The Rise of King CottonThe Rise of King Cotton

Why did the institution of slavery command Why did the institution of slavery command the loyalty of the vast majority of ante-bellum the loyalty of the vast majority of ante-bellum whites, despite the fact that only a small whites, despite the fact that only a small percentage of them owned slaves? (73)percentage of them owned slaves? (73)

Slavery was the dominating reality of all Slavery was the dominating reality of all southern life. Assess the validity of this southern life. Assess the validity of this generalization for TWO of the following generalization for TWO of the following aspects of southern life from about 1840 to aspects of southern life from about 1840 to 1860: political, social, economic, and 1860: political, social, economic, and intellectual life. (84)intellectual life. (84)

I. Slavery and the Southern I. Slavery and the Southern EconomyEconomy

A. Saving SlaveryA. Saving Slavery Slavery in economic decline in 1790s: coastal Slavery in economic decline in 1790s: coastal

soil exhaustion, undependable foreign markets, soil exhaustion, undependable foreign markets, rice no go inland, cotton bottled uprice no go inland, cotton bottled up

2 dramatic changes: 1) Ind. Rev., 2) cotton gin2 dramatic changes: 1) Ind. Rev., 2) cotton gin 1 slave, 1 day, 1 lbs. cotton1 slave, 1 day, 1 lbs. cotton w/ cotton gin: 1:1:50 lbsw/ cotton gin: 1:1:50 lbs w/water power: 1:1:1,000 lbsw/water power: 1:1:1,000 lbs

B. Expanding the EmpireB. Expanding the Empire Expands into GA + Carolina piedmont Expands into GA + Carolina piedmont

(backcountry)(backcountry) 1800: crosses mountains1800: crosses mountains VA becomes slave breederVA becomes slave breeder selling excess selling excess

pop. West (Miss., Alabama, LA, Ark.)pop. West (Miss., Alabama, LA, Ark.) VA supports 1808 ban on slave trade for profitsVA supports 1808 ban on slave trade for profits

1792: 13,000 bales/yr; 1860: 5 million bales/yr1792: 13,000 bales/yr; 1860: 5 million bales/yr 12 wealthiest counties in US in South12 wealthiest counties in US in South

II. Moonlight and Magnolias? Free II. Moonlight and Magnolias? Free Southern Social StructureSouthern Social Structure

A. Myth and RealityA. Myth and Reality Myth of moonlight and Myth of moonlight and

magnolias: most whites magnolias: most whites on large plantations on large plantations worked by 100s worked by 100s slavesslaves live leisurely, live leisurely, civilized, honorablecivilized, honorable

Smiling house servants, Smiling house servants, cheerful field gangscheerful field gangs

RealityReality 1860: only 25% own slaves at all1860: only 25% own slaves at all Of 25%: 1/2 owned Of 25%: 1/2 owned ≤ 5; 75% ≤ 10≤ 5; 75% ≤ 10 From top: 1% From top: 1% slaveholdersslaveholders ≥ 100; 12% ≥ 20 ≥ 100; 12% ≥ 20 20 key: min. required specialized plantation 20 key: min. required specialized plantation

laborlabor

B. White SocietyB. White Society

1) Planters (1) Planters (≥ 20 slaves)≥ 20 slaves) Specialized ag. (cotton, tobacco, Specialized ag. (cotton, tobacco,

sugar) w/ extensive ÷ labor: field, sugar) w/ extensive ÷ labor: field, house servants, pasture staff, house servants, pasture staff, artisans (plantation largely self-artisans (plantation largely self-sufficient)sufficient)

Genteel lifestyle: Extended visits, Genteel lifestyle: Extended visits, parties, balls; southern hospitalityparties, balls; southern hospitality

““Wealthy” problematic: chronic Wealthy” problematic: chronic debtdebt Capital tied up in land + slaves; Capital tied up in land + slaves;

borrow against cropborrow against crop

2) Small Slaveholders2) Small Slaveholders Diff. to generalize: Diff. to generalize:

Diff. geography: uplands (no/few aspirations Diff. geography: uplands (no/few aspirations greatness), delta + low country (ambitious, greatness), delta + low country (ambitious, younger: led push into West)younger: led push into West)

3) Yeoman Farmers3) Yeoman Farmers

Largest group (3/4 of whites in 1860)Largest group (3/4 of whites in 1860) Landowning (50-200 acres), no slaves (might Landowning (50-200 acres), no slaves (might

hire during busy timeshire during busy times cements relationship cements relationship w/planters, part of southern w/planters, part of southern paternalismpaternalism), ), subsistence (esp. up country), few market subsistence (esp. up country), few market transactionstransactions

Valued independence, folk culture (family, Valued independence, folk culture (family, church, region)church, region)

4) “People of the Pine Barrens”: 4) “People of the Pine Barrens”: Landless WhitesLandless Whites

Crackers (think “Deliverance”)Crackers (think “Deliverance”) 10-20% of whites, no slaves, no land 10-20% of whites, no slaves, no land

(squatters)(squatters) Not always primarily farmers (some corn, Not always primarily farmers (some corn,

foraging, hunting)foraging, hunting) Poor (20-40% South received aid from Poor (20-40% South received aid from

State); regarded as lazy, shiftlessState); regarded as lazy, shiftless Resisted hiring out to yeoman: comparison Resisted hiring out to yeoman: comparison

to slaves (Northern “wage slaves”)to slaves (Northern “wage slaves”) Expansion of cotton kingdom harmed: Expansion of cotton kingdom harmed:

closing off of public lands/fencesclosing off of public lands/fences impacts impacts hunting and foraginghunting and foraging

C. Yeoman Political DemandsC. Yeoman Political Demands Although majority, little political powerAlthough majority, little political power reapportion reapportion

legislatures + expand voting rightslegislatures + expand voting rights more democratic more democratic than planters likedthan planters liked

Increasing tension: slaves more expensive (esp. post Increasing tension: slaves more expensive (esp. post 1808) + less land West1808) + less land West social mobility stifled social mobility stifled

But, remarkably little class conflict: But, remarkably little class conflict: 1) diff. groups in diff. areas1) diff. groups in diff. areas little interaction little interaction 2) united by white supremacy + racism2) united by white supremacy + racism aspirations to aspirations to

planter status + slave ownership, despise slavesplanter status + slave ownership, despise slaves

D. Free BlacksD. Free Blacks Either descendents of slaves freed (1780s–90s) or Either descendents of slaves freed (1780s–90s) or

runawaysrunaways Most landless, rural laborersMost landless, rural laborers A few able to own land & slaves (usually wife & A few able to own land & slaves (usually wife &

kids; kids; notnot allowed to free them by law) allowed to free them by law) In LA & Gulf, mulattos from days of French and In LA & Gulf, mulattos from days of French and

SpanishSpanish Community centered on church (esp. African Community centered on church (esp. African

Methodist Episcopal) and faced ever-more restrictive Methodist Episcopal) and faced ever-more restrictive southern lawssouthern laws

““One drop” ruleOne drop” rule constant fear of re-enslavement constant fear of re-enslavement

III. Planter Ethos: Culture of HonorIII. Planter Ethos: Culture of Honor

Value system: aristocratic, paternalistic (planters as fathers of society), Value system: aristocratic, paternalistic (planters as fathers of society), stressed family (kin), social status, leisure, accomplishment, gentility, and stressed family (kin), social status, leisure, accomplishment, gentility, and honorhonor

Honor: cluster of ethical rules; right behavior and worth based on others’ Honor: cluster of ethical rules; right behavior and worth based on others’ perceptionsperceptions

Evaluated by: family bloodline (purity + position in clear hierarchy), Evaluated by: family bloodline (purity + position in clear hierarchy), physical characteristics (race, gender, physique, skill)physical characteristics (race, gender, physique, skill) ““Tweaking the nose”Tweaking the nose”

V. attuned to insults + V. attuned to insults + physical courage physical courage duels duels (only acceptable response to (only acceptable response to insult)insult)

Deep reverence of and fear Deep reverence of and fear for white women: women in for white women: women in command of bloodline command of bloodline (miscegenation)(miscegenation)

Oath takingOath taking as male bond as male bond didn’t sign contracts didn’t sign contracts (difficult to formalize (difficult to formalize business arrangements, business arrangements, banking, etc.)banking, etc.)

Anti-bourgeois: rejected profit; acquisitive but Anti-bourgeois: rejected profit; acquisitive but to reaffirm honorto reaffirm honor to be able to provide to be able to provide hospitality, own land + slaves (basis white hospitality, own land + slaves (basis white male power)male power)

Regard bourgeois North as effeminate, Regard bourgeois North as effeminate, untrustworthy, dishonorableuntrustworthy, dishonorable

Northern workers as “wage slaves”Northern workers as “wage slaves”

IV. The Habit of CommandIV. The Habit of Command

Great irony: Owners completely dependent on Great irony: Owners completely dependent on slavesslaves

Believed selves to be ferociously Believed selves to be ferociously independentindependent need to demonstrate need to demonstrate command/control and superiority (of blacks command/control and superiority (of blacks and whites)and whites)

Theatrical demonstrations of slave submissionTheatrical demonstrations of slave submission

Planters claimed paternalism limited Planters claimed paternalism limited cruelty, but:cruelty, but:

1) female slaves forced to work in 1) female slaves forced to work in fields (violates notions of fields (violates notions of femininity)femininity)

2) nuclear families broken up 2) nuclear families broken up (violates ideal of fatherly protection)(violates ideal of fatherly protection)

3) severe punishments (in addition 3) severe punishments (in addition to fundamental cruelty of the to fundamental cruelty of the system): system): slave breakersslave breakers Frederick Douglass and Mr. CoveyFrederick Douglass and Mr. Covey

Antebellum South marked by conflicting Antebellum South marked by conflicting values: independence/dependence, values: independence/dependence, gentility/violencegentility/violence

More dependent whites felt toward blacksMore dependent whites felt toward blacks more violent becamemore violent became