house slave

Household servants had a easier physical life. On small plantations they may have had to do some field work, but on large ones they acted as the domestic staff. (nurses, butlers, etc) Since they lived close to the master and his family they were able to eat the leftovers from the family table, and in some cases sleep in the "big house" And sometimes familial relationships developed, but oftentimes house slaves resented their isolation from their fellow slaves and the lack of privacy that came with living closer to the master's family. -Proximity meant that their transgressions were seen more, and they were punished more often, so when emancipation came they were some of the first to leave

Describe sexual abuse on plantations

Household servants were especially vulnerable to sexual abuse by their white masters and overseers. And in addition to unwanted sexual attention, female slaves often received vindictive treatment from white women who resented them for their relationships with their husbands. Since they often could not directly attack their husbands, they instead took it out on the female household slaves psychologically (increased workloads, beatings, etc)

Describe the importance of short-staple cotton

If not for the discovery of short-staple cotton, farmers in the region may have shifted their attention towards non-agricultural pursuits.... Short staple cotton was a hardier and coarser strain of cotton that could grow successfully in a variety of climates and soils. Although it was harder to process compared to Long staple cotton, the cotton gin heled to solve that issue.

Describe the aristocratic values of the South

In order to sustain their image of themselves as aristocrats wealthy southern whites avoided "coarse" occupations such as trade and commerce. And those that did not become planters often gravitated towards the military, which was seen as a suitable career. -Medieval knights were a popular image in southern culture, as seen in novels by Walter Scott. Their values also found a reflection in the role they placed for southern white women. "Determined to display themselves as genteel people, having struggled to reach and maintain their positions" (pg.299)

In spite of the poor conditions the underclass and small farmers faced, what stopped them from opposing the plantation system and slavery?

In part, some members of the underclass were too weak and impoverished to protest. But the greatest factor was their perceptions of race, which made them feel that however poor and miserable they were, they were still members of a ruling race. -White supremacy, better than blacks

Describe the relationship between slavery and freedom for slaves in urban areas compared to rural ones

In rural areas, black slaves lived on isolated plantations and had little contact with free blacks and lower-class whites. -No freedom In urban areas, masters could not supervise their slaves closely and use them profitably at the same time, since slaves moved about the day alone preforming errands. So slaves in urban areas had opportunities to mingle with free blacks and lower-class whites, and the line between slavery and freedom was more indistinct.

Describe the South's weak, but not nonexistent, manufacturing sector

In the face of booming agricultural expansion other forms of economic activities developed slowly. However, there was growing activity in flour milling and in textile and iron manufacturing. EX: The Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond- Compared favorably with some of the best iron mills in the NE (Industry was still insignificant in comparison with the agricultural economy)

Describe the decline of the tobacco economy in the South

Previously, much of the upper South relied on tobacco as a cash crop. But the market for tobacco was unstable and its prices were subject to frequent depressions. (Through the 1820s and 50s especially) Tobacco also exhausted the land it grew on, and so most growers could not stay in business in the same area for very long. So by the 30s many farmers in old Southern tobacco growing regions shifted to other crops, and the center of tobacco cultivation moved westward.

Describe the two reactions/stereotypes slave resistance produced

Sambo- the shuffling, grinning, head scratching slave who acted in the way white society expected of him, this was often a façade put on in the presence of whites "Uncle Tom" Slave rebel- the black that could not bring themselves to accept or accommodate, but remained forever rebellious.

Describe the paternal nature of slavery

Since slaves were dependent on their masters for the material means of survival, and for security/protection, they found it difficult to maintain an entirely hostile attitude. This created a paternal relationship between the two groups. Whites used this as a means of control by creating a sense of mutual dependence that reduced resistance to an institution that only benefited the "ruling" race

Describe the "hilly peoples" distaste for the planter aristocracy and slavery

Slavery was an unattractive prospect to the hilly people because it threatened their own sense of independence in a society defined by individual freedom and isolation from modern notions of property. -Similar to how the North felt The mountain region was also the only part of the South to defy the trend towards sectional conformity, and it resisted succession when the movement towards it developed. -During the Civil War, many fought for the Union

Describe slave codes

Slaves codes applied to any with African ancestry, or to anyone suspected of having it, unless they could prove otherwise. The codes of some states prohibited whites from teaching slaves how to read or write, and denied them the right to testify in court against white people. The slave codes of the South also forbade slaves from holding property, leaving their masters premises without permission, being out after dark, congregating with other slaves except at church, carrying firearms, and striking a white person even in self-defense. The laws did not contain any provisions that legalized slave marriages or divorces. And, if a owner killed a slave while punishing him the act was generally not considered a crime. But slaves could face the death penalty for resisting, killing, or inciting revolts. https://youtu.be/FyVWNqhOCFE

Describe other 'less drastic' forms of slave resistance

Slaves often ran away to Canada, assisted by some sympathetic whites in the underground railroad. While others developed a pattern of resistance in their everyday behavior by refusing to work hard, stealing from their masters and neighboring whites, preforming tasks improperly, or breaking tools. - Southern planters began to use very heavy hoes because so many of the lighter ones were broken

Describe the life of a slave

Slaves received the least enough to enable them to live and work. Their diets consisted of cornmeal, salt, pork, and molasses. -On special occasions fresh meat/poultry Many slaves also cultivated gardens for their own use They received cheap clothes and shoes, and lived in cluttered and crude cabins known as slave quarters, near the master's house.

Describe southern commitment to paternalism and its effect on slavery

Small farmers, even more than large planters, were committed to traditional male-dominated family structures. In their household-centered economies, they believed that a stable system of gender relations would ensure order and the participation of all family members. Men were to be the unquestioned masters of the homes, and women and children the workforce under the 'masters' control. - As a result, when the northern attack on slavery peaked in the 40s and 50s, many farmers, ministers, politicians were quick to believe propagandists who claimed that an attack on the hierarchical system of slavery would open the door for an attack on the patriarchy.

Describe the ways in which free blacks attained their freedom

Some slaves managed to buy their freedom with money they may have earned by developing a skill they could market independently. ex: Elizabeth Keckley -seamstress Other slaves were set free by masters who had moral qualms about slavery, or by a master's will after death. ex: After John Randolph died his 400 slaves were freed But few master had any incentive or inclination to free their slaves, so such routes were open to few people

Describe female southern abolitionists (pg.301)

Some white southern women became outspoken abolitionists and joined northerners in the crusade to end slavery. Whereas others sought other reforms in the South. Most women however found few outlets for their discontent, and instead tried to convince themselves of the benefits of their positions, more than men did. (Many tried to defend the class lines that separated them from the poorer whites)

Describe the 'other crops' farmers shifted towards and their pitfalls

Southern regions in the coastal south (GA, SC, FL) continued to rely on the cultivation of rice, which was a more stable and lucrative crop. BUT It demanded substantial irrigation and needed a very long growing season. So it remained confined to a small area - Sugar growers along the Gulf Coast enjoyed a relatively profitable market. BUT The crop required intensive/debilitating labor and a long growing time. So only wealthy planters could afford to engage in it, and they faced competition with the sugar plantations in the Caribbean. -Also only remained confined to a small area - Sea Island/Long staple cotton was also another lucrative crop, but like rice and sugar, it could only grow in limited areas.

Describe education/educational opportunities for Southern women

Southern white women had less educational opportunities/access than their northern counterparts. A quarter of women were completely illiterate and few women had an elementary school education. Even wealthy planters were not interested in extensive schooling for their daughters, and the few female academies primarily trained women to be suitable wives.

Describe the enforcement of the slave codes

The enforcement of the codes was spotty and uneven. Some slaves did acquire property, learn to read and write, and assemble with other slaves in spite of laws forbidding them. So, white owners themselves often handled the punishment of their slaves. -Varying punishments As a result, some blacks lived in prison like conditions, and others had more flexibility and a significant degree of autonomy compared to what was described by law.

Describe the subordinate status of women in the South economically, and how it differed from and was similar to the status of Northern women.

Southern women were even less likely to engage in public activities or find jobs as Northern women. Since the principal economic unit on most farms in the South was the family, the dominance of husbands and fathers over their wives and children was greater than the North. -In the North income had moved out of the home But for southern women that lived on modest farms, it meant they could have a fuller engagement in the economic life of the family. -Engaged in spinning, agricultural, and supervised slaves. Yet even their roles were sometimes limited b/c certain tasks were seen unsuitable for them. -Women in such cases became more of an ornament for their husbands than an active part of society or the economy (Plantation Mistress)

Describe why restrictions were tightened on free blacks, or the freeing of slaves (pg.306)

State laws in VA governing slavery/freeing became more rigid as a response to the fears Turner's revolt created among white southerners. They feared that free blacks, who were removed from white supervision, would generate more violence and rebellion than slaves. -The community of free blacks in southern cities was becoming larger, and more "threatening" to whites, especially with the rise of Northern abolitionist movements So, many southern whites began to tighten their system, and created new laws that made it more difficult for owners to set free their slaves. -All southern states forbade free blacks from entering, and in AR free slaves were forced to leave. - New laws also prohibited blacks, free or slave, from becoming preachers, owning firearms, learning to read. And other Southern states followed suit, even strengthening their militia and patrol systems.

Describe the monitoring of slaves on a plantation

Substantial planters hired overseers and even assistant overseer that represented them on plantations. "Head drivers" were trusted and responsible slaves that were often assisted by sub drivers that acted under the overseer as foremen. -Overseers were paid in proportion to the amount of work they could get out of the slaves they supervised, so they did not care for their wellbeing

Describe the South's financial system, and how brokers/Southern merchants participated in it

The South developed a very basic financial system, with factors/brokers serving as bankers to their planters by providing them with credit. So planters often had substantial debts especially when cotton prices were in decline. Thus, Southern merchant-bankers/factors/brokers, became figures with considerable influence and importance in the region

How did the political structure of the South tie small farmers to plantation society?

The South was unusually democratic, and so participation in politics through voting, campaign meetings and barbeques, were even more widespread than in the North. This political participation gave workers a sense of connection to the social order, as in the North, although office holders in the South were almost always the elite.

How did the boom in the cotton economy effect the loyalties of small farmers? (pg.302)

The boom in the cotton economy in the 50s allowed many small farmers to improve their economic fortunes. Some were able to by more land, become slaveowners, and lie on the fringes of the planter aristocracy. While others just felt more secure in their position as independent yeomen. This financial stability made small farmers more likely to embrace the fierce regional loyalty that was spreading throughout the South.

Describe the way of life for the "Hilly people"

The hilly people were southern highlanders who lived in the Appalachian regions east of the Mississippi. Since they lived in backcountry areas, they were cut off from the commercial world of the plantation system, and out of all southerners they were the most isolated. They practiced a simple form of subsistence agriculture, owned practically no slaves, and had a product sense of seclusion. So they had almost no surplus for the market, had little access to money, and bartered for goods they couldn't grow themselves. They also had older political ideals which included a fervent loyalty to the nation.

Describe the conditions/obstacles runaway slaves faced

The odds of successfully escaping in the Deep South were low. There were hazards in the distance and geography. White slave patrols stopped wandering blacks who were found without a travel permit, and took them captive. The slave patrols also often employed blood hounds who tracked blacks attempting to escape. And some slaves who were caught still attempted to run away repeatedly despite the whippings and other penalties they faced.

Describe the "plain folk" in Southern society

The plain folk were the typical non-slave holding yeoman farmers. Most devoted themselves largely to subsistence agriculture, and some others grew cotton or other crops, but did not produce enough to expand their operations or get out of debt. Some poor farmers did manage to move into the planter class, but such cases were rare. -The number of nonslaveholding landowners increased in the 50s, much fast than the number of slaveholding landowners.

Although the South recognized its 'colonial dependency' it did little to change it, describe some reasons for this. (pg.298)

The profitably of cotton- In the NE people had turned to manufacturing b/c agriculture was failing, but the South it was booming, so there was no incentive to look beyond it. Capital invested- Wealthy southerners had so much capital invested in their land and slaves, that they had little left for other investments Climate/Work Ethic- Some historians claimed that the hot southern climate was less suitable for industrial development, than in the North. And others had claimed that southern working habits impeded industrialization. -Northerners felt that Southerners lacked the strong work ethnic that fueled their economic development & The Cavalier Image

What was the most important economic development in the mid-19th century South? (pg.294)

The shift of economic power from the upper South (original southern states) to the lower South (the expanding agricultural regions in the SW) -This shift reflected the dominance of cotton in the Southern economy (SW had more fertile soils and could produce more cotton)

Describe the expansion of slavery following the growth of king cotton.

The slave population in state increased tremendously. About 410,000 slaves were moved from the upper South to the SW/lower south, either accompanying their masters or, more often, sold to planters already there. So, the sale of slaves in the SW became an important economic activity in the upper South, and helped troubled planters in that region compensate for the declining value of their crops.

What other burdens did southern women face? (pg.301)

The white birth rate was high in the South, but the infant mortality rate was higher than anywhere else. -1/2 of the kids born died before 5 Their husbands often had sexual relationships with female slaves, who bore children that worked on the plantation. -Serve as a constant remind of their husband's infidelity

Describe the plantation management of the planter aristocracy

The world of the planter was not as leisurely as the cavalier myth may have suggested. In its own way, growing staple crops was just as risky as the competitive business in the North. Planters had to carefully supervise their operations to make profits. And even some affluent planters lived modestly, with their wealth so heavily invested in land and slaves and little left for personal comfort. Even substantial planters also had to frequently move as new and more productive areas opened up to cultivation.

Describe the market in the South for common/unskilled laborers

There was a considerable market in the South for unskilled laborers especially since there wasn't as many immigrants as in the North to do unskilled jobs. Since poorer whites in the South preferred farm work over ordinary labor, slaves were often hired out for unskilled tasks. Slaves worked in mining and lumbering, while slave women and children worked in the region's few textile mills.

Describe professionalism in the South vs. North (pg.296)

There was a substantial amount of lawyers, doctors, editors etc. but they were often closely tied to and dependent on the plantation economy. So in comparison with the manufacturers, merchants, and professionals of the North, they were unimportant. -Southerners began to rely on Northern professionals more

What did perceptive southerners begin to realize?

They began to notice how economically subordinate they were to the North, and advocated for economic independence. - Albert Pike & De Bow (pg.297)

Why did many "plain folk" or yeomen, struggle with bettering their lot?

They lacked the educational opportunities that the upper class had, which limited their chances at advancement. -Sons of wealthy planters had many opportunities and access to higher education Even the elementary and secondary schools of the South were inferior to those of the NE, although not much worse than the NW. -Most ppl were still illiterate though

What did planter aristocrats like to compare themselves to, and why was this not the case?

They liked to compare themselves to the old upper classes of England and Europe, which were true aristocracies long and entrenched. -Reinforced their "cavalier image" But, most of the upper class in the South were typically new to their wealth and power, and many started out with modest resources in what once was a rugged wilderness. -In places like the Tidewater region of Virginia they were more similar to actual aristocracies, with families in wealth and power for generations.

Describe the degraded class of the South (pg.302)

This class did not share in the plantation economy but accepted its premises. They numbered half a million, and other classes referred to them as crackers, poor white trash, or sand hillers. They occupied the infertile lands of swamps, pine barrens, and red hills, living in miserable cabins amid destitution. Many owned no land, and supported themselves by foraging or hunting. Others worked as common laborers for their neighbors, although the slave system limited their opportunities. Oftentimes they had dietary deficiencies and disease, and often resorted to eating clay. (got malaria hookworm etc) So, they formed an underclass, were held contempt by planters and small farmers alike, and in material respects they were worse off then slaves. (Some slaves looked down on them)

Describe the cult of honor in the South (pg.300)

White males often tried to save face in the presence of others, and felt that avenging insults especially to those directed at southern women, was a necessity. ex: Preston Brookes from S.C beat Charles Sumner with a cane after he insulted his relative. -In the South, Brookes was praised and in the North he was dubbed a savage