Part II Slavery Abolition and the Quest for

Part II Slavery, Abolition, and the Quest for Freedom: The Coming of the Civil War, 1793 -1861 Chapter 6 Life in the Cotton Kingdom

I. The Expansion of Slavery n Invention of cotton gin, 1793 – Made short-staple cotton profitable – Rapid territorial expansion of slavery • Atlantic coast to Texas • Forced removal of American Indians – Slave population increased six-fold, 17901860 • Grew fastest in Alabama and Mississippi

Ownership: Slaves in the Old South n Slavery unevenly distributed • 25% of white families owned slaves in 1860 – Fell from 36% in 1830 • Nearly half of slaveholders owned fewer than five • 12% owned more than twenty slaves • 1% owned more than fifty slaves • Typical slave lived on a sizeable plantation

Black Slaveholders In 1830, only 2% of free blacks owned slaves Protected their families from sale and disruption • Southern states made manumission harder • Threatened to expel former slaves Economic gains • William Johnson • Margaret Mitchell Harris • Betsy Somayrac

II. Slave Labor in Agriculture n Slaves in the South – 55% cultivated cotton – 10% grew tobacco – 10% produced sugar, rice, hemp – 15% domestic servants – 10% trades and industries

Slave Labor in Agriculture (cont. ) n Tobacco – Labor intensive crop • Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina n Rice – South Carolina and Georgia coastal waterways – Large plantations needed large labor force • Some with 300, 500, one planter with 1, 000 slaves • Task system

Slave Labor in Agriculture (cont. ) n Sugar – Along the Mississippi River – Southern Louisiana • • Warm climate Long growing season Sixty inches of rain per year Constant labor – Harsh conditions ~ hot and humid – African Americans feared being sent to work here

Slave Labor in Agriculture (cont. ) n Cotton – Most important crop in the South and the nation – Exports more than 50% (See Figure 6 -1) • Increased exports strengthened slavery itself – Cotton plantations employed bulk of slaves – Britain and New England textile mills • Mississippi and Alabama ~ leading producers • Price for slaves increased

Slave Labor in Agriculture (cont. ) n Other crops – Hemp, corn, wheat, oats, rye and potatoes – Hogs, cattle, sheep, and horses – Kentucky center of hemp industry • Less slave labor needed

III. House Servants and Skilled Slaves n 25% of slaves did non-agricultural duties – House servants ~ elite slaves • Cooks and maids • Less physically demanding – Better food and clothing – Grueling, hard work in 19 th century kitchens – Closer white supervision than field hands – Skilled craftsmen ~ elite slaves • Carpenters, blacksmiths, and millwrights – Traveling for tool and spare parts gave a taste of freedom – “Hiring out”

IV. Urban Slavery n Urban slaves – – Domestics, washwomen, waiters, artisans Hack drivers, stevedores, and general laborers Interacted with free black community Urban slaves had opportunities to earn money when not working for masters • Hired out and paid masters a portion of earnings • More autonomy ~ masters had less control

Industrial Slavery n About 5% of 1860 slave population – Textile mills in South Carolina and Georgia – Tredegar Iron Works in Virginia and other locales – Lumber industry, naval stores – Most industrialist in the South hired slaves – Slaves preferred industrial to plantation • Greater autonomy • Path to freedom for some

V. Punishment n Slaves – Incentives – Physical punishments • For good performance • Fear of the lash – Induced discipline and work – Fostered cooperation for mutual protection – See VOICES

VI. The Domestic Slave Trade n South and westward cotton expansion – Upper South sells excess slaves to Lower South • Upper South sent 50% slaves to Lower South, 1820 -1860 – “Sold down river” • Economic necessity • Profit • Form of punishment – Demonstrated the fallacy that slavery was benign

VII. Slave Families No legal standing n Unions were encouraged n – Reduced rebelliousness in young, single men n Slave weddings – Most could chose their mates – Jumping the broom – Taking up n Core of African-American community

Slave Families (cont. ) n Children – Survival skills • • Deceit and guile Instructed in family history, religion, conduct Folk stories Extended family relationships – High infant mortality • Diseases – Unsupervised play with white children

Slave Families (cont. ) n Sexual exploitation – Long-term relations between slave women and masters common in 19 th century – More common was forced sex – Justifications • Black women promiscuous and seduced white males • Reduced prostitution • Promoted purity among white women

Slave Families (cont. ) n Diet – Corn and pork • About the same as masters and white southerners • Not undernourished n Clothing – Two distributions • Children naked • Black women individualized with decorations n Health – Chronic illness • Overwork, harsh conditions

VIII. The Socialization of Slaves n Subtle survival skills – Mental agility – Self-confidence – Learned to watch what they said around whites – Learned not to talk back – Learned to camouflage their feelings

IX. Religion Cope n Mid-19 th century most slaves Protestant n – Biracial Baptist and Methodist churches • Racially segregated • Shared cemeteries n “Servants obey your masters” – Preferred semi-secret black church • Moses and deliverance • Emotional

X. The Character of Slavery – U. B. Phillips • 1910 s slavery benign institution – Christian slaveholders cared for largely content slaves » Rescued inferior race from barbarism – Eugene D. Genovese • Paternalism – Historians of the 1950 s • Exploitation – Whippings, family breakups

XI. Conclusion n Southern slavery of African Americans is a story of labor, perseverance, and resistance – Coped with a brutal forced-labor system – Family relationships – Churches – Traditions